What happens if an astronaut dies somewhere in space?

NASA is already considering what it can do with a corpse in space. As space exploration progresses, the potential for loss of life in remote locations becomes increasingly real.

You’ve probably seen it in movies: an astronaut dies for some reason and his body is lost in space, sometimes with dramatic music in the background. This is a recurring scene in the world of cinema, especially science fiction, and it usually ends with the hapless corpse being lost in the darkness.

Unfortunately, this fact may become a reality. How space exploration progress, these grim scenarios also seem inevitable.

So what happens when celluloid is used to looking elsewhere? Let’s try to guess what would happen to the corpse of an astronaut in space.

What happens to a corpse in space?

The fate of an astronaut who died in space will naturally change depending on the circumstances in which he found himself. If for some reason you will not be in a spacesuit, Any liquid part of your body will be immediately affected by the low cosmic pressure, causing sensitive parts such as the eyes or mouth to turn into gas..

On the other hand, as LiveScience notes, the water part that makes up any body will freeze. This sudden loss of fluid combined with cold temperatures outside of Earth will cause something like an intense mummification process in the body due to inevitable dehydration.. Not to mention that the bacteria, if they were still alive, would have consumed it.

Is it possible that a ship will have to abandon a dead person in space? In this case, experts are clear: ideally it would be to go as far as possible from our planet. Otherwise, It is quite possible that this coincided with space debris what’s around or with satelliteor that the planet’s own gravity eventually brought him back.

Of course, it would disintegrate upon contact with the atmosphere. Also, space is usually a very cold place, it’s true, but it can also be very hot, depending on where you were.

Last goodbye in space

As ominous as these assumptions may be, they must be taken into account. At least that’s what NASA itself thinks, recognizing that future space missions will have to deal with these dramas. For this reason developed funeral bags that can hold a body for a maximum of 72 hours. Something relevant if you’re close to Earth… but not much further away.

For example, on Mars. In fact, this is a problem for which there is still no simple answer. Considering how difficult a manned mission to Mars would be if someone died upon arrival on the Red Planet, contemplating cremation or burial would involve a waste of energy and resources that would certainly not be acceptable.

Thinking about these things may not be fun or joyful, but it is necessary. The dark side of space exploration, but it will soon have to be revealed. Will it be possible to preserve the lifeless body of an astronaut until his eventual repatriation to Earth? It seems difficult now, but who knows.