Drinking from an open container in microgravity (video) | Hacker News Reader

Drinking from an open container in microgravity (video)

physicscentral.com

93 pointsColinWright13 comments

You know, a lot of tech news is about how some company is evil, or how the government is trying to control the internet, and it can really start to depress you. Something about space though, it just makes me optimistic. Thanks for posting.

What I wonder: do they always align in the same body orientation, or is that just for the benefits of the cameras?

That's an interesting question. I wonder if it's not also social habit as it would be somewhat awkward to try to talk to someone's feet or if they were sideways to you.

During shared meals I suspect they do. It'd be awkward to hang out with an upside-down person.

So it seems, but perhaps after a while they would get used to it and new constellations could evolve :-)

Likewise I wonder if the ISS was designed with specific sides for up and down in mind of if all sides are created equal. In the video some signs are visible which seem to be all aligned in the same direction, but what about tools and furniture?

There are different sections. Most is pragmatic, but the crew areas have a "down" to make the people feel better when they stay there.

Kind of sad that these guys get so excited about something as simple as "sharing a meal/toast just like normal humans would." Must be lonely up there.

Or, conversely, you could read this as a really happy video about the triumph of human ingenuity in an extremely challenging environment. I guess it's a capillary-cup half empty / half full kind of thing.

I'm ready for space tourism.

Does it still count as "first world problems" if you're not on "the world"?

The International Space Station really is the pinnacle of human achievement.

As the crew members make a toast drinking from their rocket propellant inspired cups the entire planet can be proud.

Dont know if you are ironic or not.

Not. But I can see how it could be read -

"How much did we pay for that sippy-cup toast?"

I was more referring to the fact that we have a functioning space station through international cooperation.

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