Taking a whip to space

19 October 2007, by Heavens Paradox

If you’re heading off to take charge of an International Space Station, I expect a whip would be quite a long way down your list of ‘must haves’. However that’s exactly what US astronaut Peggy Whitson was given last week.

The ‘Nagyka’ or kamcha was originally used in Russia as a riding whip, to urge the house along. It was a gift from one of her Russian crewmates - jokingly ‘to keep her male crew in line’. The International Space Station (ISS) is currently being assembled in space, and Peggy will be the first woman in command. There have been people in residence aboard since 2000, with astronauts from over 14 countries visiting. It is also a ‘place of interest’ for the space tourist, having been visited already by the first 5 space tourists, and I expect will remain in the guidebook for the forseeable future.

Categories: Current Affairs