6 most amazing facts about NASA's space suits we bet you didn't know!

Facets about the outer space have always fascinated us. But have you ever wondered what goes into the making of a space suit? Space suits aren't merely pieces of clothing: they come with several special features to meet the unique needs of astronauts. Here are some of the most amazing facts about space suits of the US space agency NASA.

A mini spaceship: Like we said, space suits aren't just clothes: they are more like a mini spaceship! We say so because they protect astronauts from space’s extreme weather and vacuum, while also providing oxygen to breathe and water to drink.

They're quite heavy: Space suits look quite bulky but how much do they actually weigh? A space suit weighs about 280 pounds or 127 kilograms on Earth! In space, however, they feel weightless due to zero gravity.

They take ages to wear: Putting on a space suit takes around 45 minutes even with helpers. Astronauts also have to wait another hour before stepping outside for spacewalk to adjust to breathing pure oxygen.

They provide both warmth and cooling: The gloves in a space suit have tiny heating panels to keep hands warm in freezing temperatures. This helps astronauts use tools despite the harsh cold. Under the suit, astronauts wear a special garment with 300 feet of tubes filled with cold water, keeping them from overheating during spacewalks.

They come in different colours: NASA has space suits in different colours. Astronauts wear bright orange suits during takeoff and landing, which make them easier to spot in case they land in the ocean.

New suits coming up: NASA’s new space suits, being developed in collaboration with Axiom Space, will fit all kinds of body shapes and sizes, making them more comfortable for astronauts.