Russian cosmonauts Konstantin Borisov, Sergey Korsakov, and Anna Kikina have spoken exclusively to RT about their time aboard the International Space Station (ISS). All three cosmonauts spent time in orbit on the craft during their careers.
Reflecting on his experience, Borisov quipped that a “five-meter pool with artificial gravity” would be a welcome addition to the station.
His colleague, Korsakov, suggested that cosmonauts and astronauts do not actually get to marvel enough at the sheer beauty of the vast expanse of space outside the station. “Panoramic windows with transparent walls” would solve this issue, he told RT.
Their female colleague, Kikina, recalled that there was not exactly enough… space at the space station, with boundaries separating utility, storage and work areas also somewhat blurred.
She also mentioned rowing and squash as the sports most useful for preparing humans for weightlessness.
Considering the unique conditions found on the ISS, Borisov told RT that it would be interesting to try and make the structure completely self-sufficient in the production of oxygen with the help of a space garden. It would also provide the crew with fruit and vegetables as a bonus, the cosmonaut added.
Korsakov told RT that he would love to live on Mars as “you can spend beautiful evenings under two moons there.” He also mused about planting “Russian, beautiful white birches which would go well with the red landscape” on the planet.