UAE Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi Misses Earth’s Fresh Air As He Changes Filter In Space

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi’s captivating post highlights the stark difference between experiencing fresh air on Earth versus the challenges of the space environment. While breathing clean air on Earth is something we often take for granted, the same cannot be said for astronauts in space.

The International Space Station (ISS), roughly equivalent in size to a six-bedroom house, poses significant constraints for the astronauts residing and operating within it, given the abundance of necessary equipment required to maintain the station’s functionality and habitability.

Breathing fresh and clean air on Earth is quite easy and uncomplicated. 😮‍💨🫁

However, aboard the ISS, things are not that simple. We require devices such as air filters to obtain pure air. Here, I am changing the filters to keep our air safe and clean. pic.twitter.com/MKtZLJwonj

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) July 22, 2023

The messiest areas, like Node 3, housing the toilet and exercise equipment, and Node 1, the astronauts’ dining area, are cleaned by rotating individuals.

In a recent post, Al Neyadi tweeted, “Breathing fresh and clean air on Earth is quite easy and uncomplicated. However, aboard the ISS, things are not that simple. We require devices such as air filters to obtain pure air. Here, I am changing the filters to keep our air safe and clean.”

Chemistry plays a crucial role in providing astronauts with breathable air by developing systems capable of generating it from their challenging environment.