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Traveling and Working in Space
Read the information provided in “Traveling and Working in Space.”
Decide if each statement below is true or false. Write the word in the
blank before each statement. If the statement is false, explain why it is
false on the space provided after the question. If the statement is true,
leave that space blank.
__________ 1. Spacecraft are often painted white on the outside and black on the inside.
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__________ 2. A spacecraft must be light and strong.
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__________ 3. The atmosphere on a spacecraft can be much different from Earth’s.
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__________ 4. Solid wastes that are produced while in space are ejected out into space.
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__________ 5. If the pressure inside the spacecraft is not correct, the blood and heart can be
affected.
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__________ 6. Plenty of water is loaded into the spacecraft before it takes off.
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__________ 7. You feel like you weigh something only because of Newton’s 3rd Law.
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__________ 8. If you were in space without a suit, your blood could boil.
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__________ 9. Spacesuits keep the body fluids in a gaseous state of matter.
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__________ 10. Spacesuits can be compared to plastic wrap.
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__________ 11. Heat produced by an astronaut’s body can cause trouble.
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__________ 12. Space dust passes by astronauts continually, but is not harmful.
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__________ 13. Astronauts wear sunglasses.
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__________ 14. Astronauts cannot bend their arms or legs when wearing their spacesuits.
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__________ 15. Someday, humans may vacation in space.
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Name______________________________Teacher__________Class________Date__________
Traveling and Working in Space
adapted from
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/02144/spacecraft/cs/science.htm
Photo courtesy NASA
Space shuttle Endeavour (STS113) in orbit as seen from the
International Space Station.
A launch vehicle’s engines can lift a certain amount of weight into orbit. The weight is divided into two parts.
The weight of the vehicle itself (including the fuel) and the weight of the passengers and other equipment the
spacecraft is carrying. This can be an incredible amount of weight. Engineers try to keep the structure of the
spacecraft as light as possible. But designing a light craft is difficult because it also must be very strong.
There is a tremendous push of the engines during lift off in order for the spacecraft to overcome earth’s
gravity. This push can cause the spacecraft to fall apart. So the materials must not only be light, but strong.
Once off the ground, the spacecraft requires additional energy. This additional energy is needed because the
spacecraft will have resistance to the air. The space shuttle has foam insulation that protects it from the
friction caused by the air resistance. It also has silica glass fiber tiles to protect it from heat.
Scientists and Engineers use white paint, shades, and reflectors to help cool a spacecraft. Usually, the inside
components are painted black to radiate heat more efficiently. Inside the spacecraft, the pressure, air, water,
temperature, and waste must all be controlled for the safety of the crew and spacecraft.
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Life Aboard Spacecraft (like the Shuttle)
The spacecraft must provide you with an
environment similar to Earth. You must have air,
food, water, and a comfortable temperature. The
orbiter must also take away the wastes that your body
produces (carbon dioxide, urine, feces) and protect
you from fire.
On board the space shuttle, you need to have the
following:
•
•
•
atmosphere similar to Earth
carbon dioxide and other gases removed
normal humid environment
Our atmosphere is a mixture of gases (78 percent
nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 1 percent other gases)
that we breathe in and out. The space shuttle must
provide a similar atmosphere since space is a vacuum
and there is no air. To do this, the orbiter carries
liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. These gases are
circulated by fans. As the astronauts breathe in the
circulated air, they breathe out carbon dioxide. The
carbon dioxide is absorbed by chemicals on the space
craft and removed.
The food on the spacecraft must be nutritious and healthy. Food is stored in the crew compartment. Food
comes in several forms (dehydrated, low moisture, heat-stabilized, irradiated, natural and fresh). The
orbiter has a galley-style kitchen which has food warmers and utensils.
Just like your home, the spacecraft must be kept clean. Wastes from cleaning, eating, working and
personal hygiene must be contained. Trash is separated into wet trash bags and dry trash bags, and the
wet trash is placed in an evaporator that removes the water. All trash bags are stowed in the lower deck to
be returned to Earth for disposal. Solid waste from the toilet is compacted, dried and stored in bags where
it is returned to Earth for disposal (burning). Liquid waste from the toilet goes to the wastewater tank
where it is dumped overboard.
Humans must be enveloped by the right temperatures and pressure. The temperature of outer space varies
drastically. Therefore the space vehicle is equipped with a temperature control system to maintain the
temperature.
A lack of pressure causes changes in the cardiovascular system, the muscular-skeletal system and the
nervous system. To overcome this problem airtight enclosures or capsules where appropriate pressure can
be artificially maintained must always surround the astronauts.
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Water is an essential requirement. Water
is made from liquid oxygen and hydrogen
in the space shuttle's fuel cells. The fuel
cells can make 25 lb (11 kg) of water per
hour. The water is then stored in four
water storage tanks. On a long mission,
water must be recycled and reused.
Dehumidifiers are used to extract moisture
from exhaled air. The recycled water is
mostly used for washing purposes.
Space Water
Personal Needs:
Eliminating body wastes - Due to the micro gravity, collection and disposal of body wastes pose a huge
problem. A device resembling a toilet seat is used for the collection of wastes. Airflow provides suction
for the collection of wastes under the toilet seat. On small aircrafts, funnels are used for collection of
liquid wastes and plastic bags are used for solid wastes. While working in space, special equipments are
worn for collection of wastes.
