‘Orbital’ Imagines The Inner Lives Of Astronauts On The ISS

In this episode, host Flora Lichtman navigates the enchanting yet complex experience of life aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as imagined through the eyes of novelist Samantha Harvey and astronaut Katie Coleman. They discuss how the view from space, while breathtaking, embodies unique challenges, such as the dissonance between straightforward daily tasks and the extraordinary nature of being in low Earth orbit. Samantha highlights her intention to portray Earth from this vast distance, transforming her initial idea of a pastoral novel into a depiction of the human experiences that define living in space.

During the conversation, both Samantha and Katie reflect on the difficulty of articulating the astronaut experience. As highlighted in Samantha's book 'Orbital', the challenge lies in expressing both the mundane and the profound. The astronauts' inner lives, filled with personal struggles and stunning moments, often resist simple descriptions. Katie supports this sentiment, sharing how Samantha's writing evokes feelings from her time in space, leading to deeper introspection about their respective experiences.

Harvey and Coleman discuss emotional challenges faced by astronauts, including the loneliness of separation from loved ones and the surreal experience of witnessing an ever-changing Earth from above. The astronauts navigate the reality of their surroundings while grappling with the nostalgia for Earth and its intricate connections. Both women agree on the significance of humanizing the experience of space travel, aiming to make the extraordinary accessible and relatable to an Earth-bound audience.

As the ISS nears its decommissioning, there's a sense of nostalgia mixed with optimism about the future of space exploration. Samantha expresses a romanticized view of the ISS as a time capsule of human cooperation, while Katie shares a more pragmatic outlook on progress in space travel. The conversation concludes with the notion that moving forward into new expeditions provides opportunities for continued growth and discovery.