Terrifying step by step of what happens to your body if you die in space

Throughout the approximately sixty years of space exploration, humans have always been ready to face the most dire situation imaginable: the prospect of perishing in the vast expanse of space. Over this period, eighteen individuals have tragically lost their lives in space as a result of in-flight accidents.

Neil Armstrong's historic moon landing in 1969, though momentous, was not without uncertainty. President Richard Nixon took precautions by having an alternative script prepared, which would pay tribute to the astronauts in the event of a tragic conclusion to their mission. William Safire, Nixon's speechwriter, discussed in his biography the contemplation and planning that went into communicating such a national tragedy.

In his writing, Safire explained that the anticipated disaster wouldn't involve a sudden explosion but rather a grim scenario where astronauts could be stranded on the moon, slowly starving to death or choosing to "close down communication" as a euphemism for suicide.

This leads to the question of what happens to the human body if one were to die in space. While death is never a pleasant topic, the process that the body undergoes in the vacuum of space is particularly harrowing.

To illustrate how the body would shut down, consider a hypothetical scenario where an astronaut aboard the ISS (International Space Station) experiences a puncture in their suit due to a micro-meteorite impact.

Although initially irritating, this incident could quickly become life-threatening. Within approximately 15 seconds, the astronaut would likely lose consciousness. The absence of proper pressure and air would lead to decompression or asphyxiation. When exposed to the space vacuum, the water in the astronaut's blood and skin would vaporize, causing the body to expand outward, much like a balloon being filled with air, before freezing in the extreme cold of space.

Within 30 seconds of exposure to the vacuum of space, an individual's lungs would collapse, leading to paralysis, and death would be highly probable under such circumstances.

Fortunately, death is not a likely occurrence aboard the ISS, primarily due to the astronauts' excellent physical condition before their departure from Earth.

Nonetheless, history bears witness to tragic accidents, such as the devastating failure of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, where all seven crew members lost their lives when the rocket disintegrated just a minute after launch.

Regarding what should be done with deceased astronauts in space, scientists are divided on the matter. Some propose the controversial idea of cannibalism under certain circumstances, while others advocate for a more acceptable solution like preserving the bodies in cold storage.

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