Why NASA spacesuits are so expensive?

Cathleen Lewis: Spacesuits are so expensive because they’re complex, human-shaped spacecraft. They provide oxygen, communications, telemetry, and everything else that a human needs to survive, all rolled into one tiny, human-formed spacecraft. Narrator: But the spacesuits NASA currently uses are more than 40 years old.

Why NASA spacesuits are white?

NASA astronauts wear white suits, since white is the color that reflects the most sunlight in space, and protects them from cancer-causing solar radiation. When they first launch though, astronauts wear orange instead, since the bright color makes it easier for them to be spotted and rescued in an emergency.

Does NASA reuse space suits?

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.

Why do astronauts need spacesuits?

The suits protect astronauts from getting too hot or cold. Spacesuits also give astronauts oxygen to breathe while they are working in space. They also keep astronauts from getting hurt by space dust. Space dust may not sound very dangerous.

Why is NASA working on new space suits?

So NASA is working on making new ones. Like the Apollo spacesuits, the new suits will let the astronauts work safely on rocky ground. But the new spacesuits will help astronauts do things they couldn’t do before.

Can astronauts wear spacesuits on the Moon?

Astronauts wore heavy white spacesuits when going on spacewalks outside the space shuttle. These same heavy white suits are sometimes used when astronauts go on spacewalks outside the space station. NASA is testing ideas for spacesuits that could be worn on the moon.

What were the first spacesuits made for NASA?

NASA’s first spacesuits were made for Mercury. The Mercury suits were only worn inside the spacecraft. NASA’s first spacewalks took place during its second space program, Gemini. The suits used for Gemini were better than the Mercury suits.

Why do astronauts wear heavy white spacesuits?

During launch and landing of the space shuttle, astronauts wore orange suits. These suits could only be worn inside a spacecraft. Astronauts wore heavy white spacesuits when going on spacewalks outside the space shuttle. These same heavy white suits are sometimes used when astronauts go on spacewalks outside the space station.