Slice Me off a Piece of That Outer Space

When astronauts return from spacewalks, they are surprised to find that their spacesuits smell like fried steak. Or welding fumes.

From theSun here:

OUTER space smells of fried steak, scientists revealed yesterday. The universe also has an aroma of hot metal and motorbike welding, Nasa experts said.

Astronauts reported the bizarre scents on their suits when they returned from space walks.

The space agency has commissioned Steven Pearce of British fragrance firm Omega Ingredients to recreate the smells to help train spacemen.  He said: “When astronauts were de-suiting and taking off helmets, they all reported quite particular odours.

Atomized metals would explain the welding smell, and that makes sense to me.  But steak?  That would be burnt protein.  What would that be doing in space?  Are astronauts confusing the smell of burnt carbons, like charcoal, for the smell of steak?

I’m guessing they are smelling the remains of all those welders that keep blowing themselves to kingdom come.