Alexander Smith: The Final Expedition

“Zvezda is the Service module and the crew tend to congregate here at meal times and during our free time. We have a little galley table we gather around and enjoy each other’s company. If fact, one of our Russian colleagues seems to be having a spot of lunch right now.” I zoomed in on the middle-aged Russian, a bear of a man, who was squeezing the contents of his lunch from a silver bag directly into his mouth.

“Good afternoon, Comrade Carter.” His accent thick, his voice flat and serious. “And how do you find our little piece of the motherland today?”

“Good afternoon Mission Commander Karpov. Zvezda as always seems immaculately tidy and efficient.”

“Indeed. If it has a fault, it is that it should have been painted red!” Karpov looked directly at the camera before his mouth twisted slightly and he erupted in a booming laugh. “Sorry. I couldn’t keep that up any longer.” He admitted, his thick accent had immediately disappeared and he smiled broadly at the camera.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Colonel Sergei Karpov, Mission Commander and living proof that Russians do have a sense of humour.”

“If you call that funny.” A voice commented from behind Karpov. I swung the camera around to the newcomer, who was emerging from a hatch at the far end of the module.

“And we are joined by Lieutenant Colonel Wesley Morrison of the US Air Force and NASA, who is our primary pilot here on the station and has just made the record books by becoming the fiftieth African-American in space.” He smiled and gave a thumbs up to the camera. “What have you been up to Wes?”

“I’ve just been familiarising myself with one of our docked Soyuz capsules.” The tall American told me.

“Ah yes.” I replied. “And that’s permanently docked here?”

“Correct.” The tall American replied, reaching up to scratch his close cropped hair. “It’s there in case of emergency, say a hull breach, or micrometeorite damage, something like that. We can take refuge in there, or even return to Earth if the station is catastrophically compromised.”

“Thanks Wes.” I swung the camera back around to the way I had come in. “Well, this is the aft end of the station, but before I wrap this up for today, I’ve saved the best for last. The Cupola.”

I propelled myself back through the station to the Unity node, turning left into the adjacent Tranquillity Node.

“Here we have a treadmill.” I swept the camera over the apparatus on the right hand wall. “As we have no gravity on the station, we are held in place with bungee cords. Running on the treadmill and using the other exercise equipment throughout the station helps us reduce muscle and bone density loss, which can occur in prolonged periods in zero gravity. As you can see, the treadmill is actually on the wall rather than the floor, so that messes with your head the first time you see someone running on it!” I then raised to the camera towards a cubicle jutting out to the right side of the Node just behind the treadmill. “This is one of our two space toilets, which due to zero gravity operates by suction. That’s an experience I can tell you!” I zoomed in on another set of apparatus at the far end of the compartment, this time on the ceiling. “Another piece of exercise equipment up there,” I frowned, trying to remember the overblown name for it. “The Advanced Resistive Exercise Device which we can use for various weightlifting exercises. Makes me wonder if NASA were being ironic when they called this the Tranquillity Node, with it effectively being a gym and a toilet!” I pulled myself past the toilet cubicle and then swung the camera to my right. The cylindrical compartment contained two space suits, held in place against the wall, while at the far end, a spider’s web of cords held a collection of white storage bags and containers in place.

“That’s the Leonardo Module, which as you can see is used for storage.” I then aimed the camera down through an open hatchway in the floor. “And through this hatch in the floor is my favourite part of the station, the Cupola.” I pulled myself through before continuing my running commentary. “It’s an observatory module and it’s located on the Earth side of the station. As you can see, it protrudes out like a bay window, so that we can see the station’s robotic arms, which can be operated from here. It is made up of seven windows, six smaller windows arranged around one large circular window, and I think you’ll agree, it’s quite a view.” I floated over to the circular window and swept the camera around taking in the vast, cloud swathed blue and green surface of the Earth beneath. Hearing movement behind, I glanced over my shoulder.

“Even after several weeks, I still haven’t got used to how beautiful it looks.” An awed feminine voice whispered. I panned the camera around to the newcomer, her pale blue eyes wide as she took in the sight below. Similarly to Aki’s pigtails, her long blonde hair was tied in a plaited ponytail which swung from side to side as she pulled herself through the hatch, expertly flipped her slender body around before grabbing hold of one of the blue handholds next to the windows.

“I’d like to introduce you to the last of our intrepid crew, Natalya Varennikova, Medical Doctor and our other Cosmonaut and with all due respect to our Mission Commander, the prettier of the two!” She shot me a disdainful look before smiling and blushing slightly and turning back towards the window. “Natalya, like Mission Commander Karpov and Major Flynn have transferred over from Expedition 78, so you’ve already been here… three months?”

“Yes, that is correct.” Natalya smiled a little awkwardly as I trained the camera on her.

“You are responsible for the health of the crew if anyone is taken ill or suffers an injury, but what do you do for the rest of the time?”

“I have a series of experimental racks for the purposes of Medical Science.” She replied stiffly. “For example, today I will study the effects of microgravity on different cell samples, each of which have been exposed to different criteria, such as cancer and heart disease. We are hopeful that the results will help us to better understand and perhaps one day, cure these disorders.”

“Thank you very much.” I replied. “Something for the critics to remember when they criticise the expense of the International Space Station.” I switched off the camera.

“Sorry to put you on the spot.” I smiled apologetically at Natalya.

“No, it’s fine.” She replied, immediately appearing more relaxed now the camera was off. “I have had media training as part of my Cosmonaut training, but it is something I have never quite got used to.”

“I was exactly the same to begin with when I was suddenly thrust into the public eye.” I grinned. “I remember feeling really self conscious, afraid I was going to say the wrong thing. You soon get used to it. Besides, it’s not going out live, so we can edit you out if you’re absolutely awful.”

“Thank you very much!” Natalya pouted theatrically before smiling. “Now, why don’t you get some footage of the Earth and give the viewing public a break from my pasty face.”

“Have you seen the last few female astronauts?” I replied. “I’m sure that certainly the male audience would appreciate a glamorous Cosmonaut after all the middle-aged plain-Janes of recent years!”

“That’s a little cruel.” She replied aghast, blushing again. I flashed her a smile and raised the camera, switching it back on. Aiming it through the large central window of the cupola, I continued my running commentary.

“The station takes just 91 minutes to orbit the Earth, so we see 15 sunrises and 15 sunsets per day. In fact, I can see the horizon lighting up as we speak!” I swung the camera towards the edge of the Earth, where bright light was shining through, though strangely it seemed to be pulsing.