Out Of This World Routine: A Day In The Life Of An Astronaut

Astronauts, the very smart but cool people who discover out-of-this-world things (literally), are basically the best! Sooo... let's try and learn more about them! GO!

Forget sleeping in! 6:00 AM blasts you awake with a gentle alarm (and maybe a playful prod from your crewmate – who needs an alarm clock when you have a prankster astronaut?). Unlike Earth's predictable sunrises, here you get 16 in one day – thanks, to Earth's rotation! Brushing your teeth becomes a zero-gravity ballet at 6:10 AM, with space toothpaste that tastes like… well, let's just say it won't win any awards. Shaving? Forget it – escaping foam could clog the air filters! Wipes become your new best friend by 6:30 AM.

7:30 AM - Breakfast. Think bite-sized scrambled eggs, sausages, and freeze-dried fruit that rehydrate like a science experiment.

8:00 AM - 1:00 PM - The grind begins. This is your prime work time – a mix of science experiments that would make your head spin (think growing plants upside down!), fixing a malfunctioning space air purifier (because space stations get stuffy too!), and video conferences with Mission Control at 10:00 AM. They're the cool people on Earth monitoring your every move, making sure you don't accidentally steer the ISS into the moon.

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Lunchtime is a blast – imagine having a floating food fight with your crewmates! (Okay, maybe don't try that.) Astronaut pouches and space bars are your fuel for the afternoon. Lunch is your time to socialize with your crewmates and swap stories about the weirdest dreams you've had in zero gravity.

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Back to the grind. More experiments, more maintenance, and maybe even some time to catch up on emails (sent at the speed of light, of course!).

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Free time! This is your chance to unwind. Catch up on reading, watch a movie (hopefully one that doesn't make you nauseous in zero gravity!), or gaze out the Cupola, the ISS's amazing seven-windowed observation deck, for a truly epic view of Earth. Crewmates take turns preparing dinner by 5:30 PM, working their magic on astronaut-approved pouches (think: "gourmet" space lasagna!).

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - Dinner. Another chance to bond with your crew over... well, space food.

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Off-duty shenanigans. This is when you catch up on emails you missed earlier, file reports on your experiments (gotta document that zero-gravity plant growth!), and maybe even have a video chat with loved ones back on Earth who are probably incredibly jealous of your space adventures (but wouldn't trade their gravity for anything!).

9:00 PM - Pre-sleep routine. Zero-G flossing is a whole new level of weirdness. Then it's time to crawl into your special sleep pod that keeps you from bumping into the walls during your zero-gravity slumber. Sweet dreams!

10:00 PM - Lights out. You drift off to sleep, ready to tackle another exciting (and slightly monotonous) day in space!