Mary Roach, like many other authors, begins her book "Packing for Mars" with a preface. As I opened to page fifteen, the "Countdown" to chapter 1 had just begun. "To a rocket scientist, you are a problem", she writes. I quickly realized that Mary Roach is extremely opinionated as well as hilarious. Her book covers all the extras that come along with being an astronaut. She'll cover topics such as adjusting to gravity, the psychology of isolation, space hygiene, and so much more. I look forward to reading this book over the next few weeks.
"In orbit, everything gets turned on its head. Shooting stars streak past below you, and the sun rises in the middle of the night. Space exploration is in some ways an exploration of what it means to be human."
Mary Roach, "Packing for Mars" p. 19
As you may know, I ask many questions...so I am about to pester you with a few. Have you gotten to the point where you understand what exactly is meant by the "psychology of isolation"? For instance, does it mean, in some shape or form, the emotions one may feel being alone for so long? In addition, was Mary Roach an atronaut herself?
ReplyDeleteMary Roach was not an astronaut herself, however, she spent over 2 years gathering the information (facts, interviews, research, etc.) she needed to write her book. Basically, the "psychology of isolation" means almost exactly what you said. Psychology refers to how a person feels, how they react, why they react, and more. So basically it means why and how does a person respond to being in a small space shuttle for long periods of time in which they're practically alone. Thanks for the comment :)
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