With all the scientific achievements associated with the International Space Station (ISS), cleanliness and upkeep are often forgotten or not even mentioned.
Scott Kelly, a NASA astronaut participating in the Year in Space mission, joined "CBS Evening News" to discuss what the effects of a long term stay in space. But he also offered a glimpse of everyday life, particularly the sensory surroundings of the low-orbit science lab.
Kelly told host Scott Pelley the ISS "doesn't really smell bad" overall, but noted that he will occasionally catch a whiff of "antiseptic" and "garbage."
"Now space has its own unique smell," Kelly said. "So whenever a vehicle docks or if guys are out doing a spacewalk, the smell of space when you open up the hatch is very distinct. It's kind of like a burning-metal smell, if you can imagine what that would smell like. And as far as the sounds on the space station, it's pumps, fans, motors, certain modules are louder than others, but it's generally a pretty nice working environment. It's not too loud or too smelly."
Kasthuri Venkateswaran, an astrobiologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, lead a study published in the journal Microbiome detailing dust samples from the ISS. Despite daily cleaning sessions, ISS dust samples contained a bacteria called Staphylococcus, which is known to cause food poisoning and other infections, The Washington Post reported.
Even still, Venkateswaran and his team found the ISS to be benefiting greatly from the dedicated effort to keep the lab sanitary.
"The ISS is a unique built environment," he told The Post. "People assume it's filthy, but it's not. It's many, many times cleaner than your bathroom at home."
