Surfers ask, Charles Simoni answers from space

The first returning space tourist is living on the International Space Station after paying $35 million

Space tourist Charles Simoni who is currently staying on the International Space Station, after paying a ticket worth 35 million dollars, opened a website where he, among other things, answers questions from surfers from space. Here are some of the representative questions:

Asks Brandon from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, is there anything surprising that your training could not have prepared you for, and was there anything different from the first mission. and season marks:

"Here comes the test. Can you train your people to ride a bicycle without using a bicycle? Lack of gravity is exactly the same. The trainings are designed to help you adapt to the situation but they do not prepare you how to move and work in this situation. Interestingly, the issue of organizing work effectively (ie how to take notes or move equipment) is not difficult, except for off-station work which is very difficult. I assume that this is an early stage, before the discovery of the space chair or the space table.

Trish from Seattle asks: How is the view from space?

Signs: mainly water and interesting patterns of clouds. At low altitudes, from the Soyuz, we saw sites and areas of land familiar to us from school: Spain, Italy, Sicily, the Red Sea. At night we can see the lights of the cities. I look forward to using the large zoom lenses and seeing more specific familiar areas.

Christina from Kommarum, Hungary asks: Do you see signs of global warming and climate change on Earth's surface from space?

Simoni: "Hello Christina, it's interesting that two Hungarians can talk to each other in English. Climate change is exactly what it is - changes. It's hard to tell them apart in one picture, unless you've seen a picture of the same area before. Anyway, the earth is huge. We cross countries in minutes, but over 60 minutes out of the 90 minutes of coffee we are over water. It looks beautiful from where I'm standing."

Edgar from Los Angeles asks do you see stars when you look outside or is everything black?
“Dear Edgar, it's like Christmas Eve. The sky does not look different than it does from the surface of the earth, provided you go somewhere far from the city. The space between the stars is very black. All the planets are there. The earth is clearly visible with the cities, lightning and high clouds covering the earth like sheep's wool."

Antony from Tampa, Arizona asks if he had room to move around in the Soyuz as well?

Simoni: "The (Soyuz) CO capsule is crowded and full of space suits. You have to make special movements just to get out of the chair, and of course only one of us at a time. The cabin, the BO is slightly more spacious on the track has minimal gravity, and the whole complex works well and provides comfort and even privacy if needed.
The team treated me well - like an integral member of the team. I think I worked hard to earn it. Just so that I can take responsibility for myself is already a help for them - otherwise they would have to watch over me in addition to the other tasks. The commander will be in trouble if we don't get along. But there are still enough simple tasks I can do.”

Cuba from Poland asks: How long have you dreamed of space flights? What was your childhood dream?
Simoni: "Of course I dreamed about it, but not seriously. Who would have believed that even in the year 2000, that civilians would be able to fly into space? An amazing idea."