Uncover the Thrilling Secrets to Becoming an Astronaut with Insights from “How to Astronaut” by Terry Virts

An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth. Embark on an exhilarating journey into the world of astronauts with Terry Virts’ captivating book, “How to Astronaut”. As a veteran astronaut with extensive experience, Virts shares his unique insights and thrilling stories that will leave you in awe of the incredible feats achieved by space explorers. Discover the secrets, challenges, and triumphs that define the life of an astronaut in this must-read book.

Dive into the pages of “How to Astronaut” and uncover the extraordinary world of space exploration. Get ready to be inspired, amazed, and motivated as you learn about the incredible journey of becoming an astronaut. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of one of the most fascinating careers imaginable.

Genres

Space Exploration, Memoir, Science, Technology, Adventure, Inspiration, Biography, Aeronautics, Astronomy, Personal Development

In “How to Astronaut”, Terry Virts takes readers on a captivating journey through his experiences as a NASA astronaut. The book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the rigorous training, challenges, and thrills of being an astronaut. Virts shares his personal stories, from his early days as a pilot to his spacewalks and missions aboard the International Space Station.

He delves into the technical aspects of space travel, explaining complex concepts in an accessible manner. Throughout the book, Virts highlights the importance of teamwork, perseverance, and the pursuit of dreams. He also addresses the physical and psychological challenges astronauts face, providing insights into how they cope with the demands of their job. “How to Astronaut” is a compelling blend of memoir, science, and inspiration that offers a unique perspective on the world of space exploration.

Review

“How to Astronaut” is a captivating and insightful book that offers a rare glimpse into the life of an astronaut. Terry Virts’ engaging writing style and honest storytelling make for a compelling read. The book strikes a perfect balance between personal anecdotes and technical information, making it accessible to a wide audience.

Virts’ passion for space exploration shines through on every page, and his enthusiasm is contagious. The book not only entertains but also educates, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of being an astronaut.

Virts’ experiences serve as a testament to the power of determination and the human spirit. “How to Astronaut” is a must-read for anyone fascinated by space, science, or the pursuit of extraordinary dreams. It is an inspiring and unforgettable book that will leave readers in awe of the incredible feats achieved by astronauts and the boundless possibilities of space exploration.

Recommendation

Have you wondered what it would be like to travel into space? In this engaging text, former US astronaut Terry Virts tells you all about it in a series of anecdotes about his experiences training for and surviving in space — and returning to life on Earth afterward. Virts writes in accessible prose, often funny, always free of bravado or jargon. While the book suffers somewhat from repetition (due to the essay-like chapters being written at different times and pieced together), his stories succeed in conveying both his adventures as an astronaut and his main message: Humanity should value and protect its unique, precious, and fragile planet.

Take-Aways

• Being a fighter jet test pilot gave Terry Virts the best possible preparation for becoming an astronaut, though nothing can replicate flying a space shuttle.
• Training helps astronauts learn to handle crises, but catastrophic outcomes are sometimes unavoidable.
• Astronaut training is physically punishing.
• Routines you take for granted on Earth require careful planning and execution in space.
• In the space program, building cross-cultural bonds is important.
• While in space, Virts learned filmmaking, served as the Crew Medical Officer, and even stepped in as an emergency hairstylist.
• Living and working in space is challenging, but also awe-inspiring.
• Space missions and the International Space Station exist, above all, to further science.
• Despite politics on Earth, Virts grew close to his international ISS crew mates — including the Russian cosmonauts.

Summary

Being a fighter jet test pilot gave Terry Virts the best possible preparation for becoming an astronaut, though nothing can replicate flying a space shuttle.

No experience on Earth is like flying a spaceship. Still, the psychological and problem-solving skills Terry Virts honed as an F16 fighter jet pilot — including split-second decision-making, intense focus, and steady calm — were vital preparation for the stresses of space travel. In a jet, you can hit a flock of birds that incapacitates your engine or encounter a dust storm that leaves you praying you have enough fuel to reach the next runway. Keeping your cool amid such unexpected, potentially dire circumstances is also vital to an astronaut, as is the ability to coordinate with your crew under pressure. Being a jet pilot also teaches you how to sound cool and in control over the radio. Nothing is worse than sounding – or being – panicked.

While flying jets can approximate space flight in some ways, in others, it doesn’t come close. A fighter jet can change course in an instant, but you must plan well ahead to change the direction of a spaceship. Virts found that maneuvering a spacecraft practically required relearning how to fly.

“Satellites move more slowly in higher orbits than in lower orbits. Unlike an airplane, where pushing the throttle forward makes you go faster, accelerating a spaceship first speeds you up, which makes you climb, which then slows you down. Not intuitive, but it’s what happens.”

Space pilots also must remain vigilant for debris that could hit their spacecraft at any time. This problem has grown acute as more nations have launched and destroyed satellites, creating more hazards in space.

