# Did NASA really ask Sally Ride this question? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478 "2016-09-21T01:05:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/81 "2016-09-23T01:33:43Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I’m not doubting this, but remember the situation. You’re in a place where there is absolutely no way to get refills if you run out, there is a strictly limited supply of clothing available, there is no way to wash soiled clothes, and there are potentially dangerous consequences if even small amounts of blood leak out into the environment. Ok, even given those conditions, 100 is too many, but it’s not absurd. You signed your post “Mark” so I’m going to assume you’re a man. Which is OK, I like men, however… I am a woman. I have 40 years of experience bleeding monthly from my vagina, about 400 instances (my cycle is naturally a bit longer than average, around 5 weeks, so for me it’s about 10 periods a year. Yes, I know, more information than you probably ever wanted to know about me). Based on that, yes, 100 tampons is wildly overblown. If she’s bleeding that much she’ll probably need a blood transfusion or something. Which is _possible_, some women have had menstrual dysfunction to that point, but no one with that problem on Earth is going to be sent into space. The quantity of blood shed via menstruation is really not that much. It looks like a lot because any amount of blood looks like a lot. For me, 20-25 tampons would be adequate most months, so my “safety factor of two” quantity would be 40-50… or about what Ms. Ride declared would be plenty. Second, there are plenty of ways to improvise menstrual supplies - after all, women dealt with this long before we had commercially made tampons and pads. Not to put too blunt a point on it, if I had to I’d use a previously worn sock (it’s not like you’re going to be picking up a lot of dirt walking around in microgravity) or some other previously worn article of clothing. Or a napkin. Or towel. Rolled up toilet paper. Cut down to a reasonable size, of course. Seriously, they’re not going to run out of used t-shirts before they come back down. It’s called “being on the rag” because literal rags are what women used to use in the bad old days. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/82 "2016-09-23T03:10:34Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I have been married for 34 years, in addition to which I have two sisters and a daughter, and I wouldn’t be able to take anything more than a random guess how long a tampon lasts._:golf clap:_ Sure, but tampons typically come 20 to a box. I think you’d of noticed if each of your female loved ones was picking up five boxes a month. There would be boxes all over your bathrooms. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/83 "2016-09-23T03:20:48Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Sure, but tampons typically come 20 to a box. I think you’d of noticed if each of your female loved ones was picking up five boxes a month. There would be boxes all over your bathrooms. So to speak. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/84 "2016-09-23T03:27:40Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Do women even need them in zero-G? This question reminds me of the female pharmacist I worked with not all that long ago who didn’t know that lesbians menstruate. :smack: I agree that it wasn’t a sexist question at all. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/85 "2016-09-23T03:29:03Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Sure, but tampons typically come 20 to a box. I think you’d of noticed if each of your female loved ones was picking up five boxes a month. There would be boxes all over your bathrooms. I always bought the extra-large 40-count boxes. If a woman needed 100 tampons during a week-long period, boxes would be the least of your concerns. She’d be hemorrhaging to the point where she couldn’t leave the house. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/86 "2016-09-23T13:03:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Broomstick** : > > Second, there are plenty of ways to improvise menstrual supplies - after all, women dealt with this long before we had commercially made tampons and pads. Not to put too blunt a point on it, if I had to I’d use a previously worn sock (it’s not like you’re going to be picking up a lot of dirt walking around in microgravity) or some other previously worn article of clothing. Or a napkin. Or towel. Rolled up toilet paper. Cut down to a reasonable size, of course. Seriously, they’re not going to run out of used t-shirts before they come back down. It’s called “being on the rag” because literal rags are what women used to use in the bad old days. And even if that failed, then it’s still not going to kill the crew. Yes, it’d be gross, and yes, it’d possibly expose the crewmembers to bloodbourne diseases or the like, but if it doesn’t kill them in two weeks, you can deal with the consequences when they get back. Compare, for instance, Alan Shepherd peeing in his flight suit, when his launch got delayed for too long: You don’t want to be sitting in a pee-soaked flight suit, for good reasons, but it’s survivable. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/87 "2016-09-23T13:13:05Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well, maybe it would have gone the other way and she’d need fewer? Very possible. What point are you trying to make with this? > [@Broomstick](#): > > Based on that, yes, 100 tampons is wildly overblown. If she’s bleeding that much she’ll probably need a blood transfusion or something. Which is _possible_, some women have had menstrual dysfunction to that point, but no one with that problem on Earth is going to be sent into space. Question: is the only determinant of whether a tampon needs to be replaced the volume of blood that’s absorbed in it? Would the same volume of blood over a longer period require the exact same number of tampons as a shorter period? > [@](#): > > Second, there are plenty of ways to improvise menstrual supplies - after all, women dealt with this long before we had commercially made tampons and pads. Not to put too blunt a point on it, if I had to I’d use a previously