So, at sea level, the atmosphere exerts about 15 psi on every square inch of our bodies, and our bodies have evolved to having about 15 psi on every square inch of them.
When we go into space, clearly there is less atmospheric pressure on on our bodies. Astronauts report increased flatulence because THERE IS LESS ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE keep the gas inside our bodies, so gas seeks its natural outlet.
Consequentially, astronauts are issued and wear activated charcoal underwear (true story).
My question: at the end of the mission, do they replenish the activated charcoal underwear or issue new shite? Please provide citations for your opinions...... or go the to I_wa board.
Interesting question! The human body has indeed evolved to exist within Earth's atmospheric pressure, and changes to that environment, like those experienced in space, can have various effects.
Astronauts do experience changes in their bodily functions due to the microgravity environment of space. One of these changes is the way gases behave inside the body. The phenomenon you're describing, increased flatulence in space, is because gas in the digestive system doesn't rise to the top and get expelled as a burp, but instead moves through the digestive system and gets expelled as flatulence.
Regarding the activated charcoal underwear, its primary purpose isn't actually for flatulence. The key role of activated charcoal in astronaut underwear is to deal with odor. This becomes particularly important because astronauts wear their undergarments for extended periods of time due to the constraints of carrying additional weight and supplies on a spacecraft. The activated charcoal helps absorb the odors, providing a more comfortable environment inside the spacecraft.
To your question about replenishing vs. issuing new ones: While astronauts wear spacesuits when working outside the International Space Station (ISS), they wear ordinary clothes most of the time. Once these are too dirty to be worn, they are then either returned to Earth as rubbish or ejected along with other waste in a capsule to burn up in the atmosphere. Proctor and Gamble are working on a detergent that allows Astronauts to wash their unmentionables. As of now the undies are not reused.
Reference:
New Scientist. (2020). NASA can't decide whether astronauts should wash their underwear. Retrieved from
https://www.newscientist.com/articl...ether-astronauts-should-wash-their-underwear/
