Why the Apollo 13 crew couldn't rely on space suits for warmth
In short: During the Apollo 13 mission, temperature control was critical. This video explores the physics of heat in the vacuum of space and why the environment behaves differently than cinema suggests.
While movies often depict space as inherently freezing, the vacuum is actually mostly empty, meaning 'nothingness' lacks a temperature. In the absence of a suit, heat loss occurs primarily through the evaporation of moisture from the skin and mouth, followed by the much slower process of radiating heat away.
The thermal reality depends on proximity to the Sun. At a distance of 1 AU from the Sun, such as Earth's orbit, an unprotected person in direct sunlight would face the risk of overheating and severe sunburns within minutes.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Why Didn’t the Apollo 13 Astronauts Just Put On Their Space Suits to Keep Warm
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