Staying in an airless space in the orbit of our planet holds many potential dangers that can destroy even the most careful astronaut. However, some of them are not inferior to their earthly habits even in an unpredictable place like space. For example, NASA astronaut Kristina Koch managed to take a unique selfie against the backdrop of a vast universe while she was outside the International Space Station, reports the British portal newsweek.com.

A truly cosmic selfie, Christina Koch

Can I take a selfie in space?

Kristina Koch is the first astronaut to set a record length of stay on the International Space Station (ISS). After spending a total of 328 days on the station, Koch orbited the Earth more than 5,200 times. During the flight, Koch also took part in the first all-female spacewalk with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. Then the astronauts were dispatched to the ISS to attach the failed charger to the spaceship.

See also: With a new application from NASA, you can take a selfie in the background of space

It is known that the Kokh ship started on the ISS in March 2019 and has been in orbit at around 400 kilometers for 11 months since then. After the astronaut's landing on Earth, Christina Koch's 328-day stay will be the second longest single space flight by an American astronaut. The record for the duration of a single space flight goes back to astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days on board the ISS from 2015 to 2016.

Scott Kelly is the ISS record holder for the duration of a single space flight

On board the ISS, Kristina Koch has participated in over 210 scientific studies and provided valuable data for NASA's long-term plans to explore the moon through humans as part of the Artemis program. Many of these studies aimed to examine the effects of long space travel on the human body, taking into account factors such as weightlessness, long-term isolation from the outside world, radiation and stress. One of the most notable experiments in which Koch participated was the study of the effects of space travel on the spinal bones.

Koch has not only participated in numerous scientific studies, but has also taken many breathtaking images of the earth and events on the ISS. One of them was a selfie shot in Earth orbit that instantly went viral among Internet users. However, few people know that the authorship for the first "Space Selfie" belongs to the famous Buzz Aldrin, who during his flight on a spacecraft in 1966 not only set a record for the length of time a person was present in open space set up, but also managed historical "selfie" for all mankind.

The first selfie in orbit performed by Buzz Aldrin

To turn the idea of ​​taking professional space photos into reality, the planet's space agency ordered 53 unchanged Nikon SLR cameras with a special protective housing that allows the equipment to work in conditions of low gravity and sudden changes in temperature. It is also known that NASA previously used cameras from the Swedish manufacturer "Hasselblad", which was once lucky enough to become an official supplier of similar devices for the well-known Apollo program.

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Despite the performance and professionalism of the equipment available on the ISS, it is not easy to create a space selfie both inside and outside the station. The fact is that it is often difficult for an astronaut photographer to achieve a fully stationary state of the camera, even if he is inside the International Space Station, where it is impossible to fix the device perfectly due to the constant vibration of this space laboratory, high quality images take. However, if the astronaut somehow succeeds and is ready to present his truly "outstanding" photo, the data from the cameras are transmitted to earth via special communication channels, from where they fall into the hands of earthly experts and then the media.