Scientists Say Space Smells like Fried Steak and Hot Metal
"There were interviews with astronauts that we were given, when they had been outside and then returned to the space station and were de-suiting and taking off their helmets, they all reported quite particular odors."
The Daily Mail has reported that NASA?hoping to help astronauts prepare for conditions in space?has commissioned Steven Pearce, a chemist and managing director of fragrance manufacturing company Omega Ingredients, to recreate the smell of space in a laboratory.
"We have a few clues as to what space smells like," said Pearce. "First of all, there were interviews with astronauts that we were given, when they had been outside and then returned to the space station and were de-suiting and taking off their helmets, they all reported quite particular odors.
"For them, what comes across is a smell of fried steak, hot metal and even welding a motorbike.
"We have already produced the smell of fried steak," he added, "but hot metal is proving more difficult. We think it's a high energy vibration in the molecule and that's what we're trying to add to it now."
