Last American on Mir adjusting to life in space

'You'd be amazed how easily you lose things'

Thomas explains the pitfalls of zero gravity as a flashlight hovers in front of his face

February 10, 1998
Web posted at: 12:50 p.m. EST (1750 GMT)

MIR SPACE STATION (CNN) -- Two weeks after climbing aboard the Mir space station, U.S. astronaut Andy Thomas said Tuesday he's still adjusting to working in cramped quarters and remembering to hold onto equipment and personal belongings to keep them from floating away in weightlessness.

In a live interview with CNN's John Holliman from the Russian-built spacecraft, the Australian-born Thomas said he is getting along well with his five crewmates -- four Russians and a Frenchman.

"We are confined in our work area," Thomas said. "We've got experiments set up adjacent to one another ... and you have to work around a colleague while you are trying to get from one experiment to the next."

Living in zero gravity is "fun," but "tough for doing detailed work," he said. "You'd be amazed how easily you lose things." A flashlight he held up to demonstrate his point began to float away the moment he released it.

Watch CNN's interview with U.S. astronaut Andy Thomas 4 min. 30 sec. VXtreme video

"You take something and just let it go for a minute and (when) you turn your back ... it's gone somewhere and you won't find it again," he said. And it's not just equipment that takes off, Thomas said. His toothbrush and comb have floated away when he wasn't looking.

A feeling of isolation

Despite crowded conditions on Mir and his relatively short time on board so far, Thomas said he was also experiencing a sense of isolation. "Each day tends to roll into the next and there becomes a certain monotony and you have to use your own resources to make the life interesting, to keep your motivation going. It's undeniably a challenge because you are in a confined space."

Thomas, speaking from Mir:

"There are great challenges taking on a mission like this. There's no doubt about it." AIFF or WAV (272K / 12 sec. audio) "If you want to have fun, zero gravity's a great place to do it ..." AIFF or WAV (459K / 20 sec. audio) "There becomes a certain monotony and you have to use your own resources to make life interesting ..." AIFF or WAV (502K / 22 sec. audio)

Thomas said he was surprised that his American predecessor aboard Mir, David Wolf, had lost weight during his four-month stay on the space station. "We have an abundance of food. I'm eating well up here, perhaps a little too well."

Thomas, who'll spend 4 1/2 months on Mir, is the last American scheduled to work aboard the multi-compartment space complex, the first part of which was launched 12 years ago this month. The aging orbiter is to be replaced by an international space station.

Later this month, French researcher Leopold Eyharts and two of the Russians on Mir are due to return to Earth, leaving Thomas and two cosmonauts on board.

They will continue scientific experiments and further repairs to the station, which was badly damaged in a collision with a unmanned cargo ship last June.

Correspondent John Holliman contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• Last U.S. astronaut to blast off for Mir on Thursday - January 20, 1998
• Mir spacewalk to fix leaking hatch - January 8, 1998
• Mir on the mend after power loss - January 2, 1998
• Mir's troubles overshadow plans for new station - October 13, 1997
• Mir crew builds computer unit from spare parts - September 15, 1997
• Mir's main computer fails, station begins to tumble - August 18, 1997

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