LIVE ON THE JOB

Leo

Welcome to Live on the Job. Today, we’re talking with an astronaut about life and work in space. Three curious students are here to ask their questions. Let’s begin!

Nova

I want to be an astronaut in the future, so I’m really curious about what a typical day in space is like.

Ciel

Life up here has a pretty set routine. Each day begins with a Mission Control meeting to go over the schedule and our tasks. A big part of our work is checking and taking care of the space station’s equipment. For example, today, I had to do a regular check on the cooling system in the space station. Then, I wrote down the results in the daily report. Every day after lunch, I usually do science experiments in zero gravity and collect data. Then, I exercise on a bike for about two hours so that my muscles and bones stay strong. I finish my day with dinner and my daily report. That’s a regular day for me up here.

Max

What’s the coolest experiment you’ve done in zero gravity?

Ciel

Oh, the fire experiment was really cool! We lit a flame inside a sealed box so that the process would be safe. On Earth, fire rises. But in space, the flame turns into a small glowing ball — like a tiny sun! This test helps us understand how to control fire in zero gravity. Fire in space can lead to huge accidents. Our experiment is important for safer space missions.

Luna

I think being an astronaut can be really tough. Have you ever faced a dangerous situation in space? How did you handle it?

Ciel

Actually, just last week, one of our solar panels stopped working. Because the panels power our main systems, we had to fix it right away. I called Mission Control to ask what to check and how to fix it. They asked me to check the bolts and I found that a bolt was loose. So I tightened it, and the panel started working again. This sounds like a simple task on Earth, but it takes a much longer time in space.

Leo

Thank you for your time, Ciel. Today, we looked at a day on the job of astronauts in space. I hope this was helpful for those who would like to work in space someday. See you next time on Live on the Job!