Likewise, simulations can help astronauts prepare for space flight only to a certain degree. Simulations can’t approximate the extreme g-forces and psychological strain of a space shuttle launch or reentry into Earth’s atmosphere — the most risky moments of a space journey. Launches are violent thrusts skyward, featuring intense shaking and acceleration driven by 23,000 pounds per second of erupting explosives. And, as a spacecraft reenters the atmosphere, it faces incredible heat caused by friction.

Training helps astronauts learn to handle crises, but catastrophic outcomes are sometimes unavoidable.

Simulation-based training is, nonetheless, very valuable. All shuttle pilots train on simulators overseen by “diabolical” individuals who design their programs to push would-be astronauts to the limit. Though many of the catastrophes astronauts face in simulators could never happen on the shuttle or the International Space Station (ISS), having to deal with a host of simultaneously occurring, simulated emergencies prepares them for the intense stress they will face as shuttle pilots. Moreover, the errors astronauts make in the simulator feel real enough that they give pilots ample incentive to avoid making those same mistakes again.

“Adventure comes at a cost, and sometimes adventurers do not make it home.”

Some mishaps are entirely outside an astronaut’s control. During launches, mission control engineers on the ground maintain the right protocol if a rocket veers off course and plummets toward populated areas. In a case, someone in ground control would press a button, and the vehicle would self-destruct, killing those on board. Sometimes freak accidents occur. For example, the shuttle Columbia completed its mission but suffered take-off damage when a piece of foam loosened and struck the shuttle’s wing, creating a large hole. As a result, the ship and its crew did not survive the intense heat of reentry.

Astronaut training is physically punishing.

The atmosphere in the ISS – where oxygen does not occur naturally – contains far more CO2 than the air on Earth. Machines provide oxygen and remove CO2, but equipment and power can fail, so astronauts must learn the first signs of CO2 poisoning and be prepared to don oxygen masks quickly. Preparing for this eventuality involves putting a bag over your head, breathing, and seeing who among your training class can last the longest.

Astronauts simulate spacewalks in a highly uncomfortable way: training around a replica space station sunk in the world’s largest pool. Virts and his crew mates also took harrowing rides in NASA’s “Vomit Comet”: a plane equipped to ride like the very worst roller coaster — up and down, steep climbs, then steeper drops — producing 20-30 seconds of weightlessness in each of about 40 cycles per ride. On his first excursion, Virts didn’t take his prescribed motion sickness medication. His advice if you ever ride the comet? Take the meds. Indeed, Virts learned that meds proved necessary for many things — from combating jet lag and getting enough sleep to warding off the everyday headaches and bodily pains of an astronaut’s life.

“Spending intense time with my comrades, being pushed to our physical and mental limits, did more for my self-confidence than anything I’ve experienced.”

Survival training was one of Virts’ least enjoyable experiences in preparing to be an astronaut. During his career in the Air Force and as an astronaut, he participated in ocean, mountain, and Arctic survival courses lasting weeks at a time. These programs push participants to their physical and mental limits using misery as their primary tactic. They put trainees in situations where they must make near life-and-death decisions and then live with the consequences. If an emergency occurs in space, having survival training might give an astronaut a sense of familiarity and more confidence. And, if a returning capsule lands in the mountains or desert, survival training might save an astronaut’s life.

Routines you take for granted on Earth require careful planning and execution in space.

Supply ships visit the ISS, though sometimes they blow up on launch or en route. So, the gear you bring to the Space Station might be all you have during your mission. Given NASA’s strict clothing and personal care allowance, Virts had to consider every item carefully, from deodorant and socks to sunglasses and notebooks; even then, he made mistakes. For example, he assumed the type of underwear he wore on Earth would function well in space. It didn’t. He’d packed just a few alternatives, but the limited supply meant he had to ration them throughout his stay on the ISS.

Astronauts on the ISS go many months without showering because of the high costs — $40,000 per liter — of transporting water to space. They learn to dry wash or to use a damp towel. Rather than disposing of urine, astronauts recycle it — an onboard system cleans it, and then it becomes drinking water. Before launch, astronauts train to use the restroom, so they know the procedure thoroughly. As Virts discovered, neglecting the checklist for toilet use can result in having contaminants floating about. Unsurprisingly, no one, as far as Virts knows, has yet made love in space.

In the space program, building cross-cultural bonds is important.

Even if you’re among the best in your field before you become an astronaut, once you’re in training, you’ll inevitably encounter someone who is better at some aspects of the job than you, even if you thought you were an expert. Virts felt pretty good about his foreign language skills before joining NASA. Then, he met his future crewmate, Samantha Cristoforetti. She spoke five languages flawlessly, in addition to being a world-class spaceship pilot.

After the United States shelved its shuttle program, American astronauts had to ride on a Russian rocket to get to the ISS. This meant everyone had to learn some Russian to bolster the likelihood of mission success. Virts studied for years to achieve fluency, but he was determined to master more than the basics. Speaking to people in their native tongue and working to understand their culture and customs builds goodwill — whether in space or on Earth.