Bathing - The simplest way of bathing is a sponge bath with the help of wet towels. A collapsible shower
stall is also used where water is sprayed on the astronaut's body. The stall is dried by a vacuum.
Sleeping - Sleeping bags with pillows are used to fasten the astronauts to a soft surface. Astronauts may
wear blindfolds to block sunlight. Some astronauts prefer to float in air with only a few straps fastened to
prevent bouncing.
Recreation - To refresh the mind, the space station has collections of books, computer games and tapes.
Exercise also helps the mind to relax.
Weightlessness Why is it that a person feels his/her own
weight? The answer is very simple. It is due
to the earth's gravity. The earth's pull exerts a
force on the body, and by Newton's third law,
there is an equal and opposite force back on
the earth. This gives us the feeling of weight.
If gravity is not present, then we get a feeling
of weightlessness. This is what happens when
we go into space. The feeling of
weightlessness does not have any drastic
effect on humans, as long as it is for a very
short period of time. If weightlessness is
experienced for a long time, there can be
some injury to the body (in the form of muscle loss).
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Life Outside of the Spacecraft
Outer space is a very hostile place to people.
There is very little or no air pressure or oxygen. A
space suit allows man to go into space. If you
were to go out into space without a suit, these
things could happen:
• You would be unconscious in 15 seconds
• Your blood and body fluids would boil and
freeze
• The skin, heart and other organs would expand
• The temperature in the sunlight can get to
248oF and in the shade, -148oF
• Exposure to radiation
• You could be hit by particles of dust or rock
which move at very high speeds and can tear a
suit.
By creating an Earth-like environment within the
suit itself, spacesuits allow humans to walk around
in space in relative safety.
Pressurized Atmosphere
The spacesuit provides air pressure to keep the fluids in your body in a liquid state -- in other words, to
prevent your bodily fluids from boiling. Like a tire, a spacesuit is essentially an inflated balloon that is
restricted by some rubberized fabric, in this case, Neoprene-coated fibers. The restriction placed on the
"balloon" portion of the suit supplies air pressure on the astronaut inside, like blowing up a balloon inside
a cardboard tube.
Oxygen
Spacesuits cannot use normal air -- 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent other gases -because the low pressure would cause dangerously low oxygen concentrations in the lungs and blood,
much like climbing Mt. Everest does. So, most spacesuits provide a pure oxygen atmosphere for
breathing. Spacesuits get the oxygen either from a spacecraft via an umbilical cord or from a backpack
life support system that the astronaut wears.
Carbon Dioxide
The astronaut breathes out carbon dioxide. In the confined space of the suit, carbon dioxide
concentrations would build up to deadly levels. Therefore, excess carbon dioxide must be removed from
the spacesuit's atmosphere. Spacesuits use special canisters to remove carbon dioxide.
Temperature
To cope with the extremes of temperature, most spacesuits are heavily insulated with layers of fabric
(Neoprene, Gore-Tex, Dacron) and covered with reflective outer layers (Mylar or white fabric) to reflect
sunlight. The astronaut produces heat from his/her body, especially when doing strenuous activities. If
this heat is not removed, the sweat produced by the astronaut will fog up the helmet and cause the
astronaut to become severely dehydrated. To remove this excess heat, spacesuits have used either
fans/heat exchangers to blow cool air, as in the Mercury and Gemini programs, or water-cooled garments,
which have been used from the Apollo program to the present.
The special fabrics of the space suit also protect the astronauts from collisions with micrometeoroids
(small particles of dust and rock). These layers also prevent the suit from tearing on exposed surfaces of
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the spacecraft or a planet or moon. The space suits offer limited protection from radiation. Some is
offered by the reflective material, but wouldn’t help if there was a solar flare.
Seeing and Communicating
Spacesuits have helmets that are made of clear plastic or durable polycarbonate. Most helmets have
coverings to reflect sunlight, and tinted visors to reduce glare, much like sunglasses. Also, prior to a
spacewalk, the inside faceplates of the helmet are sprayed with an anti-fog compound. Finally, modern
spacesuit helmet coverings have mounted lights so that the astronauts can see into the shadows.
The spacesuit is equipped with radio transmitters/receivers so that spacewalking astronauts can talk with
ground controllers and/or other astronauts. The astronauts wear headsets with microphones and
earphones.
Mobility
Moving within an inflated spacesuit is tough. Imagine trying to move your fingers in a rubber glove
blown up with air; it doesn't give very much. To help this problem, spacesuits are equipped with special
joints, or tapers, in the fabric to help the astronauts bend their hands, arms, legs, knees and ankles.
In weightlessness, it is difficult to move around. If you push on something, you fly off in the opposite
direction (remember Newton's third law of motion?). Therefore, spacecraft are equipped with footholds
and hand restraints to help astronauts work in microgravity. In addition, before the mission, astronauts
practice spacewalking in big water tanks on Earth.
Photo courtesy NASA
Astronauts training in water for a spacewalk to build the
International Space Station
It isn’t easy traveling and working in space. But, new technologies are being developed all of the time.
Someday, humans may even be able to vacation in space!!