The Challenges and Realities of Space Exploration Fatalities

 Not many people are aware that 18 individuals have perished in space since the dawn of space exploration. Out of these, 14 were NASA astronauts who lost their lives on the ground (Apollo 1), during takeoff (Challenger), and re-entry (Columbia). As the scientific community is keen on resuming manned missions to the Moon and Mars, the potential for space-related fatalities should not be overlooked. 

These deaths would differ significantly from the tragic and memorable incidents mentioned earlier, such as the 1971 event in which three cosmonauts aboard Soyuz 11 perished in space. Let's explore how long one could survive in the vacuum of space before succumbing to death and what happens when someone dies in space.

At present, there isn't an official protocol in place, but major space agencies around the globe are preparing for the possibility of astronaut fatalities in space. The most apparent solution is to retrieve the body and return it to Earth. However, this is only feasible for missions to the International Space Station (ISS) due to space constraints on crewed spacecraft and the risk of contamination to fellow astronauts. With a Mars mission taking at least three years for round trips, an immediate Earthside burial is unimaginable.

If an astronaut's suit suffers irreparable damage or is pierced by a meteor fragment, they would lose consciousness within 15 seconds. Ten seconds of exposure to a vacuum would cause blood and water to vaporize, body swelling, and lung collapse. In such instances, the remaining astronauts would bring the body back to the airlock and store it in the ISS's coldest section until it could be returned to Earth.

An alternative approach could involve cremating the deceased astronaut in space. In 2015, NASA commissioned a Swedish agency to develop an "eco-friendly" space funeral. This process would entail freezing the body and then cremating it into minuscule frozen ash fragments to be brought back to Earth. Conversely, if an astronaut were outside the ISS or became detached from it, their body would follow the station's orbit until re-entering Earth's atmosphere and disintegrating.