The dangers of living in space
Space is a very inhospitable place indeed. When exposed to the sun the astronauts face temperatures of up to 250oC while on the shady side of the Orbiter the temperature suddenly drops to a shivering -200oC. The lack of air
pressure results in very low boiling points of liquids. This results in the blood boiling at normal body temperature. The absence of oxygen is also a major concern for astronauts. Communication is very difficult. Astronauts can not communicate by sound in any form. The absence of air makes it impossible to hear anything in space. In space, sound is non existent.
If these hazards aren’t enough, the ever present danger of dust particles makes space walking a dangerous activity. You see, it is not the dust particle’s minute size but the speed at which it travels. A dust particle travelling at 25,000km per hour can cause the same damage as a bullet passing through the astronaut.

If an astronaut is stranded in space there is no way that he can move towards the safety of the Orbiter. There is nothing that the astronaut can push against and move himself forwards or backwards. An astronaut can be just one metre away from the Orbiter and still be hopelessly stranded. Here on Earth we can push against the air around us (birds do this when they fly). When in the water, we push against the water, while on land we push against the ground beneath us.

 

Describe how sound is created here on Earth and hence explain why in space there is no sound.

Knowing all the dangers of space design a space-suit that is suitable for an astronaut to wear.

Carbon dioxide is breathed out and is also very hazardous if it is allowed to accumulate in the air. How do astronauts cope with this danger?