How do astronauts breathe outside in space?

Take a big, slow breath in. Can you feel the air fill you up? Feel your tummy rise like a little balloon. Air is all around you, so breathing here is easy.

Astronauts are people who travel far into space. Some of them float outside their spaceship to fix things. So how do astronauts breathe outside in space?

Out in space, there is no air at all. Not even one tiny puff of air floats there. There is only a quiet, dark sky with nothing to breathe. Astronauts cannot breathe out there the way you do.

Before going outside, each astronaut puts on a spacesuit, which means a puffy suit that keeps air in. A friend helps lock the gloves and the round helmet on tight. That way, no air slips out. Where do you think the air in the spacesuit comes from?

The astronauts bring their own air along! A big backpack sits on the back of the spacesuit. Inside it is an air tank, which means a strong bottle packed full of air. It works a bit like the water bottle you take on a picnic.

Before the door opens, the astronaut switches on the air. Whoosh! Fresh air flows from the air tank into the helmet. It swirls softly right by the astronaut's nose and mouth.

Now the astronaut breathes in, slow and easy, just like you. In and out, in and out, nice and calm. Air from the air tank fills the astronaut's chest. That is how the astronaut can float and work outside in space.

Astronauts breathe outside because they carry their own air in an air tank. Their spacesuit keeps that air in, close around them.

Out among the quiet stars, the astronaut floats beside the spaceship and fixes things. Inside the round helmet, air from the air tank keeps swirling, breath after breath.