Have you ever wonder what happens if astronauts don't wear a spacesuit in outer space? Take a Peep and find out!
Space travel is an experience that only a few people get in their lifetimes. Becoming an astronaut requires a lot of training in both science and safety. You may have noticed that astronauts wear special protective gear, but have you ever wondered what happens if astronauts if you don't wear a spacesuit? From freezing temperarures, to extreme radiation, take a peep into the science of space travel!
So why wear spacesuit?
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Space is COLD!
The coldest place on Earth is Antarctica at about -128 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold, right? Space is about four times as cold with temperatures at -454 degrees Fahrenheit. Spacesuits keep the astronauts warm while on spacewalks or doing repairs on the spaceship. Taking this off would cause the astronauts to freeze and shrink! - It’s a big vacuum
Space is one large vacuum which means there’s little to no air and, of course, humans need air to live! Spaceships have special machines to make oxygen gas to keep astronauts breathing - even in the vacuum of space! And the suits are pressurized, which keeps the astronauts nice and human-shaped. - Radiation for days
You’ve probably heard your parents tell you to always wear sunscreen when you’re outside. The sun gives off a lot of radiation that can hurt our skin. Thankfully Earth has a few defenses to protect us from the sun’s harmful rays, like the ozone layer and a powerful magnetic field. Space allows astronauts to get closer to the sun but there isn’t a layer to protect them. The suits and helmets completely cover the astronaut to act as a portable ozone layer.
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