While your children play in their pretend space suits, tell them about what real astronauts wear in space.
-- Temperatures in space range from very, very hot (from the sun) to very, very cold. The astronauts' space suits must be able to protect them from these extreme temperatures.
-- The first layer they wear looks like long underwear and has a built-in cooling system. They call this a "spaghetti suit" because of all the tubes that are in it. The cooling system keeps the astronauts from getting too hot from the heat their bodies give off.
-- The outer part of the space suit is two pieces. The lower section has the boots attached to the pants. The upper section around the chest and back is like a hard shell that doesn't bend. The pants and the arms are made of material that bends easily so the astronauts can move around.
-- The upper and lower sections are held together with a belt around the waist. Astronauts also wear gloves and a helmet.
