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Let's imagine, now you get a call, and the person on the other end of the line says, “Get ready, we're going to space on the first flight tomorrow!” Sounds so exciting, right?
One of the main things we usually do when preparing to travel somewhere is to pack our bag or suitcase. We usually start by checking the weather forecast for our destination and selecting clothes from our wardrobe accordingly. In this case, we're travelling to space, and the weather forecast is not the only thing we need to consider. Factors like pressure, lack of air, radiation, and weightlessness — which we don't pay attention to during earthly travels — are crucial when planning a trip to space. But if you already have clothes that account for all these factors, there's no need to worry. If not, and you're wondering why you should, then you're in the right place.
Let me note that the special clothing I will be discussing, designed for space or activities outside the spacecraft, is created to protect the astronaut from the harsh conditions of space during the flight or while performing spacewalks, and to allow controlled movement.
With the planning of human spaceflight, the question of what to wear during space travel and in space began to arise. The suit needed to be one that could protect the astronaut inside the spacecraft during the flight and from the harsh conditions of space when stepping outside the spacecraft.
Yuri Gagarin and Alexei Leonov were the astronauts who wore the first suits designed by the Soviet Union for this purpose.
The famous orange space suit worn by Yuri Gagarin was called the SK-1, and its main purpose was to protect Gagarin from any potential adverse effects that could occur inside the spacecraft during the flight.
Later, based on the SK-1 suit, the Berkut suit worn by Alexei Leonov, designed for spacewalks, was created. The main difference between the Berkut and the SK-1 was the additional attached backpack (oxygen tank) that supplied the astronaut with oxygen outside the spacecraft, along with a stronger protective layer in the suit.
While the Soviet Union aimed to lead the Space Race by achieving many firsts, the United States was working on a spacesuit called Mercury, to be used in the Mercury Project, which was designed to send the first American into space after years of testing. With this spacesuit called Mercury or Navy Mark IV, on February 20, 1962, John Glenn earned the title of the first American in space.
But, without a doubt, the United States' greatest achievement in this field was the Apollo spacesuit, developed as part of the Apollo Program and named accordingly. The Apollo suit was specifically designed to protect astronauts not only in open space but also from the conditions on the surface of the Moon. As we can see in the image below, also Neil Armstrong, who was the first to set foot on the moon, was caught by Buzz Aldrin's camera in this same outfit.
One of the key things to know about spacesuits is that the suits worn during space launch and re-entry are different from those worn during spacewalks, i.e., outside the spacecraft. While the primary purpose of the suits worn during launch and re-entry is to protect the astronaut from pressure differences, the suits designed for spacewalks must not only protect against pressure differences but also against extreme temperature changes, lack of air, radiation, and weightlessness and to supply oxygen by continuously remove carbon dioxide produced during breathing. It's worth noting that to perform all these functions, spacesuits designed for spacewalks consist of approximately 18,000 parts and 14 different layers.
Now, if you were to travel to space, you know exactly what to look for in your wardrobe and why. So, now tell me, when’s the trip? With a hope to meet in space in the near future, until then, goodbye!
Mercury Project - the project that the United States developed to send its first astronaut into space between 1958 and 1963
Apollo Project - the project that the United States developed for manned missions to the Moon between 1961 and 1972
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