Why do astronauts go outside spacecraft?

In an astronaut spacewalk, also known as an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA), an astronaut literally walks in space, exiting the relative safety of the international space station in order to perform exterior repairs on things like a solar panel. Spacewalks are dangerous, physically demanding, and rare.

Why do astronauts wear suits in space Class 7?

Without protection, an astronaut would quickly die in space. Spacesuits are specially designed to protect astronauts from the cold, radiation and low pressure in space. They also provide air to breathe. Wearing a spacesuit allows an astronaut to survive and work in space.

What happens to astronauts when they move out of the ISS?

When an astronaut moves out of the ISS, they are also moving at 17,500 mph, and the relative motion is zero. As a precaution, the spacewalker is also tethered to the station, so they don’t get away.

How fast does the International Space Station move?

During a spacewalk, it’s true the International Space Station (ISS) is moving at 17, 500 mph about the earth. But the spacewalker, who crawls from within the ISS, is also traveling at 17, 500 mph. Relative to one another, they are — for all practical purposes — not moving (much).

What conditions do astronauts face when they walk in space?

Space shuttle astronaut Bruce McCandless became the first astronaut to maneuver about in space untethered. He wore a jetpack-like device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit, or MMU. Spacewalking astronauts face a wide variety of temperatures. In Earth orbit, conditions can be as cold as minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

What happens to space suits before and after a shuttle mission?

Just before a shuttle mission, the suits designated for flight are tested, cleaned and packed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Then they are flown to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and stowed on the shuttle orbiter. After each flight, the suits are returned to Johnson for postflight processing and reuse.