About 21 lives have been lost since the first man climbed into a rocket and jumped into space 60 years ago, but while space agencies are preparing for the first human mission to Mars, it is very certain that the death toll will surely rise.
Astronauts on their way to the Red Planet will spend at least seven months in a capsule on a path never followed by humans, and if they survive the journey to the Red Planet, they will survive the harsh environment of the Martian world. endure.
When a crew member dies, it will take months or years for the body to be returned to Earth, raising one question: what happens to a person’s body that dies in space?
Experts have suggested a number of ways to throw the body away, including dumping it in the dark abyss or burying the person on Mars – but the remains must first be burned so as not to contaminate the surface.
A worst case scenario, however, has been put forward where the residences’ food no longer has food and the only thing that is edible is the body of their fallen crew member.
Download for videos
When a crew member dies, it will take months or years for the body to be returned to Earth, raising one question: what happens to a person’s body that dies in space?
We are entering an exciting space age that will bring a lot of hope to the first boots on Mars.
But, as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk once said, “prepare to die if you want to go to Mars.”
NASA has not drawn up protocols for dealing with death in space, but researchers around the world have put in the work to dispose of a fallen astronaut with respect, as reported by Popular Science.
If a crew member dies while undertaking the journey of more than 170 million miles to Mars, the body can be placed in the cold room or lyophilized until the craft hits.
Experts have suggested a number of ways to throw the body away, including dumping it in the dark abyss or burying the person on Mars – but the remains must first be burned so as not to contaminate the surface.
The freeze-drying in space is very different from on earth – the body is kept outside the capsule where the space covers it with ice.
But if it’s not cold to keep it cold, the surviving crew can send their deceased mate into space.
Catherine Conley at NASA’s Office for Planetary Protection told Popular Science: ‘There are currently no specific guidelines in the policy on planetary protection at NASA or internationally that would address’ funeral’ of a deceased astronaut by in space. ‘
Releasing the body into space seems like the easiest option, it will be trapped in the path of the rig and stay exactly where it was released.
And if numerous missions choose this method, future rockets on their way to Mars will soar through a sea of corpses.
When astronauts arrive on Mars, they will face new challenges that will threaten survival, one of which is radiation.
Previous data from the Red Plant indicate that it is 700 times greater than the radiation experienced on earth.
Radiation can alter the cardiovascular system, damage the heart, harden and narrow veins, or eliminate some cells in the lining of the blood vessels, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and possibly end in death.
In this case, a Martian funeral is necessary, but NASA has strict laws on the pollution of other planets with Earth microbes.
“Regarding the disposal of organic matter (including bodies) on Mars,” NASA’s Conley told Popular Science, “we do not impose any restrictions as long as all Earth microbes are dead – so cremation would be necessary.”
The freeze-drying in space is very different from that on earth – the body is kept outside the capsule where the space covers it with ice
When astronauts arrive on Mars, they will face new challenges that threaten survival, one of which is radiation. Previous data from the Red Plant indicate that it is 700 times greater than the radiation experienced on earth.
If they die while on the Red Planet, a Martian funeral is required, but NASA has strict laws about polluting other planets with Earth microbes. The body must first be burned.
However, not all dead astronauts are likely to be buried, but otherwise eaten so that the others can survive.
It may sound barbaric, but experts look at what happened when a plane crashed in the Andes Mountains in 1972.
The passengers had no food to communicate with, so they made the difficult decision to eat those who died when the plane landed.
Bioethicist Paul Wolpe said: ‘There are two types of approaches to it. The one says, although we owe the body a lot of respect, life is primary, and if the only way to survive is to eat a body, it is acceptable but not desirable. ‘