In space no one can hear you scream, so all astronauts have to go through NASA's terrifying 'death simulator' prior to take off in order to face their fears and learn how to tackle all forms of danger in orbit.
There's no doubt that space is a dangerous place, as many of the earliest ventures beyond Earth's limits ended in unfortunate death with unforeseen dangers and hazards at the route of the issue.
Even the simple nature of being isolated in space can be terrifying for even the most seasoned of astronauts, yet NASA have come up with their own way to minimize anxiety within their missions - although the exact method isn't exactly the most pleasant thing you'll go through.
Lovingly named the 'death simulator', this program prepares each astronaut for the eventualities of space travel, exposing them to a wide variety of situations that would put them in danger in order to best equip them for survival.
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The main purpose of the death simulator is to eradicate fear in the minds of each astronaut and instead have them become attuned to all dangers and know how to best assess and deal with them.
The ordeal has thankfully been explained by retired NASA veteran Chris Hadfield in his book 'An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth', where he details the horrifying process needed to pass the death simulator.
As reported by the NLP Times, the simulator throws 'green cards' at participating astronauts every five to ten minutes that provide a twist or complication that they're likely to encounter when in space.
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These ensure that you're actually placed in situations that you're prepared for, forcing you to deal with them and put into practice what you've learned instead of encountering them for the first time when they're actually happening.
Hadfield's wife Helene even participated in these death simulations with her husband, which the astronaut describes:
"She discovered that taking the time to verbalize what you think you would do in the worst-case scenario quickly reveals whether you're really prepared or not. In fact, everyone who participated in the sim discovered weaknesses in their own planning, and went back to the drawing board on a few items."
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It not only points out weaknesses, but it also helps you eliminate any fear that you might have while on the ship.
"If you don't want to be afraid," Hadfield explains, "it's really good to dig in and understand the actual danger. So then you can take the appropriate actions."
There are few professions out there that would require such rigorous and frankly terrifying preparation, but the last thing you want to be while in the depths of space is unprepared, so it's something that many are willing to put themselves through to stay on top.