Do Astronauts See Many Sunrises and Sunsets in Space?

Orbiting approximately 220 miles (354 km) above the Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) is traveling at about 17,100 miles per hour (27,700 km/hr). Each trip around the planet takes about 92 minutes, so the six astronauts and cosmonauts onboard the spacecraft get to see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every 24-hour period. The sunsets are said to be the most spectacular, as colorful layers of the Earth’s atmosphere can be seen, one after another.

Spectacular sunsets, smelly surroundings:

• The International Space Station can be seen from Earth without a telescope. At its most northerly path, its latitude is above London, England, and at its most southerly position, it’s cruising above the Falkland Islands.
• Because of the weightless conditions in space, dust does not settle on surfaces. It continues to float around. Residents of the ISS reportedly sneeze about 100 times a day.
• There are 14 pressurized modules or components on the space station, but bathing facilities are limited. Air filters do little to get rid of the presence of body odor.