Currently very few people know what space smells like. Obviously breathing in space is impossible for any human being, but when the astronauts return to the International Space Station (ISS) some of the compounds adhere to their suits. Let’s see what space smells like according to some astronauts and NASA itself.
Surely on some occasion you have seen a movie or series about space and you have wondered what it would be like to live on another planet, but have you ever wondered what space smells like? According to several astronauts, the smell resembles that of “burning or burning metal” and depending on the area in which they are in the International Space Station, the smell can resemble “roast meat, raspberries and rum”.
Hot metal, barbecue and gas among others
In 2016 Tim Peake spent six months on the ISS doing all kinds of research. Like many others, he reached endless conclusions related to life outside of Earth. From living in their own flesh how the perception of time is altered to living 16 sunrises and sunsets a day . The astronaut confesses that it is very difficult to explain what space smells like . Even so, in his book he claims to have smelled space several times. “The first was just a few days on the space station, when I was helping astronauts Tim Kopra and Scott Kelly return inside after their spacewalk.”
There are many theories about the smell of space, but Tim thinks the one that says “the smell of space is the scent left behind by shooting stars” is that space has a huge amount of combustion. The American remembers perceiving a rather characteristic odor every time he opened the airlock: “That mysterious aroma is the subject of fraternal debate among astronauts. It has been compared to a grilled steak, hot metal, welding fumes, and the smell of barbecue.” After some debate, some astronauts suggest that this smell could come from the space suit itself after being in contact with certain components such as gases. An odor that could be due to ozone.
Smell of accumulated garbage
That is the smell that Scott Kelly gives to space, the astronaut who in 2015 became the one who spent the most days in space, with just over 350. In 2017, he answered several questions from users on Twitter about of his experience on the ISS. Scott stated that the latter smells of accumulated garbage, although this sensation can vary depending on the part of the ISS where he is.
Regarding the question of what space smells like, Scott answered “burning metal” quite agreeing with the conclusion and perception reached by Tim Peake. On the other hand, back in 2009, astronomers from the Max Plank Institute, while studying a dust cloud in the center of our galaxy, found ethyl formate, which is largely responsible for the smell and taste of raspberries and rum .
NASA perfume
Several decades ago, NASA asked scent specialists to recreate that of space in order to help astronauts in their training before being in orbit. This fragrance was kept secret for several years, but in 2020 its creator Pearce and the team decided to launch it worldwide under the concept “Eau de Space” .
The team that developed it was made up of specialists in fashion, technology, design and logistics. According to statements to CNN by Matt Richmond, product manager, “Astronauts describe the smell as a mixture of gunpowder, seared steak, raspberries and rum.” He also admitted that it’s one of those smells that can be notoriously hard to describe .
