Space Team Online Chat

Date: February 19, 1998

Featuring: Janis Davis-Street
Nutritionist
NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 235 - 09:59:57 ]
Good Morning Everyone! So glad you could join us today. The chat will begin in just a minute or two. Have your questions ready! Something to remember about submitting questions: We have a VERY FULL chat room today, so that means it make take five minutes or so before you see a response to your question. Please be patient. Janis will answer as many questions as she can in the next hour.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 238 - 10:03:28 ]
RE: [JanisDavisStreet/JSC] Hi everyone - This is Janis Davis-Street signing on. I've got just about 60 minutes to chat with you all, so I'll try to be quick and answer as many of your questions as I can
Welcome Janis. We are thrilled that you could join us today!!!

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 239 - 10:03:29 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] How long did it take you to graduate college ?
It took me 4 years to finish my college degree

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 240 - 10:05:36 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] What does the food consist of ?
Lots of the food the astronauts eat looks just like earth-food. Some special packaging is needed, but they eat M&Ms tortillas (that's a Texas favorite I think), and lots of foods that one could get in your grocery story

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 241 - 10:06:37 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Do you believe there's any possibility of life on Mars?
The scientific evidence suggests that there is. I'm excited about that possibility

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 243 - 10:08:41 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Have you traveled anywhere interesting?
I think I have - my home country, Guyana, is pretty interesting, and I've been to several places in the Caribbean, and England. My favorite place though is the Mountains of Utah

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 246 - 10:10:42 ]
RE: [marnie-Campbell/Arden/B.C.] how many times a day in a space shuttle do the crew eat?
They are scheduled for the typical 3 meals a day plus snacks. But they are free to eat at any time as we are on Earth

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 249 - 10:13:23 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Do you think it's right to test on animals?
Could you clarify this one for me? Thanks.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 250 - 10:14:41 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] What interested you in taking the nutrition course?
I've always been interested in the things that affect human health - nutrition is very important both on the ground and in Space

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 251 - 10:16:05 ]
RE: [Sandy/NASAChatHost] Janis: Do the astronauts tell you before their flight, what their favorite foods are and then it's your job to determine if those foods can be eaten in space and just how much nutritional value they provide?
The Foods Laboratory actually does the menu selection with astronauts. We do the research that determines how much of the nutrients the astronauts need

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 256 - 10:21:07 ]
RE: [Samantha-Campbell/Arden/B.C.] how do you drink juice in space in the shuttle? do the crew take vitamin pills or eat fruit? how many hours do the crew exercise?
The drinks on the Shuttle are stored in the Capris-Sun type juice bags. They are usually dehydrated and the crew adds water. A straw with a clip is inserted into the bag. Some of the crew take vitamin pills just like they may on Earth. Some fruit is flown on the Shuttle - but we're limited mostly to the canned stuff. Exercise amounts vary - from a few minutes to hours.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 257 - 10:22:16 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Do you think it will be O.K to live on Mars (humans), If so, how long will it take?
I think eventually we will be able to live on Mars, scientists are working on that right now. It will probably take a couple of years to fly to Mars

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 259 - 10:24:17 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Is it true that astronauts in space have to exersice a lot, almost as twice as we do to stay fit?
Exerecise is used as a countermeasure (that is a way to reduce any effects of space on muscles on bones). So exercise is very important during the missions. A lot of the astronauts are very fit folks who exercise a lot on the ground.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 260 - 10:25:09 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Is eating nutriously important to you?
Yes - but sometimes I 'cheat' a little.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 267 - 10:27:45 ]
Janis: In your journal you said that you examined how many calories astronauts need to eat while on the shuttle. How many calories is that and is it more or less than they need when on Earth?

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 270 - 10:29:06 ]
Welcome Flood School in East Palo Alto, CA! We're really glad that you could join us today!

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 272 - 10:29:13 ]
RE: [Brandon-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] hello Janis Davis Street how does it feel to work at NASA?
It's very exciting. I continue to learn a lot of new things everyday, and I can a chance to interact with a many different people (scientists, astronauts, and students like yourself)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 277 - 10:29:50 ]
RE: [Takeshia-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] how many years have you been traing them?
I've been at NASA for almost 7 years

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 282 - 10:30:45 ]
RE: [Monse-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] How do you drink water in space?
Check the answer about the juice. The water is collected in the drink bags

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 284 - 10:31:20 ]
RE: [Jupiter/Julio-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Hi! our names are Julio Escalante and Jupiter Chavz. How do you like what you do?
I love it.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 288 - 10:31:48 ]
RE: [Eduardo-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] How are you doing?
Hi there

