The smell of -SPACE-

From the [spacewalks] there really is a distinct smell of space when they come back in," It's like...something I haven't ever smelled before, but I'll never forget it. You know how those things stick with you."

In the past, astronauts have described the smell of space as something akin to gunpowder or ozone.

Is this really what space smells like. Full artical in link below.

FULL NEWS POST

reply to post by texasoutlaw


Guess that space isn't the empty void that everyone thinks it is. I remember reading that the Apollo astronauts also commented on the smell of the moon, which was a similar smell:

"It is really a strong smell," radioed Apollo 16 pilot Charlie Duke. "It has that taste -- to me, [of] gunpowder -- and the smell of gunpowder, too." On the next mission, Apollo 17, Gene Cernan remarked, "smells like someone just fired a carbine in here."

Source.

'Space, the odorous frontier... These are the voyages of the starship Earth...'

Gunpowder, also called black powder, is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate..

interesting...

Better leave your lighter on earth

Originally posted by Clairaudience
Better leave your lighter on earth

and thus the question "what caused the big bang" was answered

Perhaps the smell is not space itself, but rather a result of the effects of space (e.g., solar radiation) on spacesuits. Perhaps the odor is the spacesuit breaking down somewhat.

While on a space walk the astronauts (their spacesuits, actually) are exposed to unfiltered ultraviolet light, traces of the solar wind, and other radiation which our atmosphere filters for us. It's not too unreasonable to think that this exposure causes some changes in the skin of the spacesuit, resulting in an odor.

The moonwalkers described the odor (and flavor) of moondust as being similar to gunpowder.
www.nasa.gov...

The odor of the spacesuits after an orbital EVA has been described differently.

The best description I can come up with is metallic; a rather pleasant sweet metallic sensation.

spaceflight.nasa.gov...

And it’s a uh, tough — you know, any aroma is tough to describe, but it has a distinct smell, and it’s sort of a burned-out, uh, after-the-fire, the next-morning-in-your-fireplace sort of smell.

physicsbuzz.physicscentral.com...


[edit on 9/6/2009 by Phage]

better leave ur farts on earth too. >.>

I wonder if Earth smells like trash to aliens because of all the garbage surrounding it

reply to post by platipus


OMG! Too funny! I can just here the line for the movie now!

"In space, no one can hear you fart!"

reply to post by Phage

Thank you Phage...

I knew I heard somewhere about the spacesuits reacting to the solar radiation and giving off an odor.

Thank you for posting this.

It made me think.

I mean, of course I have fantasized touching space, flying in space, seeing space, hearing space (or not), feeling space! But, I think this is the first time I have ever considered "smelling space".

Its weird how such a simple sense can be overlooked...in space.

Anyways, thanks again. And thank you Phage for (as always) adding facts/resources to it all that I find intriguing and educational.

Good read.

reply to post by Fakey McNamerson


not being anti-earthly but ur probably right.

It would be interesting if they can duplicate the smell for the kids at school. Scratch and sniff ? Spacesuits for men cologne etc.

Originally posted by Clickfoot

Originally posted by Clairaudience
Better leave your lighter on earth

and thus the question "what caused the big bang" was answered

whahahaha

Raises the question: What dimwit lighted that match??? Someone seemed to have stated "let there be light"...sooooo it must be that someone lighting a match to see a bit better in the perpetual dark..whoei...not so smart after all then...

Guess it went a bit like this: "let there be light" *scritssj* .. .. oooo sh.. BLAMMO!!!