While in space, Virts learned filmmaking, served as the Crew Medical Officer, and even stepped in as an emergency hairstylist.

In addition to shuttle piloting, Virts learned other practical skills he could use to help his crew mates. To prepare for his role as the Crew Medical Officer, he developed medical and surgical abilities equivalent to those of an emergency medical technician. In space, Virts took blood, gave injections, performed basic dentistry, and tested urine samples while monitoring the crew for physical changes such as vision loss or cognitive impairment. While he took to his pre-mission medical training with aplomb, Virts felt less confident learning another important skill: hairdressing.

“I’ve done some pretty crazy and hair-raising things…But…without a doubt, the most stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life was cut Samantha’s hair.”

Most Americans can name a few of the first astronauts, but not the latest ones. However, space travel remains a particularly big deal in countries whose first astronauts have gone to space only recently. Italy’s first female astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, was a massive celebrity in her home country. Thus, her time on the ISS drew a lot of media attention. She had to remain camera-ready in space, so Cristoforetti needed someone to trim her hair. Virts willingly accepted the challenge, but he found the experience daunting. After all, he reasoned, if he messed up, he’d face the wrath of her millions of fans. Thankfully, the procedure went smoothly.

An avid photographer, Virts also learned to use IMAX cameras to shoot movies in space. Helping shoot the popular film A Beautiful Planet was one of the most rewarding experiences of his career as an astronaut.

Living and working in space is challenging but also awe-inspiring.

Living in space is hard on your body. Astronauts must work to get into top form before launch and then must engage in regular aerobic activity and weight training while in space because muscles and bones deteriorate rapidly in the absence of gravity. Spacewalking also takes a great deal of endurance. After returning from an extended mission, astronauts must hit the gym hard again — although Virts found consistent exercise more useful to his recovery than workouts that pushed his limits.

“There was always something interesting, even spectacular, every time you looked out a window.”

A spacesuit’s tight seals, high-tech zippers, and elaborate cooling system make putting it on and taking it off difficult. The process requires time and assistance. However, spacewalks made the uncomfortable experience worthwhile for Virts. Not because they were easy — functioning and performing tasks in the suit, with no room for error, drains an astronaut physically and mentally over time — but because the sunrises and views outside the ISS were sublime.

Despite circling the Earth thousands of times on his ISS mission, Virts never tired of looking down on every continent, studying the unique topological features of the planet, and witnessing the powerful storms and incredible nightly light shows. Improved communications allowed Virts and his crew to Skype and FaceTime with their families (or anyone else, including celebrities) regularly for an hour at a time, lessening the strain of being away for so long.

Space missions and the International Space Station exist to further science.

A coalition of nations — including the United States, Canada, 11 members of the EEC, Russia, and Japan — built the ISS over a period of more than 10 years. Russian cargo craft and US space shuttles took each piece of the football field-sized ISS into space where it was pieced together using the Canadarm (robotic arm). This immense effort and cost was undertaken for the sake of science.

“Science is the mission of the International Space Station.”

Astronauts perform hundreds of scientific experiments while on the space station, collaborating with scientists back home to ensure they carry out the proper procedures and to discuss their results. Scientists send thousands of mice to the ISS each year for experiments labs can’t replicate on Earth.

Experiments on the ISS prove how difficult it would be to reach Mars and live there. Though Mars is more conducive to life than the moon, the distance from Earth is potentially insurmountable, unless crews could construct a nuclear-propelled ship in space. Otherwise, the round trip easily could take three years or more instead of one, requiring an enormous amount of supplies, exponential expenditures, and long spans of radiation exposure for astronauts. Attempts to calculate the damage that living in space long-term does to the body and mind are inconclusive. Still, most astronauts suffer from various ailments — mostly temporary — as they adjust both to being in space and being back on Earth.

Despite politics on Earth, Virts grew close to his international ISS crewmates, including the Russian cosmonauts.

Virts’ missions as an astronaut gave him an immense appreciation for Earth and all that it offers. It reinforced his faith in God and the likely existence of other intelligent life. Being in space taught Virts the value of setting aside time to think, putting aside personal differences, and investing in relationships.

“I’m a realist, and I know there are reasons for conflict, but when you see Earth from space, it doesn’t seem like there should be.”

When the ISS suffered an incident involving a potentially deadly ammonia leak in the US segment, Russia invited the American crew to stay with its cosmonauts in their cramped quarters indefinitely, despite the conflict unfolding in Crimea at the time. Fortunately, the leak was a false alarm.

As opportunities for space tourism drop in cost, Virts recommends signing up — both to gain perspective and to relish the experience of a lifetime.

About the Author

Terry Virts started his career in the US Air Force as a fighter pilot and then became a test pilot. Selected for NASA’s astronaut program, he spent years training for his missions aboard Soyuz rockets, the space shuttle, and the International Space Station. Since retiring from NASA, Virts has become a public speaker, consultant, and filmmaker.