Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void

When I was ten years old (in 1963), I had a plan for my life. After high school, I would go to the US Air Force Academy, followed by flight training (jets, of course). Later I would go to test pilot school with the ultimate goal of becoming an astronaut. I was too young for Apollo (and for Vietnam as an officer and pilot), but if it had worked out, I would have been an Air Force pilot in the late 70's and astronaut-ready by the mid-80's. The plan fell apart when I was 12 and started to develop severe myopia. The Air Force Academy and flight training wouldn't allow corrective lenses (of course even if I had 20/10 "Yeagervision" there are any number of other things that could have killed my plan, but hey, it was a fun plan while it lasted).At that time, the idea of space flight represented nothing but sheer excitement, but now that I've read the new book Packing for Mars (by Mary Roach, subtitled "The Curious Science of Life in the Void"), I understand better than ever that the astronaut's life is much more complicated and less enjoyable than you might imagine. Maybe this wasn't the life for me. Of course I knew this at some level from a lot of previous reading about space flight, but with the exception of some astronaut memoirs (especially Mike Mullane's down-and-dirty "Riding Rockets"), they don't go into much detail on the discomforts and inconveniences of space flight. Mary Roach does, and she does so with a writing style that is informative, colorful, personal, and often downright hilarious. I was laughing out loud at least once in every chapter. Her writing style often reminds me of Bill Bryson. She explains things clearly, but emphasizes quirky details and people. While the situations are often funny, she obviously respects the people and the work they do, so it never comes across as snarky - she's often laughing with the astronauts, cosmonauts, and other space workers.Of course she covers the required "going to the bathroom in space," but she also covers the psychology of isolation and confinement, general problems of zero-G (including bone loss and vomiting), crash testing (with cadavers!), animal testing, Earth-based mission simulations, hygiene, and the ever-intriguing questions of sex in space. On the latter topic, she isn't able to come up with any hard evidence (sorry) that it has happened, but you can't say her research wasn't thorough. Considering that someone might have "done it" in a zero-G parabolic test flight, she tracks down and watches an obscure porn movie that was rumored to have had one scene shot on such a flight. She uses a fluid dynamics argument (sort of) to conclude that while the scene may have been shot in an airplane, it was not shot in zero-G. Read the book for more. You will also learn some interesting things about dolphin behavior and anatomy, since these marine mammals have to deal with some of the same issues as zero-G astronaut couples might encounter.The author interviewed astronauts, cosmonauts, and all sorts of researchers, and her field trips included a flight on the "vomit comet" (she didn't vomit, thanks to "good drugs" they give you) and a trip to Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic, where NASA conducts simulated lunar and Mars missions in a remote, desolate, cratered environment that's about as close as you can get to Moon or Mars terrain on Earth. NASA and the US astronauts seemed to be the most "uptight," and the Russian cosmonauts the most frank in describing uncomfortable stuff. One exception was Jim Lovell, who was was unusually open, especially when she asked him about Gemini 7, in which he had spent two bathing-free weeks in the tiny Gemini cabin with Frank Borman, who apparently could be a rather cranky and difficult guy. Lovell proved he was brave enough for Apollo 13 by spending some 23 days in space with Borman (Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 - Borman was sick most of the time on Apollo 8, though it wasn't admitted at the time - so perhaps a bit of crankiness could be forgiven).I read the Kindle version of the book, and I found it was valuable (and funny) to read most of the footnotes, which required a "click" for each one. Some of the funniest comments are in the footnotes. A very good book, even if you're not especially interested in space.

