2023-08-02 13:18:00
02 August 2023, 06:48 PM IST Icon | Photo: AP
Houston: Researchers are trying to make the common man’s dreams of space travel a reality. Researchers believe that a time is not so far when space travel becomes commonplace and becomes a tourism. Have you ever thought regarding the death that might happen to someone outside of Earth? What happens to the physical body following death?
NASA is preparing to send a crew to the moon in 2025. Preparations are also underway to send an exploration team to Mars in the next decade. When that happens, the possibility of human deaths in space also increases. NASA prepared for the death of an astronaut There are certain rules of conduct. This Code of Conduct sets out the procedures to be followed in such a situation.
Every astronaut has to do a lot of mental and physical preparation for such a journey. All the equipment to avoid the accident that may happen in space will be ready in the spacecraft. The main duty of a space medical doctor is to ensure that the astronauts remain in perfect health. The Translational Research Institute for Space Health, which operates under NASA’s Human Research ProgramIt assesses the health issues of astronauts and gives due attention.
If death happens on moon or mars..
Suppose a person is dying in space; If the death occurs on a low-Earth orbit mission, i.e. on an International Space Station, the body will be brought to Earth in a spacecraft. It takes hours. If the death occurs on the moon, the body will reach the earth within days. NASA will prioritize getting the rest of the crew back to Earth safely rather than storing the body because they have to return before the scheduled time.
A trip to Mars, 300 million miles away, would be a very different situation. A quick return trip is impossible at such a distance. Hence the body is returned only on the return journey of the Sangha (sometimes following two years). In such a case, the body will be kept in a special compartment or a special case (body bag). In this way, the body will not be damaged by the constant temperature and humidity inside the spacecraft. However, only if the death occurs on the space station or in the spacecraft, the above-mentioned ‘return trip’ of the deceased person is possible.
Perhaps if a person goes into space without a space suit, the lack of pressure and the vacuum of space will suffocate him. The blood and other bodily fluids in the body begin to boil. His death will happen in an instant. Even if you land on the moon or mars without a spacesuit, death is certain. The Moon has no atmosphere, while Mars has a thin atmosphere, which would cause death due to lack of oxygen. Without breath, body fluids including blood will boil and death will occur.
Is cremation possible?
If death occurs on the Martian surface following landing, burying the body there will cause further energy loss for the rest of the crew. It will harm them. And bacteria and other microbes from dead bodies might contaminate the Martian surface. For that reason, save the dead body and bring it to earth.
Much remains to be clarified regarding possible extraterrestrial death. The matter, including the burial of the body itself, is a matter of research. It is important to give courage to the rest of the group to face and survive the shock and pain that the unexpected death of one member of the group can cause.
20 people have lost their lives due to unplanned disasters during six decades of space exploration despite the maximum equipment. Three astronauts lost their lives in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire in 1967, three astronauts during the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971, and 14 astronauts in the 1986 and 2003 accidents involving NASA’s space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. Researchers are also making great efforts to develop ways to minimize accidents that may occur in space missions.
(Credit: NDTV)
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