Space Suit - Cindy H
Report: Space Suit
The movie “Gravity” deals with the story of survival in space, but if they didn't have a space suit, could they still survive in space? They probably would just have died after a very short moment when their space craft was hit by debris. Space suits are more than just a cloth that we wear in space. It is a personal spacecraft, or a thing that you need for survival in space.
First of all, what is a space suit? A space suit is a garment that astronauts wear and it keeps humans alive in the harsh environment of outer space. Space suits are also worn inside the spacecraft as a safety precaution in case of the loss of cabin pressure, and they are necessary for work done outside the spacecraft which is also called Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
There are several reasons that people need to wear their space suits. If someone stays in space without a spacecraft or a space suit, that person is going to be unconscious within 15 seconds, and then his or her blood and body fluid is going to boil and then freeze because there’s little or no air pressure in space. Caused by boiling fluids, the person’s skin, heart, and other internal organs would expand. And at last space suits can keep you safe from various types of radiation like cosmic rays and solar winds. Space suits are doing a very important job in space science. How would you work in space without a space suit?
Now, let’s talk about what space suits are made out of. Space suits have 12 different layers of fabric. These fabrics combine together and protect astronauts from dangerous factors in space. Teflon fabric is the fabric which is used in the outer part of the space suit and nylon is the fabric which is used in the inner part of the space suits.
The first space suit that the US made was called Mercury IVA. This space suit was used during the Mercury missions from 1959-1963. This space suit is designed to make sure that the astronaut had to wear the suit during the entire mission. The helmet of the Mercury space suit allowed it to move the astronauts head up and down once it was unpressurized but once it is pressurized, they can’t move. Life support of the space suit was provided from the capsule to the Mercury suit through an umbilical line which was attached to the front of the suit. Lights on the fingertips are added to gloves so that astronauts can see the capsule controls.
Apollo 76L is the first and only US spaces suit designed for use on the lunar surface. This was also the first US spacesuit that was not completely customized for each member. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are the two people who wore this space suit. The helmet of Apollo 76L included an additional outer shell and a thermal outer cover to increase light reflection control and prevent condensation, and also glove tips that are made of silicone so that it helps astronauts to feel some fingertip sensations better for controlling the instruments. This space suit came out with two sets of boots; one is for inside the space craft and EVC (Extra Vehicular Activity). This is the first US spacesuit that has a space life support system. The portable life support system (PLSS) is a removable backpack that included an oxygen purge system for an emergency.
Space suits are very thick and heavy. The space suit is 127 kg on Earth but the interesting fact is that you can’t feel the weight of the space suit in space because there’s no gravity. The cost for one space suit is 12 million (12,000,000) US dollars which is about 73 million (73,000,000) Yuan.
Space suits are a great invention. If we didn't have space suits then our space science couldn't be able to develop as fast as it has. I’m also looking forward to seeing more developments in space science shortly due to space suit technology. There is great excitement coming from the movie “Gravity” because it basically shows how important space suits are for space exploration.
First of all, what is a space suit? A space suit is a garment that astronauts wear and it keeps humans alive in the harsh environment of outer space. Space suits are also worn inside the spacecraft as a safety precaution in case of the loss of cabin pressure, and they are necessary for work done outside the spacecraft which is also called Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA).
There are several reasons that people need to wear their space suits. If someone stays in space without a spacecraft or a space suit, that person is going to be unconscious within 15 seconds, and then his or her blood and body fluid is going to boil and then freeze because there’s little or no air pressure in space. Caused by boiling fluids, the person’s skin, heart, and other internal organs would expand. And at last space suits can keep you safe from various types of radiation like cosmic rays and solar winds. Space suits are doing a very important job in space science. How would you work in space without a space suit?
Now, let’s talk about what space suits are made out of. Space suits have 12 different layers of fabric. These fabrics combine together and protect astronauts from dangerous factors in space. Teflon fabric is the fabric which is used in the outer part of the space suit and nylon is the fabric which is used in the inner part of the space suits.
The first space suit that the US made was called Mercury IVA. This space suit was used during the Mercury missions from 1959-1963. This space suit is designed to make sure that the astronaut had to wear the suit during the entire mission. The helmet of the Mercury space suit allowed it to move the astronauts head up and down once it was unpressurized but once it is pressurized, they can’t move. Life support of the space suit was provided from the capsule to the Mercury suit through an umbilical line which was attached to the front of the suit. Lights on the fingertips are added to gloves so that astronauts can see the capsule controls.
Apollo 76L is the first and only US spaces suit designed for use on the lunar surface. This was also the first US spacesuit that was not completely customized for each member. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are the two people who wore this space suit. The helmet of Apollo 76L included an additional outer shell and a thermal outer cover to increase light reflection control and prevent condensation, and also glove tips that are made of silicone so that it helps astronauts to feel some fingertip sensations better for controlling the instruments. This space suit came out with two sets of boots; one is for inside the space craft and EVC (Extra Vehicular Activity). This is the first US spacesuit that has a space life support system. The portable life support system (PLSS) is a removable backpack that included an oxygen purge system for an emergency.
Space suits are very thick and heavy. The space suit is 127 kg on Earth but the interesting fact is that you can’t feel the weight of the space suit in space because there’s no gravity. The cost for one space suit is 12 million (12,000,000) US dollars which is about 73 million (73,000,000) Yuan.
Space suits are a great invention. If we didn't have space suits then our space science couldn't be able to develop as fast as it has. I’m also looking forward to seeing more developments in space science shortly due to space suit technology. There is great excitement coming from the movie “Gravity” because it basically shows how important space suits are for space exploration.
Bibliography:
-Unknown. "Space Suit." http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasa_spacesuit/ (Jan.11, 2014)
-Unknown. "Spacesuits and Space walks." http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/spacesuits/home/clickable_suit_nf.html (Jan.11,2014)
-Unknown. "The Space Suit." http://www.fi.edu/pieces/hiley/history.htm (Jan. 11, 2014)
-Unknown. "What Is a Spacesuit?" Dec. 6, 2012 http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/what-is-a-spacesuit-k4.html#.Utf3VdJdWSp (Jan. 15, 2014)
-Craig Freudenrich. "How Space Suits Work." http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-suit4.htm (Jan. 15, 2014)
-Unknown. "Space Suit." http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/nasa_spacesuit/ (Jan.11, 2014)
-Unknown. "Spacesuits and Space walks." http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/spacesuits/home/clickable_suit_nf.html (Jan.11,2014)
-Unknown. "The Space Suit." http://www.fi.edu/pieces/hiley/history.htm (Jan. 11, 2014)
-Unknown. "What Is a Spacesuit?" Dec. 6, 2012 http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/what-is-a-spacesuit-k4.html#.Utf3VdJdWSp (Jan. 15, 2014)
-Craig Freudenrich. "How Space Suits Work." http://science.howstuffworks.com/space-suit4.htm (Jan. 15, 2014)