If an astronaut were to die in space, what would they do wit

In summary: I imagine it would shatter like glass.In summary, if an astronaut were to die in space, they would likely be cremated and their body stored until a scheduled return trip.
  • #1
Jupiter60
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if an astronaut were to die in space, what would they do with the body?
 
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  • #2
I'm not sure there is a protocol for that, but it would probably depend on the circumstances. If returning the body is feasible though, I suspect they would try to.
 
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http://www.businessinsider.com/what-if-someone-dies-in-space-2015-4
Here's what NASA plans to do if an astronaut dies in space
"It turns out that one of the weird international rules that govern the cosmos prohibits this. Ahttp://www.unoosa.org/pdf/bst/COPUOS_SPACE_DEBRIS_MITIGATION_GUIDELINES.pdf [Broken] says you can't litter in space, and that includes dumping bodies. That's because bodies floating through space could collide with other spacecraft or even float over to alien planets and effectively colonize them with human remains and whatever bacteria and other organisms may be living on and in the body."

 
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  • #4
Jupiter60 said:
if an astronaut were to die in space, what would they do with the body?
Wow, good question.
 
  • #5
CapnGranite said:
http://www.businessinsider.com/what-if-someone-dies-in-space-2015-4
Here's what NASA plans to do if an astronaut dies in space
"It turns out that one of the weird international rules that govern the cosmos prohibits this. Ahttp://www.unoosa.org/pdf/bst/COPUOS_SPACE_DEBRIS_MITIGATION_GUIDELINES.pdf [Broken] says you can't litter in space, and that includes dumping bodies. That's because bodies floating through space could collide with other spacecraft or even float over to alien planets and effectively colonize them with human remains and whatever bacteria and other organisms may be living on and in the body."
Good answer to a good question.
 
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For the ISS: There are always enough Soyuz capsules attached as necessary for a full evacuation of the station, and this can happen quickly, probably within 24 hours. I would expect that they want to get the body back to bury it, and within 24 hours you don't have to worry that much about the body decomposing.
Same thing for other missions to low Earth orbit: they can all abort quickly.

For missions further out, it gets more challenging. Fixing the body to the outside of the spacecraft might work - it freezes. Then you just have to figure out how to get it back to Earth without getting shattered pieces everywhere. I would expect that humans dying on other astronomical bodies get buried there if returning them to Earth is too challenging.
In interplanetary space, littering is not an issue, so releasing it there would be an option. Note: this is speculation, we know what Apollo would have done in a few cases, and apart from that no manned mission ever left low Earth orbit.
 
  • #7
I imagine they'll stow it until a scheduled return trip. I don't see why they'd use the Soyuz just to return a body.

As for interplanetary or interstellar travel, I imagine it'd be largely cultural and cicumstancial. I imagine the first few people to die on Mars will be buried there, but once a civilization is running, we'll probably have options. I'd want to be cremated and scattered, of course some dogmas forbid that.
 
  • #8
How do you stow a decaying body for up to 3 months?

A death in space would be unique - so far all deaths happened in the atmosphere or immediately before re-entering the atmosphere, and the remains returned to Earth automatically.

- Vladimir Komarov was killed in a landing Soyuz when it hit the ground at high speed instead of landing soft.
- 3 cosmonauts were killed in a landing Soyuz when a ventilation hole opened while the capsule was still outside the atmosphere.
- 7 astronauts died in the Challenger explosion
- 7 astronauts died in Columbia explosion
- various people on the ground were killed during various rocket accidents
 
  • #9
mfb said:
How do you stow a decaying body for up to 3 months?
Someone mentioned freezing it and tethering it outside. I'm pretty sure the idea of a frozen human body shattering like glass is a myth.
 
  • #10
Yes I did, but I don't think NASA or Roscosmos would want a dead astronaut hanging around there for months unless there is no other option.
Shattering deeply frozen organic matter is not a myth (see various "banana in liquid nitrogen" videos), but they have to be very cold for that.
 
  • #11
mfb said:
Yes I did, but I don't think NASA or Roscosmos would want a dead astronaut hanging around there for months unless there is no other option.
Shattering deeply frozen organic matter is not a myth (see various "banana in liquid nitrogen" videos), but they have to be very cold for that.
I'm well aware of what happens to a banana when flash frozen, but that's fruit. I can obliterate a banana with my fist without it being frozen. Check out what happens to a pigs head when submerged in liquid nitrogen for fifteen minutes. Or a tree trunk frozen to -200C and then shot with buckshot. A whole lot of nothing. This is one time that myth busters may be a decent reference on this site.

I do wonder what would happen if it were frozen for days, does it get more brittle over time? I assume so, more a question of how much.

EDIT: would the danger more be that as the station changes orientation with regards to the sun, the body will expand and contract in cycles?
 
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  • #12
Satellites from geostationary orbit are not returned.
 
  • #13
newjerseyrunner said:
I'm well aware of what happens to a banana when flash frozen, but that's fruit.
This is meat.

Finding a place at the ISS that is permanently in shadow is tricky, but "most of the time" should not be too hard: some Earth-facing parts of the station are in the shadow either from the ISS or the Earth most of the time.
snorkack said:
Satellites from geostationary orbit are not returned.
Who suggested that?
A small upper stage that delivers satellites to geostationary orbit (GEO) could return to deliver more satellites to GEO if there is a suitable fuel depot in low Earth orbit (LEO) or geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
 

1. What happens to the body of an astronaut who dies in space?

The body of an astronaut who dies in space would most likely be brought back to Earth. If the astronaut was on a mission to the International Space Station, their body would be returned to Earth on a resupply spacecraft. If the astronaut was on a spacewalk or outside of a spacecraft, their body would be retrieved by another astronaut and brought back to Earth.

2. Would the body decompose in space?

Yes, the body of an astronaut would decompose in space due to the lack of oxygen and extreme temperatures. However, the process of decomposition would be slower than on Earth due to the absence of microorganisms and bacteria that aid in decomposition.

3. Can a funeral be held for an astronaut who dies in space?

Yes, a funeral can be held for an astronaut who dies in space. NASA has a protocol in place for honoring and memorializing astronauts who have passed away. This can include a ceremony on the International Space Station or a public memorial service on Earth.

4. What would happen if an astronaut died during a spacewalk?

If an astronaut were to die during a spacewalk, their body would be retrieved by another astronaut and brought back to the spacecraft. The cause of death would be investigated and the mission would most likely be aborted. The remaining astronauts would return to Earth as soon as possible.

5. Has an astronaut ever died in space?

There have been a total of three incidents in which astronauts have died during a space mission: the Apollo 1 fire in 1967, the Challenger explosion in 1986, and the Columbia disaster in 2003. However, none of these incidents occurred in outer space. All three astronauts died during launch or re-entry.

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