Questions to ask an astronaut..?

[Jonk]

I was bought tickets for Christmas to see Chris Hadfield in Southampton tonight, including VIP meet and greet after the show.

Although I don't get star struck, I will ask him to sign his book that I also got for Christmas and have a photo taken with him, you know, for the records.

This also got me thinking... what can I ask him that no one has ever asked?

A question I was going to ask was why do the majority of photos taken and shared are nearly always of the Earth?

I heard Tim Peake say once that there's too much light reflecting from earth and the sun to see anything out in space, but surely on the opposite side of the cupola, during hours of darkness and no moon, there must be some absolutely amazing things to see out in the big black just naked eye? 

Imagine a 20" ota poking out of a porthole (not literally), but I've never read or heard anything like this on the ISS.

What say you all? Got any awesome questions to ask an astronaut?

[Ravenous]

A few months ago I heard someone on the radio ask Tim Peake a question - and he sounded more impressed than usual about its originality. (I guess they don't often get unique questions.)

The question was (basically): if Isaac Newton turned up today, which one thing would you tell him about?

(Not sure if I'd go for general relativity, or the modern interpretation of light - both Newton's subjects.)

[Ravenous]

By the way Hadfield did "Desert island Discs" on Radio 4 a while back (probably still downloadable).  I don't usually listen to these things but he told an interesting story about hitting a large bird on a high speed/low level test run, in I think an F-15.

His test pilot career must have had a few interesting moments as well as his space days!

[michaelmorris]

Why don't you ask him which was the most interesting plane he flew when he was a test pilot?  Or you how I though living and working on Mir compared to the ISS?

[xtreemchaos]

do he get vertigo when looking back at the earth. charl.

[geordie85]

Did he see the turtle under our flat earth?

If so, is there a sign saying "do not feed the animals"

[Ravenous]

14 minutes ago, geordie85 said:

Did he see the turtle under our flat earth?

Oh I wouldn't dare ask him that - bear in mind he's ex-military, he can probably still hospitalise a man with his bare hands!

[MarsG76]

One thing you don't want to ask... or question about is the moon landing..  a half wit (reporter wanna be) tried that one on buzz aldrin and got smacked in the jaw... look it up on youtube...

[lukebl]

Not sure of a question, but presumably the response to 'why do the majority of photos taken and shared are nearly always of the Earth?' is that there's nothing else to look at!

Plus the fact that it's beautiful, of course.

[Ally8446]

Nearly 50 years ago we put men on the Moon.

50 years from now where does he think we'll be with reference to space travel. What will we have accomplished ?

That's what I'd like to ask him.

 

[Ravenous]

16 minutes ago, Ally8446 said:

Nearly 50 years ago we put men on the Moon.

50 years from now where does he think we'll be with reference to space travel. What will we have accomplished ?

That's what I'd like to ask him.

 

Yes also the ISS is definitely going to be decommissioned eventually (no firm date yet), so what should the next major project be? A station further out (with more radiation exposure than low earth orbit), a longer Moon stay (perhaps for a few months), or an asteroid rendezvous maybe?  (These are the sorts of choice I've heard debated recently anyway.)

[mikeDnight]

How relieved did you feel to get your feet back on terrafirma? ?

[Jonk]

Front row VIP ?

[Stub Mandrel]

"What happens if someone farts on a spaceship?"

[brantuk]

No one can hear you break wind in space lol

[Alien 13]

57 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

"What happens if someone farts on a spaceship?"

Not as bad as doing it in a space suit me thinks  It is actually a valid question though because although you can recirculate the air the smells must linger unless they have activated carbon filters etc.

Alan

[Peter Drew]

You have to recheck the orbital elements. 

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

"What happens if someone farts on a spaceship?"

 

[Jonk]

Well, very good talk and a great evening, mostly serious with some humour here and there.

Finished the show on the guitar playing space oddity.

No time for conversations afterwards unfortunately, but literally an in and out meet and photo opportunity.