What happens if someone dies in space: NASA has quite a creepy protocol for such accidents

Human spaceflight is a spectacular but also risky mission. Since the beginning of extraterrestrial exploration, 20 people have died: in the 1986 and 2003 NASA shuttle disasters, during the Soyuz 1 and Soyuz 11 missions, and in the 1967 Apollo launch pad fire.

What happens if someone dies in space? NASA assured that they already have detailed protocols for such events, Astronomy writes.

Given the complexity of spaceflight, the mortality rate in this area is low, experts say. However, as NASA plans to send a crew to the moon in 2025 and to Mars in the next decade, the likelihood of losses is increasing.

Space tourism is also actively developing, which also increases the risk of death during flights.

Experts name many accident scenarios. For example, if someone goes into outer space without a spacesuit, death occurs instantly due to the loss of pressure and vacuum. Being on the Moon or Mars without a spacesuit, the result will be similar: suffocation and blood boiling. Fatalities are also possible during rocket launches and spacecraft landings, as these are the most dangerous stages of flight, experts say.

What to do with a body in space

According to scientists, the first question that will arise after death in space is what to do with the body. NASA emphasized that they have protocols for such accidents.

For example, if the death occurred in Earth orbit (onboard the ISS), the body can be returned to Earth within a few hours. And in case of death on the Moon, the crew can bring the body home within a few days.

If an astronaut died during a flight to Mars, the crew would not be able to return immediately, space experts say. The body will be stored in a separate chamber until the mission is completed in a few years. According to experts, the stable temperature and humidity inside the spacecraft will help protect the body from decomposition.

Burial on Mars or Earth

Scientists emphasize that if an astronaut dies on the surface of Mars, cremation will be impossible due to the high cost of energy. Burial on the Red Planet is also undesirable because of the possible contamination of the Mars surface with bacteria from the body. The best solution is to store the body in a special bag until it returns to Earth, NASA says.

Despite the prescribed protocols, there are still many questions regarding death in space. For example, how to help the crew cope with the loss of a colleague, as well as how to help grieving families who will have to wait several years for the burial of a loved one. Scientists note that for the colonization of other worlds, the grim scenario of death on an alien planet will require more clear planning and protocols.

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