Photo by Elena11 ( Shutterstock)There is so much to think about in outer space's infinite mysteries. But...what does it smell like? The smell or scent of space is a common accompaniment to many, if not all of the amazing sights it offers. Space has a smell. However, it is only astronauts and perhaps corporate CEOs with a thirst to explore interplanetary space that will ever experience it.AdvertisementIs space scented?It is important to note that space smells only indirectly. It is impossible to smell space from outside your space suit. This would mean that you could not even try to smell it like a candle. NASA astronauts are pretty consistent in what they can smell wafting through space. Last year, a group of them created a fragrance with a space theme.The smells astronauts have encountered while on spacewalks are quite strange, according to the Australian Academy of Sciences.A pleasant metallic sensation... [like] sweet-smelling welding fumes or burning metal.You can also listen to an astronaut describe their experience by clicking here.It is a pleasant, sweet metallic sensation that I can think of. It brought back memories of college summers when I worked long hours on an arc welding torch, repairing heavy equipment for small logging outfits. It brought back pleasant, sweet-smelling welding fumes.AdvertisementWhy is spacee so strong?Although there is no consensus, researchers believe it may be due to a chemical reaction that occurs in the spacecraft during repressurisation. Researchers have concluded that atomic oxygen attaches itself to the spacesuit of an astronaut and then enters the craft. These single atoms can collide with oxygen to form ozone. This could be why the strange smells are possible when the spaceship is re-pressurized.AdvertisementResearchers believe that the collision between molecules from space and oxygen is the cause. In 2012, Atlantic reported that one researcher believed the smell was due to high-energy vibrations in particles which were brought back inside and mixed with the air.Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield made a similar prediction last year. He told Wired that space is probably odorless in reality. NPR summarized the interview by saying that Hadfield believes space's vacuum sucks trace chemicals from spacecraft walls, creating a burning, sulfuric smell. Space will continue to be associated with strange odors, regardless of the cause.Advertisement
