Cosmic scents: what aromas astronauts experience and how planets smell.

According to ТСН: Although outer space is considered to be a practically ideal vacuum without air to carry scents, astronauts returning from spacewalks often report sharp aromas. Scientists studying the chemical composition of celestial bodies can make assumptions about the possible scents of planets, comets, and moons.

Aromas of space

Researching cosmic scents helps to understand the chemistry of the universe more profoundly. Each scent is associated with a specific molecule, and their detection contributes to our understanding of the structure of planets, moons, as well as the processes of star and planetary system formation. For example, sulfur compounds can indicate volcanic activity, while hydrocarbons signal significant stages in the formation of life.

Descriptions of scents by astronauts

Astronauts describe a distinctive smell that is felt after exiting into space and during moonwalks. It resembles the aromas of roasted meat, heated metal, or welding smoke. Don Pettit from NASA noted that it is a 'pleasant sweet smell of welding smoke.' Astronauts from the Apollo mission also remarked on the presence of gunpowder scent due to lunar dust entering their cabins.

Harrison Schmitt recalled that the aroma of 'spent gunpowder' remained more vividly in his memory than other smells.

Scientific explanations

Researchers explain that in low-orbit conditions, atomic oxygen settles on spacesuits. When spacesuits are sealed, it interacts with air, creating ozone or oxidized compounds that impart metallic scents. Lunar dust every day forms reactive chemical bonds due to meteorite impacts, which, when coming into contact with oxygen and moisture, produce the characteristic dust odor.

Research on celestial bodies

The Rosetta mission allowed for the investigation of the molecular composition of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The Philae lander detected a mix of volatile compounds including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and formaldehyde. Mission leader Kathrin Altwegg described the scents of the comet as a mix of saturated and pungent odors that help understand the primordial components of the Solar System.

On Mars, it is believed that the smell of sulfur dioxide predominates with a slight sweet hint due to the high content of sulfur, magnesium, and other elements in the soil. However, the concentration of these gases is very low, hence the scents on the red planet are barely noticeable.

Titan, Saturn's moon, has a dense atmosphere and lakes of methane and ethane. Its aroma theoretically resembles gasoline due to the presence of heavier hydrocarbons. Data from the Cassini-Huygens mission confirmed this information, providing evidence for methane precipitation cycles similar to Earth's, but formed from different components.

It is worth noting that methane itself is odorless; the smell of gasoline is associated with heavier hydrocarbons. Thus, Titan's chemical composition indicates its characteristic 'oil breath' that astronauts could potentially sense in a safe inhalation condition.

This research expands our knowledge of cosmic aromas and their impact on understanding processes in space. Scientists continue to explore scents from other worlds, hoping to find new clues about the formation and evolution of our Solar System.