Hi all, it’s your favourite Monotreme Astronaut here.

Sorry it’s been a while since I updated my space mission diary, but there have been a few snags. Apparently Civic Park can’t be used as a launch site due to it being in a major flight path for the Adelaide Airport.

While Mission Chief David Brooks entered negotiation and searched for a new launch site, I decided to go on a journey of self-discovery down Route 66 in the United States. You can check out some of my photos on the library Facebook and Instagram pages.

After much searching, a new launch site has been found and the mission has been given a green light, of course the mission has now had to be pushed back. Our new launch date is December 3rd.

Since the green light was given, I have been hard at work training. Space travel can be

Pushing iron! Feel the burn!

quite traumatic, particularly the launch and the landing. Space Adaption Syndrome or Space Motion Sickness as it is more commonly known is a real problem and can be triggered just by a subtle change in gravity! Some of the symptoms include drowsiness, headaches and nausea. Apparently three out of four astronauts experience Space Motion Sickness.

Another danger is loss of muscle mass and bone density due to exposure to a ‘weightless’ environment. Without the effects of gravity, astronauts put almost no weight on the muscles in their spine and legs to maintain posture. To counter this, I am working out every day and eating a high protein diet. I’m not sure if eating all those extra termites is actually going to help, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make!

Apparently there are dangers from exposure to radiation as well, the levels in low orbit are 10 times what we receive down here on Terra Firma and could cause all kinds of damage to the body…but I’ve seen the Fantastic Four movies, maybe I’ll get superpowers!

Don’tcrashdon’tcrashdon’tcrash!

I’ve also been spending a lot of time in the simulator practicing take-off, flight and landing. I still don’t know exactly what vehicle I will be piloting, so I am covering all of the basics, from an Apollo mission Saturn V to the Russian Soyuz series to the Space Shuttle. Take off is pretty easy, as is controlled flight in the upper atmosphere and orbit, but landing is proving to be a bit…bumpy…

I’m going to take some time off this weekend and watch a movie to relax. My friend Lord Quakka has suggested Apollo 13…