Decoding the Fate of Astronauts: Death in Space Explored

Its not widely known,. It is a sobering fact that since the beginning of space exploration eighteen individuals have tragically lost their lives while venturing into the unknown depths of the cosmos. Out of these incidents fourteen brave souls were part of NASAs esteemed team. These tragedies occurred on Earth (Apollo 1) during launch (Challenger) and upon re entry (Columbia). As the scientific community prepares for human missions to the Moon and Mars it is important to address the reality of mortality in space.

The aftermath of an astronauts death in space poses challenges as there is currently no established protocol for handling such situations. However major space agencies worldwide are actively working on contingency plans for this scenario. The simplest solution would involve retrieving the astronauts body and returning it to Earth for repatriation. However this approach presents difficulties. Spacecrafts already occupied by crew members may lack space to accommodate a body and there are substantial risks of contamination to other astronauts. Additionally considering that a round trip to Mars would take least three years organizing an immediate funeral back, on Earth becomes impractical.

The consequences of a damaged spacesuit

If an astronauts spacesuit were to sustain damage or if a piece of a meteor punctured it the astronaut would lose consciousness in just 15 seconds. Being exposed to the vacuum of space for ten seconds would lead to the evaporation of blood and water causing body swelling and lung collapse. In situations the astronauts body would be taken back to the airlock and kept in the coldest section of the International Space Station (ISS) until it can be transported back to Earth.

Exploring methods for handling remains

Another option although quite somber is performing cremation in space for astronauts bodies. Interestingly in 2015 NASA collaborated with an agency to develop an "eco friendly" space funeral concept. The process involves freezing the body before cremation resulting in frozen ash particles that can be brought back to Earth. On the hand if an astronaut were, outside the ISS or detached from it their body would continue following the stations orbit until it re enters Earths atmosphere and disintegrates.