“What is the temperature supposedly outside the space shuttle? I am not a scientist, and know little about physics but I would think that the windows would frost. Does NASA have some special glass that is not subject to frosting?”
omaxsteve, the external temperature is not ‘frosty’ but as Lazio points out, positively ‘toasty’ in fact toasty enough to render those windows of the cupola something akin to this...
Take a look at this chart compiled by the use of NASA’s very own computer model ‘MSISE-90’.
http://www.braeunig.us/space/atmos.htm Scroll down to roughly the said altitude of the ISS (400 Km) and we get the following results:-
During low solar activity 699 K (425.85 °C)
During mean solar activity 1,010 K (736.85 °C)
During high solar activity 1,619 K (
1,345.85 °C)
Now, here’s a graphic also produced by the main protagonists of ‘space exploration’ that I’ve posted up several times previously but has gone by relatively un-remarked...
Interesting no? Each and every source will tell you the same thing and will explain away the WTFuckery!! moment with this, almost verbatim caveat as to how light alloy structures, solar panels, asstronots in funny suits etc can withstand such extremes...
“The highly diluted gas in this layer can reach 2,500 °C (4,530 °F) during the day. Even though the temperature is so high, one would not feel warm in the thermosphere, because it is so near vacuum that there is not enough contact with the few atoms of gas to transfer much heat.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermosphere
So, let’s get this straight once and for-all. The wiki statement above and many others similar too it is an utter load of old bollox. These ‘sparse molecules’ that the ISS is supposedly floating through are scorchingly hot because they are exposed to the raw electromagnetic energy of the Sun. The ISS and its crew would not experience ‘cold’ as suggested, but, since they are molecules too, would be of the exact same ambient temperature of which only two Earthly elements could be expected to structurally survive (Ta and W) neither of which are ever mentioned by Walt Disney’s space ship construction teams.
Also, you should notice that the more energetic end of the spectrum (extreme UV and X-rays) remains unhindered at these altitudes. What measures do the crew take to protect themselves from a continuous 5 to 6 month exposure against these penetrative, ionising emissions? Not much it would seem..
...not even a smear of nose bloc.
@ Lazlo's '62 vintage "floaters"! 
