The Right Stuff

[Sands]

I see on the news that NASA wants astronauts and that they got 18,000 applications. Now they have to spend a bunch of time and effort weeding through all those apps, looking for just a few people who have what it takes, then spend additional time and money training them. Well, I think they could have saved time and effort and narrowed their search easily: simply select from those who spend extended lengths of time in a tiny trailer!

We, “the few the proud the cramped”, represent a pre-screened select group. Consider:

• We are used to very small living spaces.
• We have already trained ourselves to move in slow motion so we don't bump heads, knees, elbows, or other body parts into cabinet corners or knock things off counters. As an aside, it is kind of funny to be in a public place like a restaurant and realize that you are moving with the exaggerated slow and deliberate movements you've become accustomed to using in your trailer. We are like human sloths!
• We bantam trailerites have learned how to get along with other people, (and animals) within small living spaces; how to give others their 'space' when there is literally no space to spare.
• We have extensive check lists we go through prior to launch...wheel chocks removed? Check. Water pump turned off? Check. Umbilical cord attached to tow? Check. All cabinet doors closed? Check. Safety chains attached? Check. Landing gear fully retracted? Check. Mission Control, all systems green, ready for launch!
• We know how to shower with three drops of water, and how to go for extended periods of time without a shower at all.
• We can get dressed in a space in which most magicians couldn't move. While horizontal.
• We've long ago conquered any bathroom shyness and are used to taking care of business in a phone booth size semi-public space.

OK, most of us are a little bit long in the tooth, but we are almost completely pre-trained and psychologically fit for a trip to Pluto and back enclosed in a compact car size ship. With a companion and two or more small animals. And all of the needed supplies. In short, we 'the few, the proud, the cramped' have The Right Stuff!

Now if we can convince NASA to construct the next generation of space craft out of fiberglass...

[Rzrbrn]

Actually tent campers may have one on use regarding preparation for living in space: New space labs/living quarters will most probably be made of cloth material and be inflatable: Welcome To The Inflatable Space Age | Popular Science

[Kai in Seattle]

Sands,

A good smile from your post, thanks!

[Jon in AZ]

Nice post, Sands!

I might have to excuse myself, though… When I wake up in the early hours of the morning in the Navy-sized lower bunk on our 13' Scamp, my first bleary-eyed, foggy-brained instinct is to throw open the hatch and head for the hinterlands. Wouldn't want to be doing that halfway to Mars…

[Sands]

Hey Rzrbrn, interesting link. Who'd a thunk? Maybe we could reverse engineer those space bubbles into travel trailers?

You're excused Jon, wouldn't want you doing a space walk in your undies! "Houston, we have a problem!"

And speaking of undies; nice Latin phrase Kai. And I do. Mostly.

[Carol H]

Sign me up! or is it Beam me up!

[Kai in Seattle]

Sands, thanks. Same here. 8)


And Jon, no, no, no hatch opening out there! No amount of sub ubi would help you then!
First thing for us--we like to flip open the door and let those girls out--it'd be pugs in space!