Offered on the real estate market: joint rent of accommodations. For six months. To pay the rent is not necessary, but will have to work for accommodation and meals, provided the weekend (well, something like the output), transport and astronomical.

What a great offer! Where you need to sign? And you said that you will need to pass a nearly four-year training programme? No matter - it would be my chance to live on the International space station.

In 2000 year I was a NASA astronaut who is preparing his third mission to the space Shuttle when the boss called me into his office. "How do you like to spend six months aboard the ISS?" "he asked.

The GM. I have to learn Russian and to spend half of your life training in Star city near Moscow), coming down there for a month in the next few years. But in the end I control station, and I will be the unique place to observe the Earth. After a couple of days hesitation I agreed.

I left Earth on 9 October 2004, going to his new home space. There are several rooms (modules), two sluice compartment (one Russian, one American, one toilet, private bathroom, plus one toilet in the Soyuz spacecraft. ISS still have something of type of cuisine - it is, rather, a dining area with kitchenette.

There is a gym with a treadmill and belts with rubber ropes - to keep you on track. Don't like to run? Here there is a stationary bike and exercise with resistance to maintain muscle tone and bone density in the conditions of zero gravity.

By the way, the station is spacious enough, although my own room was the size of a phone booth. When I was there, it seemed that the station was the size of prostoru apartment with three bedrooms. The place was enough for a team of two people, plus three visitors in the time of change of crew. In space there is no "top" or "bottom", so there's no floor or ceiling. In this regard places on the surface becomes twice more, and the absence of gravity provides more opportunities for the use of the square.

The astronauts had to fasten themselves to run on a treadmill in conditions of zero gravity.

Work, basically,is the household and fix, just as at home on Earth. Something always in need of repair. However, the main purpose of the space station is to be the best in the world (worlds) research platform of microgravity, and the work that brings the greatest inner satisfaction is scientific research.

The main thing is the location! Real estate agents are constantly telling me that. And the near-earth orbit is not an exception. The view is superb. From a height of 250 miles seen everything from cities, mountains, lakes, rivers and various objects to the jungle, bridges, volcanoes and other natural wonders. Of course, to go for walk hard. Even for short trips require a few days of planning and preparation.

What about a trip on a spaceship? This too should be prepared, it will take a whole day just to move it from one Parking lot to another. Therefore, the ship is normally used only for arrival and departure from the station.

Now is the era of well-insulated "green" buildings, and space station is not an exception. The air is cleaned by means of filters, reactors microcontaminants and installation for air purification from carbon dioxide. Water in a similar way passes through the filter with ion exchange resins. When I was there, sweating and other evaporation collected and purified for drinking. Other types of wastewater (you know what I mean) also processed. And all the energy of the station receives by solar batteries.

No need to rent? Prefer a purchase? To create ISS has spent $ 2.5 billion. You will have to ask your real estate agent about discounts. I don't know, grew whether the market in near-earth orbit, or Vice versa. There are others that offer new buildings, however, that the inexperienced builders. I recommend to contact the guys who already have gone through it.

Pay less, you can go there for a week. So did a few people, and all travel very much. As in the case of any securities or property, it is not cheap. However, this is something you will never forget.

Leroy Chiao has spent more than 229 days in space. He is currently an Advisor on space traffic in the Fund Space (Space Foundation). He lives in Houston.

Leroy Chiao (Leroy Chiao)