The ISS is bigger than a football field, orbits the Earth 16 times per day, at about 360 kilometres altitude. Back in November, as Station Commander Suni Williams prepared to board a Soyuz capsule to return to Earth, she recorded a tour of the full station. Not sure why I've never comes across it before, but here it is for your viewing pleasure.
It's 25 minutes long, but then it is a very big station, and it's time very well spent. You'll see what passes for bedrooms, get the full details on dealing with Number 1s and Number 2s when you go to the loo, see the wonkiest gym gear anywhere, and more.
Oh...and see endless wires, pipes, laptops and other bits and pieces hanging everywhere (I do mean everywhere) to bang yourself on or accidentally kick out. This ain't no 2001 space station with smooth glossy white walls. It was clearly built by engineers with stuff-all eye for aesthetics. I swear if there's ever a disaster on the ISS, it'll be because someone accidentally dislodged some vital connection as they glided by like that scene out of Airport...
Don't get me wrong. You offer me a ticket up there, I'm not going all "Nah thanks it's clearly the beta version—I'll wait for ISS 2.0 and silver onesies m'kay?"
And note to self: if you've got long hair when you finally do make it into space, take some hairbands...
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