Suggestions for how the stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts can entertain themselves

3 months ago 34

In space, nary 1 tin perceive you scream. But yet you’ll get bored of that, too.

By Elizabeth Lopatto, a newsman who writes astir tech, money, and quality behavior. She joined The Verge successful 2014 arsenic subject editor. Previously, she was a newsman astatine Bloomberg.

Aug 15, 2024, 5:27 PM UTC

Photo collage of an astronaut with the reflection of a mushroom unreality successful their helmet.

Probably you person already heard that astronauts Barry ”Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams whitethorn not beryllium capable to permission connected the Boeing Starliner that brought them to the International Space Station. I person been reasoning astir it successful quiescent moments — when I aftermath up successful the morning, connected hikes, successful the shower.

Those guys popped up determination connected June 5th, and they were expected to walk a week connected the ISS doing mean astronaut worldly and past spell home. But seemingly the Boeing Starliner was made astir arsenic good arsenic the Boeing 737 Max, and truthful the astronauts person been connected an unplanned abrogation successful orbit. They mightiness beryllium up determination until next February — NASA hasn’t made a determination yet.

Man, I get antsy waiting for a bus, and these 2 person been cooling their heels for weeks already and whitethorn beryllium doing it for months more. I’m definite NASA tin navigator up tons of small tasks, but determination is inactive an atrocious batch of clip to termination portion they’re stuck successful that tin can. So I’ve travel up with immoderate suggestions for however they tin entertain themselves portion they wait.

Marathon training. The ISS has a gym connected board, and astronauts are required to enactment retired for 2 hours a time to assistance ameliorate the breakdown of their bodies successful microgravity. But if you’ve got thing but time, wherefore not bid for a marathon? It mightiness beryllium easier than doing that benignant of grooming connected Earth, and who knows, possibly you travel backmost with chill caller musculus explanation arsenic a result.
Polish the instrumentality until it sparkles. You similar cleaning? Great, now’s your chance. Leave it amended than you recovered it, like, way better.
Movie marathons. Hey, person you ever wanted to spot the full oeuvre of Akira Kurosawa?
Get truly bully astatine meditating. Floating portion tethered to the partition has gotta beryllium astatine slightest a small soothing, right?
Social media bits. Outreach — usually to schools — is simply a portion of the ISS deal, truthful wherefore not usage the clip to get truly bully astatine posting. One of the champion things astir Kevin Durant is that erstwhile he’s not dunking connected court, he’s dunking connected Twitter. Why not instrumentality this accidental to marque an relationship for low-gravity TikTok dances.
Finally work Proust. À la recherche du temps perdu is simply a famously-long masterpiece. Many readers, including me, person been putting it disconnected for erstwhile they person much escaped time. Those astronauts person thing but time. All they request is an e-reader.