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Wearing a Spacesuit
The International Space Station is an artificial satellite in orbit around Earth. It’s not just any satellite, however. The space station is a moving science laboratory that orbits 386 kilometers (240 miles) above Earth. Astronauts from many different countries live onboard the space station.
Sometimes, astronauts go on space walks outside of the space station. They do this to make repairs to the space station or to other artificial satellites in orbit around Earth.
Suiting Up
Before they do this, they have to suit up. An astronaut’s spacesuit is complex. It has many different parts. It is actually a personalized spacecraft. It is designed to protect the astronaut in the harsh space environment.
There are many reasons astronauts need to wear spacesuits. One reason is that there is no atmosphere in space. This means there is no oxygen for people to breathe. Oxygen is essential for life, so the spacesuit has an oxygen tank built into it.
The spacesuit also has a radio, earphones, and microphones. This lets the astronaut talk to other astronauts back onboard the space station.
Thermal Energy Transfer
Insulation is also very important in space. The side of the astronaut facing the sun may be heated to temperatures as high as 121 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit). The side of the astronaut facing away from the sun may reach temperatures as low as -156 degrees Celsius (-250 degrees Fahrenheit).
Because of this, the spacesuit is designed with very specific materials that help to regulate the astronaut’s temperature. There are 14 layers that make up the spacesuit arm. Seven of these layers are for insulation. They make the spacesuit act like a Thermos. They keep the temperature inside the suit within a comfortable range.
Heat Transfer
In order to understand how materials can provide insulation, it is important to understand how heat transfers between substances. Remember that energy can transfer into or out of systems or objects. This is an important concept because energy is never created or destroyed. Heat is thermal energy that has transferred whenever two substances are at different temperatures. Temperature is a measure of heat. It is measured in Celsius with a thermometer.
Heat always flows from faster moving atoms (a higher temperature) to slower moving atoms (a cooler temperature) until both substances reach the same temperature. This point is called equilibrium.
Here on Earth, thermal energy transfers in one of three ways: radiation, conduction, or convection. We’ll explore convection more later on in the year because it only occurs in liquids and gasses, so it does not occur in space. In this unit, we’ll focus on radiation and conduction, which both occur in space.
Radiation is the primary way that heat is transferred in space because there is so much empty space. Radiation is the only form of heat transfer that doesn’t require contact between the heat source and the object heated. As the sun produces light and heat through chemical reactions, it transfers that energy to Earth, the moon, and all other objects in the solar system through radiation. Radiation is what causes the side of the astronaut facing the sun to reach 121 degrees Celsius.
Radiation is the primary way that heat is transferred in space because there is so much empty space. Radiation is the only form of heat transfer that doesn’t require contact between the heat source and the object heated. As the sun produces light and heat through chemical reactions, it transfers that energy to Earth, the moon, and all other objects in the solar system through radiation. Radiation is what causes the side of the astronaut facing the sun to reach 121 degrees Celsius.
On occasion, heat can also transfer through conduction in space. Conduction is a form of heat transfer that occurs when molecules collide. On Earth, it occurs all of the time. For example, if you pour a hot beverage into a mug, heat is transferred through conduction from the hot beverage to the cooler mug and then to your hand.
When an astronaut is in space, conduction occurs between the astronaut and any surface the astronaut comes into contact with. This includes satellites or other objects the astronaut is working on.
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