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 290 - 10:33:14 ]
RE: [DaVonne/Alicia-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] DaVonne: Hello, I want to know what you make for the astrounaughts.
I do studies with them where we collect saliva and other body fluids which we use to find out the effects of space flight on the body.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 296 - 10:34:09 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] What do you think would be the price to fly to Mars? Would everyone be able to go ?
Probably very expensive. But you can apply to be an astronaut and maybe be one of the people to actually fly to Mars

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 298 - 10:34:50 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Are you single? Do you have kids?
Aztecs: Read Janis' journal! She talks quite a bit about her family :-)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 300 - 10:35:00 ]
RE: [PriscilaCortez-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] My question is what do you have to eat when you are going to have a test.
Eat a variety of foods from all the groups.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 303 - 10:35:24 ]
RE: [Rodrigo-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] have you ever dreamed of going into outerspace?
I don't think I'm brave enough

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 306 - 10:36:31 ]
RE: [CHANTELLEMARISSA-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT FOOD TO GIVE THE ASTRONAUTS? WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS IT LIKE IN SPACE? HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN ALIEN?
We try to give them foods very similar to what they get on Earth. No - the only ones I've seen are the make-believe aliens on TV

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 315 - 10:38:18 ]
RE: [Scott-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Ms.Janis Davis Street, How do people in space get their meals, and how do taste compared to meals to on earth?
Foods are packaged in aluminum pouches, cans, and plastc packages. I'm not sure whether they taste any differently in Space (they fly salt, pepper and other condiments)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 318 - 10:38:52 ]
RE: [Brandon-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Have you been in space? if not do you plan on going?
No - I've not been, and probably don't plan to

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 322 - 10:40:22 ]
RE: [WatkinsonsStudents-Watkinson/SMGMTA] We know that you have two dogs, please tell us what your favorite animal is. You also said that you like to go camping and that the mountains in Utah are your favorite. What season do you like best for your visit to the mountains.
Favorite animal from a distance are the big cats (jaguars). My favorite season is late spring

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 323 - 10:40:24 ]
EVERYONE: Janis has to leave in 20 minutes and she still has TONS of questions to answer! Please hold up on sending questions for 3-4 mins. so that she can catch up. She is trying very hard to answer EVERYONE'S question but she won't be able to do it if too many more come in. Thanks :-)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 327 - 10:40:54 ]
RE: [Scott-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Ms.Janis Davis Street, Do you have fun choosing what foods the astronauts eat? \(`_')/ :-)
The astronauts choose their own food

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 330 - 10:41:53 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] How maNY HOURS A DAY DO YOU WORK? iS EVERYday a learning experience?
At least 8 hours a day. I think that if you can learn at least 1 new thing everyday - it makes life more rewarding

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 335 - 10:42:53 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] How do you feel chating with us, high school students?We are from San diego, Where are you right now? In the Nasa's office?
This is very exciting and I am enjoying it. I am in the lab on-site at the Johnson Space Center

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 339 - 10:44:00 ]
RE: [Monse-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Why do you like your job?
I get to learn so much - and I hope that some of what we do will help folks on Earth

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 346 - 10:44:45 ]
RE: [Jupiter/Julio-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Where is you job site located?
See Janis' answer in #335

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 348 - 10:45:31 ]
RE: [Scott-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Ms.Janis Davis Street, Are the foods that are taken on space shuttles hydrated. If not how do the astronauts get their hydration (liquids, etc.)
Some of the food is dehydrated. The shuttle makes the water from the fuel cells from hydrogen and water, so they can rehydrate the foods and beverages

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 352 - 10:46:18 ]
RE: [Aaron-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Can you give us a scholarship to send us to Space Camp?
Aaron and Carolina: Janis is a nutritionist for NASA. She does not give out scholarships.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 355 - 10:46:41 ]
RE: [Aaron-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Can you give us a scholarship to send us to Space Camp?
I would try to call the NASA PAO office. Call 281 483 0123 - they may be able to help

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 357 - 10:47:05 ]
RE: [Ana-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Did you take ROTC When you where in highschool?
We didn't have ROTC in Guyana

[ Brandon-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto - 358 - 10:47:32 ]
I have been to space camp before it was fun for me I would like to go all the time because I want to learn more about our universe, will we be able to go to outer space and travel to pluto in the far future? I hope so!