worn sock (it’s not like you’re going to be picking up a lot of dirt walking around in microgravity) or some other previously worn article of clothing. Or a napkin. Or towel. Rolled up toilet paper. Cut down to a reasonable size, of course. Seriously, they’re not going to run out of used t-shirts before they come back down. It’s called “being on the rag” because literal rags are what women used to use in the bad old days. But the flip side of this is that it’s not a big deal to bring along a few extra tampons. I appreciate that space is a premium but the size of an extra couple of boxes is minimal. > [@BigT](#): > > I don’t get the people who don’t get the issue. It’s not that they asked her. It’s that they started with way too many in the first place. What’s ridiculous is that they didn’t seem to check with anyone who would know a reasonable to start with, before pitching that number to the astronaut. > > I find it incredulous that all you guys are saying you’d do this. The first thing I would do is go check with someone else or do research. By the time I asked the actual astronaut, I’d be sure I had about the right number. It would be a confirmation. This is ridiculous. You’re making it as if it’s some sort of horrible crime to suggest the wrong number of tampons to an astronaut, such that you have to go research the matter with other people before asking her. In reality, there’s absolutely no harm in just asking her directly. Worst that happens is that she gets an amusing anecdote out of it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/88 "2016-09-23T13:20:48Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Question: is the only determinant of whether a tampon needs to be replaced the volume of blood that’s absorbed in it? Would the same volume of blood over a longer period require the exact same number of tampons as a shorter period? I have never menstruated, but the recommendations to [decrease the risk of toxic shock syndrome](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000653.htm) include avoiding highly absorbent tampons and changing them frequently (every 4 to 8 hours). ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/89 "2016-09-23T13:46:17Z")
If that’s correct, then if women produce the same volume of menstrual fluid in space but expelled it at a much slower pace, they would need a lot more tampons than they needed on Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/90 "2016-09-23T13:51:07Z")
> [@](#): > > But the flip side of this is that it’s not a big deal to bring along a few extra tampons. I appreciate that space is a premium but the size of an extra couple of boxes is minimal. How many extra tampons would you bring, if each one of them (not each box, each individual tampon) cost $150? ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/91 "2016-09-23T14:06:11Z")
No idea. But in any event, it’s hard to imagine that NASA would make something about that level of cost. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/92 "2016-09-23T14:15:36Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Very possible. What point are you trying to make with this? Not really making any point. I do find it interesting that by and large the women are agreeing with Sally, and there are a few men who keep trying to “defend” the initial, larger estimate of 100, as if there were something to defend there. Clearly, the engineers threw out a guess and asked someone who would actually know about the issue to give some input. She did - “half that would be plenty”. That’s actually an example of things _working properly_. > [@](#): > > Question: is the only determinant of whether a tampon needs to be replaced the volume of blood that’s absorbed in it? Would the same volume of blood over a longer period require the exact same number of tampons as a shorter period? Er… yes and no. At a certain point you should change the tampon regardless of how much stuff it has absorbed. On a heavy day you’re changing them more frequently because they’re full, on a lighter day you’ll be changing them because the time is up. > [@](#): > > But the flip side of this is that it’s not a big deal to bring along a few extra tampons. I appreciate that space is a premium but the size of an extra couple of boxes is minimal. It’s not so much the size of the box but the weight. With the space shuttle it cost about $10,000/pound to lift something into orbit in a space shuttle, or $625/ounce. Some types of rockets will cost even more per unit of weight. An ounce of unneeded tampons could have been an ounce of something else, like food, water, or air. True, one tampon alone doesn’t weigh much but the numbers add up. > [@](#): > > This is ridiculous. You’re making it as if it’s some sort of horrible crime to suggest the wrong number of tampons to an astronaut, such that you have to go research the matter with other people before asking her. In reality, there’s absolutely no harm in just asking her directly. Worst that happens is that she gets an amusing anecdote out of it. I agree - but the people “defending” the engineers choosing 100 tampons is also equally ridiculous. > [@kayaker](#): > > I have never menstruated, but the recommendations to [decrease the risk of toxic shock syndrome](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000653.htm) include avoiding highly absorbent tampons and changing them frequently (every 4 to 8 hours). That is a recommendation but in actual practice it’s not unusual for a woman to go 10-12 hours without changing one on a light flow day, or rather night, because I don’t know anyone who sets an alarm to get up and change their tampon. > [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > If that’s correct, then if women produce the same volume of menstrual fluid in space but expelled it at a much slower pace, they would need a lot more tampons than they needed on Earth. Eh… somewhat more, but not hugely more. If a woman is expelling menstrual flow so slowly as to require 100 tampons she could probably free-bleed into her underwear without contaminating the interior of the spacecraft. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/93 "2016-09-23T14:19:08Z")