You don't have to be a science nerd to enjoy this book about NASA and the space program. I admit I'm a geek and I love this stuff but this really is a book for all audiences. A few years ago when I saw Mary Roach on John Stewart's Daily Show talking about her (at the time) new book, Packing for Mars, she was so entertaining and funny that I thought I've got to read this book.The book is not about Mars. I kept wondering when we were going to get to Mars. A few chapters in it hit me, the title is just a metaphor for what needs to be done to get into space. And boy do we find out. The author spent hours pouring through old flight transcripts, interviewing astronauts and NASA personnel and even going for a ride into weightlessness on the Vomit Comet, a low orbital flight that provides a nearly weightless environment in which to train astronauts and conduct research. The result is a hilarious look at the training and research for space travel. She asks the questions that you want to know the answers to but won't find in any Science magazine or NASA publication.Each chapter explores a different aspect of planning for space going back to the earliest mission through today on the International Space Station. Want to know how that space station toilet works and how they designed and tested it? Ummm, the training toilet has a camera in it. And bathroom breaks need to be scheduled because there's no gravity and therefore no urge! And what did they do for a toilet on the Apollo and earlier missions and how bad did that space capsule smell after two weeks? Is it possible to have sex in space? Which foods can be brought on board and why are crumbs bad?It's not all bathroom jokes, there are also serious topics such as how astronauts are chosen for the program, a discussion of the psychological studies on long periods of isolation and the effects of weightlessness on the health of the astronauts. She also relates some strange but true stories and debunks a few well know myths.Interesting, informative and laugh-out-loud funny this is a book I highly recommend.

Maybe it's a bit too glib, or perhaps I was just disappointed at how little this resembled the heroic images that I still carry from Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff. At least at first. Everything related to space exploration nowadays seems very cumbersome and overwrought: top-heavy with procedure, safety rules (ironically), highly focused on the acutely mundane (unfortunately with good reason), heavily bureaucratic, and largely uninspiring.Then we got into motion sickness, pooping in space, and drinking one's own urine. And the book turned quirky and entertaining enough to hold my interest. Roach has a bit of a specialty: the gleeful gross-out. I suppose it is interesting to wonder how a person might unmessily defecate in space or deal with body odours when encapsulated with like-stinking colleagues, and difficult to imagine it a lifelong professional pursuit for a Lab Coat. The logistics required to take a dump in space during an Apollo mission without coating one's colleagues in your excrement makes extended fasting seem like a great idea. So does the prospect of weeks spent eating dried birdseed and glue without barfing.It was not quite the riveting read that I expected. Informative and sometimes amusing, but sometimes a bit scattered and not particularly smoothly written. I might have ranked this higher, except for the slightly annoying wink-wink, let's-go-off-on-a-clever-tangent writing, and the fact that I had already read Stiff first. Somehow the author's previous book about the general grossness of cadavers was a bit more inspiring, perhaps because we all end up there despite our best efforts, while the ins-and-outs (mostly outs) of bodily functions seem strangely distanced while in space. However, It seemed like the author hugely enjoyed her research for this book; her bouncy enthusiasm kept it readable. Mars draws strongly on anecdotes and personal interviews instead of direct citation - it's definitely a light read, an informal, chatty book aimed firmly at the layman.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book on the history of space travel - from the first test rockets, to the Appollo landing, to planning for a manned expedition to Mars. What's unique about Mary is humor and her ability to ask the questions no one asks in conventional histories. She covers everything from eating, to pooping, to sex in space. And while that might sound like tabloid journalism, dealing with the basic human functions raises truly profound scientific questions and problems of men and women in space.I remember as a little kid trying to stay to watch the Moon Landing with my Dad (fell asleep despite my best efforts). Mary has managed in her book to capture the imagination and that initial excitement of sending Man to the Moon as well as reminding of us the dangers involved and shines on a spotlight on the dedicated scientists who have made this happen and continue to work toward further human exploration in space.

I had never heard of the author or the book before a recommendation from a friend. I am not entirely certain it is properly titled. It is more a history of the challenges of putting human organisms in space. That being said it is a fascinating read by thorough researcher and a truly gifted writer. I intend to read all her other books as well.

Once again Mary Roach amazes with her brillant style: here is another divulgation book of hers, bringing consisten scientific, technological and historical information, based upon a serious work of research and key people interview and written with nice humor.Good!

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