68. How big is the inside of the space vessel? How much living space is available within the Shuttle? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

The orbiter crew compartment has 2,325 cubic feet—about the same as a large bedroom in a modern home, say, 15 feet by 15 feet, with a ten foot ceiling. But remember that equipment takes up a lot of this space, just as furniture does in a bedroom. Then imagine ten astronauts sharing this room for a 14-day mission. It really gets pretty cramped and there is not much privacy. Actually, weightlessness helps out here because it is easy to move about and astronauts can sleep standing up. (Ref. 1)

Ref 1.NASA, National Space Transportation System Reference, Volume 1 Systems and Facilities, June 1988. This document is available on the Internet at: http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/stsreftoc.html#sts-umbilical-doors

---

Answer provided by Jon H. Brown

Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer

Buy This Book Click here