NASA astronaut honors coronavirus first responders from space
The FDNY crest is displayed on the International Space Station.
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Amid the coronavirus lockdown, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has published advice on “how to isolate like an astronaut.”
In a blog post, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex said that astronauts are experts on living and working in isolation.
Astronauts, the Visitor Complex explained, are typically held in isolation before they launch into space to prevent contraction and spread of illness. NASA cited the importance of protection against infection and maintaining normalcy as particularly relevant to the coronavirus lockdown.
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A lot of attention is paid to the physical and psychological wellbeing of astronauts in space. “Astronauts are far from home, often living in tight quarters with only a few other people,” said the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “They also have to adjust to non-traditional foods, new sleeping and bathing habits, and even the lack of a fresh breeze or greenery.”
Only one launch during the entire space shuttle program was delayed as a result of illness, according to the blog post. A launch of the space shuttle Atlantis in 1990 was delayed due to an illness that affected Crew Commander John Creighton. The shuttle eventually launched on Feb. 28 of that year.
With NASA eyeing future long-duration missions to Mars, scientists are researching the long-term effects of isolation.
“It has been noted that astronauts face similar psychological challenges as submariners,” said the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in the statement. “The longer they are exposed to extreme isolation, the more likely it may impact their well-being.
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“Astronauts were not only isolated from possible sources of disease, but they were trained in how to detect symptoms and early signs of diseases,” the complex explained in its blog post. “Of course, not only did this keep the crew healthy, but it also helped prevent any delays in launch schedules.”
It’s estimated that the journey to Mars could take up to nine months.
Former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino recently told Fox News about his experiences of both quarantine and isolation during his two trips to space on the space shuttle.
This detail of a July 20, 1969 photo made available by NASA shows astronaut Neil Armstrong reflected in the helmet visor of Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon. The astronauts had a camera mounted to the front of their suits, according to the Universities Space Research Association. So rather than holding the camera up to his eye, as we're accustomed to, Armstrong would have taken the photos from near his chest, which is where Armstrong's hands appear to be in his reflection. (Neil Armstrong/NASA via AP)
“We went into quarantine before our missions so that we wouldn’t get sick,” he said, explaining that he and his fellow astronauts spent about a week in quarantine before his spaceflights in 2002 and 2009.
Scott Kelly, the first American to spend 12 consecutive months in space, recently described his life in coronavirus lockdown to Fox News.
"If you asked me how many days I have been in quarantine for, I couldn’t tell you,” the former NASA astronaut said last week, acknowledging the similarities between the lockdown and his time in space. “This was my job, dealing with the situation and following the guidance – it’s very analogous to my mindset when I was in space.”
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Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Center is currently closed amid the coronavirus lockdown.
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As of Wednesday morning, more than 3.14 million coronavirus cases have been diagnosed worldwide, at least 1,015,289 of which are in the U.S. The disease has accounted for at least 218,727 deaths around the world, including at least 58,355 people in the U.S.
Fox News’ Chris Ciaccia contributed to this article. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
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