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Jupiter60
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if an astronaut were to die in space, what would they do with the body?
Wow, good question.Jupiter60 said:if an astronaut were to die in space, what would they do with the body?
Good answer to a good question.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 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."
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.mfb said:How do you stow a decaying body for up to 3 months?
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.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.
This is meat.newjerseyrunner said:I'm well aware of what happens to a banana when flash frozen, but that's fruit.
Who suggested that?snorkack said:Satellites from geostationary orbit are not returned.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.