DIY Friday: Space Podcasts

 

NASA has always served as an excellent source for teaching materials. "Do-it-yourself" podcasts on the spacesuits are very appropriate now, as the current Space Shuttle mission is performing maintenance and repair to the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope:

Just as a spacecraft has many functions, a spacesuit does more than just provide protection and oxygen. A battery supplies electrical power. A two-way radio lets spacewalkers communicate with the rest of the crew. Gauges and controls allow astronauts to be sure their suits are working correctly.

Spacesuits have changed a lot in NASA’s 50-year history. The first suits were metallic-silver pressure suits, similar to the ones that Navy pilots wore when flying at high altitudes. Spacesuits have been changed over the years to be more comfortable for astronauts and to meet new challenges as the missions in space changed. The current U.S. spacesuit worn during spacewalks is called the extravehicular mobility unit, or EMU. "Extravehicular" means outside of the vehicle or spacecraft. "Mobility" means that the astronaut can move around in the suit.

 The site offers three videos for inclusion. Here’s the first…