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In Graphics | From gunpowder to cat urine, the strange smells of outer space
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  • In Graphics | From gunpowder to cat urine, the strange smells of outer space

In Graphics | From gunpowder to cat urine, the strange smells of outer space

FP Explainers • August 28, 2025, 18:08:14 IST
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Space does not have a smell. However, ask astronauts and they will say that it resembles anything from burned steak to rotting eggs, gunpowder and cat urine. This is because of the molecules in outer space that stick to the astronauts’ bodysuits. Here’s how it works

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In Graphics | From gunpowder to cat urine, the strange smells of outer space
Galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 captured by James Webb Space Telescope. File image/AP

People have all kinds of questions about space. From how it looks to how it feels, everything about outer space fascinates them.

From manned missions to the discovery of planets, everything related to space grabs eyeballs. But have you ever wondered what these astronauts smell when they are in space?

Astronauts who have been to space describe a distinct smell when they return to the airlock and remove their helmets. While space itself is a vacuum and has no smell of its own, astronauts report that the odour that clings to their gear after a spacewalk smells like something burned, metallic, and sharp.

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This odour comes from high-energy vibrations of atoms in space, especially oxygen, when they interact with the suits and airlock. When reintroduced to an oxygen-rich environment, these molecules create that unusual smell.

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