Upon their return to Earth, many astronauts said that space smelled different than expected. They say that the great immensity that surrounds us exudes its scent Burnt barbecue – Or at least something like that.
According to the Daily Star, some still say that the smell is reminiscent of spent gunpowder or metal solder, but scientists have not yet been able to reach a conclusion about the reason behind this strangeness.
Experts even created an aftershave called “Eau de Space” that is used in training to prepare astronauts for what they will experience when they reach space.
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One theory is that it is a result of the sun’s ultraviolet rays causing a chemical reaction with the oxygen floating around the International Space Station, generating this oxidizing smell.
Another hypothesis is that molecules released in star explosions, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are the cause of the smell. They are specifically known for the unpleasant odor they emit.
However, both explanations lack data from formal studies, said Miranda Nelson, a spacewalk controller at NASA’s Johnson Space Mission Control Center.
Of course, astronauts don’t take off their helmets outside of their rockets, or the International Space Station, to smell the scent of space, but when they come back inside after a spacewalk, they smell this scent, which in many cases is said to be pleasant, and it clings to their bodies. suit. .
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