Why do astronauts wear space suits for take off?

[Hedders]

There is a NASA thing on discovery and I have just been watching astronauts being prepared for flight, people are putting their gloves on for them and screwing their heelmets on and sorting out their hand carried life support etc etc etc.

The capsule they are in is pressurised and if it leaks the suits presumably will not save them from an instant death, or maybe they could survive outside the ship for a few hours, but not long enough for a rescue.

So, what are they for???

Surely you just want some comfortable clothing like any other flight, and put on the space suit to go outside.

Waits for the obvious to be pointed out

[mybrainhurts]

'Elf and Safety...

[Sciroccology]

DVT

[fathomfive]

http://www.nasa.gov/about/contact/ask_nasa_form.ht...

[Hedders]

[Wetwipe]

I suspect the interior of the craft goes through some kind of equalization when it hits zero gravity

[RDM]

Is it not like a G-suit thing that fighter pilots wear?

[bridgdav]

I should think, putting on a Spacesuit in Zero gravity.. Would be like, putting your socks on with a massive Hangover.

???

[Sciroccology]

Hedders said:

Surely you just want some comfortable clothing like any other flight

But surely a Hawaiian shirt, Chinos and Espadrilles wouldn't look as professional?

[Hedders]

bridgdav said:

I should think, putting on a Spacesuit in Zero gravity.. Would be like, putting your socks on with a massive Hangover.

???

Yeah but they take them off when they get into space, and then only put them back on again to go out for a 'walk'.

Edited by Hedders on Saturday 14th February 17:24

[mybrainhurts]

They have to have something to piss into....

[svm]

Sciroccology said:

Hedders said:

Surely you just want some comfortable clothing like any other flight

But surely a Hawaiian shirt, Chinos and Espadrilles wouldn't look as professional?

[Hedders]

Wetwipe said:

I suspect the interior of the craft goes through some kind of equalization when it hits zero gravity

I can't see that being the case. The cockpit MUST be sealed from the outside environment!

[Hedders]

mybrainhurts said:

They have to have something to piss into....

The only sensible reason i can come up with is if there is a small fire before take off, the suits would protect them long enough to get out maybe.

[Sciroccology]

Hedders said:

Wetwipe said:

I suspect the interior of the craft goes through some kind of equalization when it hits zero gravity

I can't see that being the case. The cockpit MUST be sealed from the outside environment!

True, but those triangular quarterlights can easily pop open if they haven't turned the chrome catch thing round.

[Badgerboy]

I know they had the capability to bail if the launch aborted, so I imagine it may have stemmed from that. I'm sure there are lots of lovely technical reasons they still do.

[Sciroccology]

Badgerboy said:

I'm sure there are lots of lovely technical reasons they still do.

Just one - they're showing off. "Ooooo, look at me, I'm an astronaut, don't you know?"

[Hedders]

Glad it's not just me then..

[GJR]

Loss of pressurisation would not mean certain death, unless the cabin had been breached in some way, then yes death is inevitable. They where suits on ascent and decent for the possible situation where they might have to voluntarily bail out of the spacecraft at presumably sub sonic speeds before reaching orbit or orbital velocities. The space suits are like the astronauts own personal spacecraft with air, environmental controls and fire/heat resistance (to some degree).

[Holst]

RDM said:

Is it not like a G-suit thing that fighter pilots wear?

I think this is the one of the reasons.

A quick google says that they only experience 3G on launch.. which they could manage without a suit.

I suppose its a backup if anything goes wrong.