Understanding the Risks and Realities of Human Remains in Space
As the space travel industry expands, the possibility of tragic events during missions grows more likely. Researchers from the Space Health Research Institute at Baylor College have explored what happens to a human body exposed to the vacuum of space and why certain actions are preferred to minimize harm to the crew and mission objectives. This analysis was highlighted in a report on Live Science.
To date, twenty-one space-related fatalities have occurred, and in each case the crew did not survive the incident. This history means there has not yet been a situation where a space crew must decide how to respond to the loss of a teammate while in flight.
According to Dr. Jimmy Woo, if such a scenario arose, astronauts would need to choose whether to recover and preserve the body or to take steps to prevent contaminating the rest of the mission. In the extreme cold of space, bodily fluids can rapidly vaporize, and the remaining water within the body can freeze to near absolute zero. The result is a form of natural preservation that looks like mummification in a vacuum environment.
Over time, the body would likely suffer gradual degradation from cosmic radiation and micro-meteoroid impacts, further complicating any decision about recovery after an extended period in space.
Dr. Wu emphasized that sending a deceased crew member into space should be considered a last resort. Beyond ethical concerns, there is a real risk that space debris could strike another spacecraft or satellite, potentially causing serious damage. If a body were to collide with the surface of a planet, moon, or asteroid, concerns about biological contamination of those celestial bodies arise.
The more stable option discussed is incinerating the remains within the Earth’s atmosphere, where they would burn up and vanish without trace, avoiding the long-term presence of human material in space.
Researchers noted that NASA currently has specialized containment bags designed to protect the body for up to 72 hours, providing time to coordinate a return from the International Space Station.
Yet longer missions, such as a multi-month voyage to Mars, present new challenges. A one-way journey to the red planet spans about seven months, making the logistics of handling a crew member who has died far more complex and necessitating careful planning and predetermined protocols.
Historically, astronomers have observed small bodies that resemble miniature moons occasionally appearing near Earth’s orbit. These observations remind us that space is a dynamic and unpredictable environment, where mission planning must account for the full spectrum of potential events, including the handling of human remains in extreme settings.