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When astronaut return from spacewalks , they often describe unexpected scents interchangeable to burnt steak and pass powder . But why does outer space odour like torch things , and where does this odor come from ?
To be well-defined , space is a nigh - perfect vacuum cleaner . While in blank , cosmonaut protect themselves in space vehicle , spacesuit and space stations , " since direct exposure would , of course , kill them,“Ofek Birnholtz , an astrophysicist at Bar - Ilan University in Israel , told Live Science . As such , no one has directly smelled infinite " and survive to differentiate the tale , " he take note .
Astronauts who have labored for many hours on spacewalks report that space smells like torched things, like spent gunpowder, seared steak, burnt cakes and hot metal.
Nevertheless , after get back from field day in the final frontier , astronauts regularly catch a puff of air ofa unparalleled odorupon take away their helmets , and their compatriot also detect this scent waft in when the air lock doors are opened .
" Space definitely has a smell that ’s different than anything else,“NASAastronautDominic " Tony " Antonellisaid after a2009 spacewalk .
Overall , astronaut often compare the spirit of infinite to " blistering metal , burnt meat , burnt cake , expend powder and welding of metal , " according to Steve Pearce , a biochemist and CEO of Omega Ingredients , who combed through spaceman interviews to assist him craft a NASA - commissioned fragrance .
Astronauts who have labored for many hours on spacewalks report that space smells like torched things, like spent gunpowder, seared steak, burnt cakes and hot metal.
Meanwhile , former NASA astronautThomas Jonescompared the odour to ozone . Another NASA cosmonaut , Don Pettit , described the odor of space at distance in a NASAblog post , saying , " The good description I can follow up with is metal ; a rather pleasant cherubic metal sensation . It reminded me of my college summers where I fag for many hour with an arc welding torch furbish up heavy equipment for a little logging getup . It remind me of pleasant mellifluous smell welding exhaust fumes . That is the smell of outer space . "
tie in : What would occur to the human body in the vacuity of space ?
Where might this fragrance come from ? Although space is mostly empty , it is not a pure vacuum . " We ’re not in reality verbalize about a volume that has no particles , " Miranda Nelson , a spacewalk flight of steps controller in Mission Control at NASA ’s Johnson Space Center in Houston , told Live Science .
There are a turn of potential account for this sense of smell . One has to do with oxygen floating around theInternational Space Station . Ultraviolet ray of light from the sun may split oxygen molecules ( O2 ) , which are made of two atomic number 8 mote , into single O atoms . This atomic oxygen may adhere to spacesuit , airlock walls and other detail exposed to distance , trip chemical reaction that may explain the odor , such as ozone formation , Nelson said .
" The other much more merriment theory is that it ’s the smell relate to star explosions — dying champion , " Nelson said . These outbursts generate smelly molecules have it away as polycyclic redolent hydrocarbon , which are found in coal , food , oil and other materials , she noted . However , Nelson stressed that both of these ideas lack data from official studies .
To help make astronaut training more naturalistic , NASA commissioned Pearce in 2008 to create a smell that mimicked the odor that astronauts described . The target was to eliminate surprise astronauts might have in cranial orbit , he said .
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Pearce did not go to infinite himself or reek any spacesuits when designing the aroma . Instead , " I hearten the astronauts ' descriptions , using my knowledge and experience of useable , safe scent materials that , when combined , could elicit a similar perception , " he read .
From this research , Pearce subsequently helped design a fragrance known asEau de Space , which has been a best seller since it launched in 2020 , he said . However , " to be fair , there are really very few people who have sincerely experienced the flavor of blank space and could point out on its realism , " Pearce said .