What kind of calculations are you guys making? At the very most she’d be up there 14 days. Even if she did get her period on her first day in space, she wouldn’t bleed for 14 fricken’ days! At the very, very most it would be 7. But 7 is not typical. 3 to 5 days is average. I’m getting the impression that men don’t know nor do they want to know about the inner workings of the women in their lives. So much so that they haven’t even _looked_ at a box of tampons. Yes, I am incredulous. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/94 "2016-09-23T14:24:06Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > No idea. > > But in any event, it’s hard to imagine that NASA would make something about that level of cost. I just wikipediaed some numbers. If you assume that the shuttle carried a payload of 65,000 lbs, that it cost roughly $450 million to launch into orbit, and that one tampon weighs about 0.034 lbs, you come up with a cost to launch a single tampon into orbit on the space shuttle of $240. It’s probably worth investigating the issue so you don’t send up 50 extras. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/95 "2016-09-23T14:28:33Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s not so much the size of the box but the weight. With the space shuttle it cost about $10,000/pound to lift something into orbit in a space shuttle, or $625/ounce. Is this a useful metric for assessing the actual incremental cost of adding a few ounces of cotton to an astronaut’s luggage? Certainly if you’re making a decision about whether to fly or not fly a space shuttle, the entire cost of the mission needs to be attributed to _something_, and that’s usually the payload. But if it’s a given that the mission is going to happen, and the overhead cost of that mission has already been accounted for, then it’s hard for me to believe that NASA actually has to kick in an extra several thousand dollars to get a handful of tampons stashed away for the journey. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/96 "2016-09-23T14:40:59Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Is this a useful metric for assessing the actual incremental cost of adding a few ounces of cotton to an astronaut’s luggage? I think it’s useful because every gram of cotton is one less gram of experiment they could carry. Maybe it means germinating a dozen fewer seeds or carrying fewer humping insects so we get less data. Maybe they carried less photographic film so we get fewer views of the experiments and fewer shots of life on board the space shuttle. I don’t know what NASA did with the extra capacity but it was probably fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/97 "2016-09-23T14:46:21Z")
You’re making the assumption that NASA actually limits the number of experiments/photos etc. due to weight considerations on this scale. It would follow from Machine Elf’s argument (which I tend to agree with) that this is likely incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/98 "2016-09-23T14:49:15Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > I’m getting the impression that men don’t know nor do they want to know about the inner workings of the women in their lives. So much so that they haven’t even _looked_ at a box of tampons. Yes, I am incredulous. Why would I _look_ at a box of tampons? I don’t recall ever doing so. I’m 58. Are there comics/jokes/special offers for men printed on the box? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/99 "2016-09-23T14:53:03Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > I think it’s useful because every gram of cotton is one less gram of experiment they could carry. Maybe it means germinating a dozen fewer seeds or carrying fewer humping insects so we get less data. Maybe they carried less photographic film so we get fewer views of the experiments and fewer shots of life on board the space shuttle. I don’t know what NASA did with the extra capacity but it was probably fascinating. Given that the space shuttle’s payload capacity was in the tens of thousands of pounds, I’m doubtful that they utilized every last ounce of capacity such that the crew had to justify every ounce of their personal items (or such that the payload had to be limited to accommodate the personal hygiene needs of the crew). “Sorry kids, you can’t send your worm experiment up on this flight; Ms. Ride will be menstruating.” ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478/100 "2016-09-23T15:15:29Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > You’re making the assumption that NASA actually limits the number of experiments/photos etc. due to weight considerations on this scale. It would follow from Machine Elf’s argument (which I tend to agree with) that this is likely incorrect. I’m assuming that this wasn’t the only decision they had to make about how to balance the needs of the crew with the needs of science. We’re focused on the tampon question here but there were probably dozens or perhaps thousands of similar decisions to be made at every point in the mission planning. If in every case they just said, “let’s just throw in a few more to be safe,” we’d have dozens of extra pairs of underwear, meals, gloves, spare tools, etc. until the mass had a major effect on the mission. By the end, they would be asking if they could really afford to bring up that Canadarm. I expect NASA to systematically approach mission planning to plan for contingencies and to reduce mass. This is just one example. Many of the experiments on the Shuttle were “payload experiments” that ran autonomously. [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/29/opinion/how-science-brought-down-the-shuttle.html](http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/29/opinion/how-science-brought-down-the-shuttle.html). After designing and building them on the ground, the biggest limit to doing more of those experiments on the shuttle are volume and mass. Fewer tampons, gloves, etc. frees up both. Furthermore, much of the work of the space shuttle in its later years was building the space station. How much stuff would they have had to leave out of those missions if they were carting around kilograms of unnecessary personal care supplies? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-nasa-really-ask-sally-ride-this-question/766478.md?page=6)