A spacesuit is all that stands between an astronaut on a space walk and the emptiness of space. It must supply all his or her needs. There is no breathable atmosphere in space so a spacesuit supplies oxygen to the astronaut.
Within the helmet, headphones and a microphone enable the astronaut to communicate with crew members and mission control. All the joints in the spacesuit must be absolutely airtight. Inside the suits is pressurised like a deep-sea diver’s suit. The visor and outer layer of the suits must be tough enough not to be torn or cracked by tiny meteorites that may bounce off the astronaut. A specially treated dark visor protects the astronaut’s eyes from the glare of the Sun,while lights can illuminate dark areas
Fact File
As well as supplying air to breathe, space suits have to remove moisture breathed out by the astronaut, so the clear face – place of the suit is not misted up by the cold of space