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 359 - 10:47:35 ]
RE: [ChantelleMarissa-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] What college did you go to? How many years did you have to go to college to become a nutritonist?
I went to college in Canada (University of Guelph in Ontario)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 360 - 10:47:53 ]
RE: [DaVonne/Alicia-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] DaVonne: Is working for Nasa fun?
Yes it is

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 362 - 10:48:20 ]
RE: [ChantelleMarissa-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] What college did you go to? How many years did you have to go to college to become a nutritonist?
You can find the answers to your questions in Janis' online journal.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 365 - 10:48:41 ]
RE: [JanisDavisStreet/JSC] I went to college in Canada (University of Guelph in Ontario)
Sorry - I missed that it took 4 years. I then went to Graduate School for another 2 years.

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 367 - 10:49:10 ]
RE: [CarolinaLakeisha-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] can you please answer us?
Sure - what would you like to know about NASA

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 373 - 10:49:55 ]
RE: [Eduardo/Elia-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Did you have experiance to do this when you were*young?
Not really - there is no Space Camp or anything like that in Guyana

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 380 - 10:50:54 ]
RE: [DaVonne/Alicia-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Alicia: I been wanting to know about space camp so much, Could you send us a paper about space camp?
Try to check out the NASA Home page - they'll have info

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 381 - 10:51:33 ]
RE: [Aztecs-students/MontgomeryHigh] Good-bye. We are going to Nutrician Break. Thank you for answering our questions.
Goodbye Aztecs from San Diego. You sent in some great questions. Thanks for joining us today!

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 383 - 10:51:58 ]
RE: [WatkinsonsStudents-Watkinson/SMGMTA] We would like to invite you to the mountains of Tennessee, we don't have jaguars, but we do have bears. We are in the Appalachian Mountain chain, we are older than the Rockies., but also very beautiful. Do you use a lot technology in your daily job? We are a technology magnet school.
Yes - we use a lot of high tech instruments. Computer skills are also very important in our daily job - so work hard at your math and science courses

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 384 - 10:52:25 ]
RE: [ChantelleMarissa-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] are you able to determine what the weather will be from space?
NASA provides some of the satellite imaging

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 392 - 10:53:50 ]
RE: [DaVonne/Alicia-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] DaVonne: Is being a nutritionist hard or easy, after all you do have a lot of people to teach.
It's both. But I've enjoyed it

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 393 - 10:54:14 ]
EVERYONE: Janis has to leave in just 5 short minutes. Please stop sending questions now and allow her to catch up and answer as many of the remaining questions as she can before she has to leave for her meeting... Thanks for your patience :-)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 394 - 10:54:47 ]
RE: [Monse-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] How do people eat in space?
Very carefully - mostly just like you do on Earth but things float away from you (packaging is very important)

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 396 - 10:55:03 ]
RE: [Jose-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Are you maried?
Jose: Read Janis' biography. She talks a lot about her family!

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 397 - 10:55:05 ]
RE: [Brandon-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] what does it take to work at NASA?
Got to finish college

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 399 - 10:55:46 ]
RE: [Scott-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Dear Ms.Davis, Do you know how to get the food rehydrated
The food scientist label the foods with the amount of water and the time to reheat

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 400 - 10:57:00 ]
RE: [WatkinsonsStudents-Watkinson/SMGMTA] You told us that you did fundraising in high school. Was it successful? Specifically, what did you use the money for?
Most of it was. We used the money to put on our Graduation Party (that's like a Prom)

[ JanisDavisStreet/JSC - 401 - 10:59:29 ]
Well, thanks a lot for your interesting questions. I really enjoyed talking with you. Check out http://pet.jsc.nasa.gov there is a lot of information about some of the things that we do here. Good luck with your studies. Janis

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 402 - 10:59:41 ]
EVERYONE: Today;s chat with Janis Davis-Street has unfortunately come to an end. Thank you very much for joining us today. You sent in some very thoughtful questions! Join us again for another chat. And a very special thank you to Janis for taking the time out of her hectic schedule to chat with us today. :-) Goodbye everyone!

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 405 - 11:06:28 ]
RE: [WatkinsonsStudents-Watkinson/SMGMTA] Thank you for being here for us today. We enjoyed it. Sorry that we had to join you so late. We have really enjoyed these chats, are more planned?
Glad to hear that you enjoy our Web chats. Yes, there are many more chats planned. For a schedule of upcoming Web chats sponsored by this project go to: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events/

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 406 - 11:10:30 ]
RE: [Rodrigo-FloodSchool/EastPaloAlto] Could you send me a picture of a spaceship? if you can send it to 1303 windermeer Ave. Menlo Park, California 94025
Rodrigo: You can find pictures of spacecraft on the Internet. For starters, go to http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/photos/index.html and you will find all sorts of really cool images of NASA's many space shuttles. If you're into Mars, go to http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/mars and click on the "Photos" button. Here you will find all sorts of pictures of spacecraft that have gone to Mars.