Space Suits: Life Support Systems for Astronauts

Space suits act as a personal spacecraft, keeping astronauts alive in the vacuum of space.
They provide oxygen, regulate temperature, and protect against radiation and micrometeoroids.
NASA’s Apollo suits enabled astronauts to walk on the Moon in the 1960s and 70s.
The modern Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is used for spacewalks outside the ISS.
A space suit weighs over 250 pounds on Earth, but feels weightless in orbit.
Helmets include a gold-coated visor to shield eyes from the Sun’s harsh glare.
Cooling garments with water tubes keep astronauts from overheating.
Gloves are specially designed for dexterity but remain the hardest part to perfect.
Upcoming suits, like NASA’s xEMU, will allow greater mobility for lunar and Mars missions.
Without a suit, humans would lose consciousness in under 15 seconds in space.