Space is an awe-inspiring place. The vastness, the silence, and the mysteriousness of it have always fascinated us. However, as humans, we have not been made for space. We require the Earth’s atmospheric pressure, strong gravitational force, and protection from lethal radiation to survive. Space is an environment hostile to human life, and just like any extreme environment, it can be dangerous and fatal for us. One question that many people have is, “How long does it take to die in space?”
The Gruesome Answer
The answer to this question is not pleasant. The conditions in space and their impact on the human body can lead to a gruesomely slow death. Let’s examine the different factors that will determine how long it will take for a human to die in space.
Lack of Oxygen
The first and most obvious factor is the lack of oxygen. The air we breathe is a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases. The atmosphere of Earth contains around 20% oxygen. In space, the concentration of oxygen is almost zero. Exposure to vacuum results in rapid oxygen loss, which is the main cause of death.
During the first 10 seconds of exposure to the vacuum of space, the oxygen trapped within the body would instantly expand, which would cause the lungs and eardrums to rupture. After 15 seconds, most people could no longer hold their breath, which means that their oxygen supply is insufficient; therefore, they would lose consciousness. After approximately one to two minutes of exposure to the vacuum of space, death would occur due to lack of oxygen.
Extreme Cold
If the lack of oxygen doesn’t kill a person, extreme cold temperatures will contribute to their death in space. The temperature in space ranges between -270°C and 120°C. The temperature varies greatly depending on the object’s location in space relative to the sun.
Without proper protection, a person exposed to these temperatures would quickly become hypothermic. The body’s core temperature would decrease, causing dizziness, confusion, and ultimately death. The length of time before death due to hypothermia depends on the body’s size, weight, composition, and clothing insulation. However, the cold temperatures would not play a significant role in most causes of space death.
Radiation Exposure
Another danger in space that can cause death is radiation exposure. Space is filled with cosmic radiation, which is high-energy particles and radiation coming from the sun, stars, and galaxies. These particles are extremely harmful to the human body and can cause genetic mutations, cancer, and death.
Depending on the intensity and duration of the radiation, a person can experience a range of symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. In severe cases, death can occur within hours or days from acute radiation sickness. In long-term exposure to high radiation, the effects of cancer, cataract, and the aging of the body would cause eventual death, taking months or even years depending on the severity of the exposure.
What Happens to the Human Body in Space?
Space is a hostile environment for humans, and our bodies are not designed to function there. Exposure to the vacuum of space can cause a range of traumatic injuries, including swelling, bruising, and rupturing of blood vessels and organs. In addition, the lack of oxygen and low air pressure can lead to anemia, pulmonary edema, and cardiovascular collapse.
A person exposed to the vacuum of space would instantly lose consciousness due to hypoxia or anoxia. Hypoxia is a condition where the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply, whereas anoxia is a condition where there is no oxygen supply. Without oxygen, the blood pressure decreases, and the brain signals the heart to pump more blood to compensate for the lower blood pressure.
However, in the absence of oxygen, the heart rate sharply decreases, and the blood vessels dilate, causing a massive drop in blood pressure. Without blood flow, the body would become cold and rigid, leading to death due to the lack of oxygen and blood to the vital organs.
How Long Do You Have to be in Space to Die?
The amount of time it takes to die in space varies depending on multiple factors, such as the individual’s physical makeup, environmental conditions, and the type, intensity, and duration of the exposure. The absence of oxygen would cause permanent damage within a few seconds after exposure.
Hypoxia would cause loss of consciousness within 15 seconds and death within two minutes. Exposure to extreme cold would cause hypothermia, leading to death within several minutes to a few hours. Radiation exposure would cause acute radiation sickness, which could happen in a matter of hours or days, leading to death. Long-term effects of radiation exposure can take months or even years to cause death.
The Myth of Instant Death in Space
It is a common misconception that a person exposed to the vacuum of space would instantaneously explode due to the pressure difference between the vacuum and the pressurized body. It is true that the gases inside the body would expand, causing ruptures in the lungs and eardrums. However, this does not cause the instantaneous explosion of the body.
The human body is too resilient and has too much integrity to explode like a balloon. The ruptures caused by the expansion of gases would be fatal, but they wouldn’t cause the person to explode. Instead, the expanding gases would cause the body to bloat, its skin turning puffy and discoloured, with no sign of veins or arteries through the taut skin. Ultimately, death from the lack of oxygen would occur within two minutes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the human body is not built to survive in the hostile environment of space. The exposure to the vacuum of space would cause the body to experience a range of traumatic injuries and ultimately die due to a lack of oxygen. The length of time before death would depend on multiple factors, such as the individual’s physical makeup, environmental conditions, and the type, intensity, and duration of the exposure. However, death from the lack of oxygen typically occurs within two minutes.
Common Questions and Their Answers
- What is the temperature like in space?
- The temperature in space ranges between -270°C and 120°C, depending on the object’s location relative to the sun.
- What happens to the human body in space?
- Exposure to the vacuum of space can cause a range of traumatic injuries, including swelling, bruising, and rupturing of blood vessels and organs. In addition, the lack of oxygen and low air pressure can lead to anemia, pulmonary edema, and cardiovascular collapse.
- How long does it take to die in space?
- The amount of time it takes to die in space varies depending on multiple factors, such as the individual’s physical makeup, environmental conditions, and the type, intensity, and duration of the exposure. The lack of oxygen would cause permanent damage within a few seconds after exposure. Hypoxia would cause loss of consciousness within 15 seconds and death within two minutes. Exposure to extreme cold would cause hypothermia, leading to death within several minutes to a few hours. Radiation exposure would cause acute radiation sickness, which could happen in a matter of hours or days, leading to death. Long-term effects of radiation exposure can take months or even years to cause death.
- How would a person die in space?
- A person exposed to the vacuum of space would instantly lose consciousness due to hypoxia or anoxia. Without oxygen, the blood pressure decreases, and the brain signals the heart to pump more blood to compensate for the lower blood pressure. However, in the absence of oxygen, the heart rate sharply decreases, and the blood vessels dilate, causing a massive drop in blood pressure. Without blood flow, the body would become cold and rigid, leading to death due to the lack of oxygen and blood to the vital organs.
References
NASA. (2018). How Will Crewmates Manage Waste on an Orion Mission? Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-will-crewmates-manage-waste-on-an-orion-mission
Smith, Leslie M. (2018). Exploring the International Space Station. Minneapolis: Bellwether Media.
Space. (2021). How Long Does it Take to Die in Space? Retrieved from https://www.space.com/39202-how-long-does-it-take-to-die-in-space.html