What happens if a person dies in space? Science answers!

United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) by 2025 It will send a manned mission to the lunar surface; In a few years, the space agency plans to launch a spacecraft with astronauts on board to Mars.

But before these very complex tasks, Experts on the spacecraft will undergo extensive training to avoid any problems in the space environment..

According to many experts in the field, One of humanity’s greatest challenges in space travel is the long-term health of astronauts. After examining many astronauts participating in missions on the International Space Station (ISS), scientists discovered that their health was significantly affected.

For example, some offer loss of bone mass due to the microgravity environment in space and returned with osteoporosis; There are also problems such as muscle atrophy, visual impairment, among others. In other words, long-term space missions like a trip to Mars could be much more complex than current science fiction movies.

It’s no surprise that NASA and other space agencies have already done this. They have established protocols in case death occurs in space. This includes deaths on the ISS or during long journeys to Mars or the surface of the Moon.

TecMundo gathered information from scientists, experts in the field, and space agencies to explain a little more what would happen if a person died in space. Check out!

death in space

As mentioned, the space environment is hostile and can cause different harms to the human body, so scientists are exploring ways to overcome these problems and design a safer future for astronauts and tourists. Anyway, It will not be possible to avoid human health problems or even unplanned space accidents.

“The team is tasked with facilitating difficult discussions to determine necessary actions the agency should consider regarding crew protection, medical legal issues, planetary protection, forensics, and handling of crew remains. The group will assist agencies in the event a crew member dies during a space visit or in the line of a mission.” and made strong arguments about items or processes that would help facilitate or guide countries,” NASA explains in a 2023 release on spaceflight standards.

Despite all the difficulties in space, it is incredible that only 20 people have died since space exploration began. But in addition to astronauts and more frequent trips, there is now a space tourism industry. In other words, the possibility of someone dying in space has increased considerably in recent years.

There is no suitable equipment to cremate the body in space, and burying it would not be a good idea as it could affect the surface of the area. For example, if a body is buried on Mars, this could contaminate the soil and facilitate the emergence of bacteria and other organisms released by the human body after death.

What would happen?

In a website article SpeechEmmanuel Urquieta, professor of space medicine and emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, said institutions have plans for different types of deaths that can occur in space.

For example, if a crew member dies on the International Space Station or another mission in low Earth orbit, The goal of the remaining astronauts is to return to Earth with the body just a few hours after their death.

For example, if a death occurs on the Moon surface during the mission planned to be held in 2025, the crew will return to Earth with the body within a few days. In addition to ensuring that the body is returned to the planet intact, NASA also plans to ensure that the body’s decomposition does not affect the health of the remaining astronauts.

In a death scenario on Mars, Astronauts will need to return to Earth at the end of the mission, several years after the rocket launches. In this case, the crew must place the body in a container that will keep it until return, such as a special bag or compartment; It may be necessary to place the body outside the ship where the temperature can preserve it.

Depending on the type of death, space crew members may suffer from natural causes or space-related issues. If a special suit ruptures, the astronaut may die due to loss of pressure, low temperature and lack of oxygen. An extreme environment such as space causes suffocation, and the pressure creates the kind of effect that would boil the victim’s blood. Deaths can also result from exposure to radiation and toxic elements.

It is important to emphasize that death in space is not only a problem for the rest of the crew, but the space agency must also deal with the emotional problems of the astronauts on board, legal issues, and families who have lost loved ones. But the truth is that with the increase in space travel, the possibility of death in space also increases.

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