What would happen to a human body left in the vacuum of space ?

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What would become of a human body abandoned in space? This question, both macabre and fascinating, finds its answers in the laws of space physics and human biology. In the vacuum of space, where more than 34&nbsp ;000 pieces of space debris from human activity and 3,000 dead satellites, the decomposition of matter obeys radically different rules from those observed on Earth. Jack Gabit, associate professor of physics at Creighton University (Omaha, Nebraska), sheds light on this unique phenomenon.

The human body facing emptiness: decomposition in slow motion

In space, the absence of oxygen disrupts the natural processes of decomposition. For a body to decompose, there must be bacteria. These microorganisms are present in our environment, but also on our skin. Once the heart stops beating, these bacteria begin to multiply rapidly, degrading organic tissues.

While the bacteria naturally present in our body could theoretically initiate decomposition, their action would be considerably slowed down. The dry air and lack of oxygen, characteristic of the vacuum of space, considerably slow down this process, which is usually relatively rapid on Earth. “In short, in the rare areas where there would be decomposition, it would be much slower” explains Gabit.

Under normal conditions60~/em> on Earth (moderate temperature, average humidity, presence of insects), a body can decompose completely in a few weeks or months. However, under special conditions (very cold, very dry, buried deep in the ground), decomposition can take several years or even decades.

Fortunately, only three cosmonauts have lost their lives in space: Georgi Dobrovolski, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsayev, all died while returning to Earth during the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971. However, their bodies were repatriated before being subjected to the extreme conditions of the cosmic vacuum.

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Earth's orbit: a special zone

The position of the body in space determines its final fate. In low orbit, at the altitude of the International Space Station, the conditions are particularly hostile. Organic matter, propelled at nearly 29,000 km/h, undergoes devastating friction. This phenomenal speed causes incessant collisions with residual air molecules, causing a gradual disintegration of tissues. The closer the orbit gets to the Earth's atmosphere, the faster the process accelerates.

The increasingly dense atmospheric layers, acting like a veritable furnace, would gradually transform the body into an incandescent trail. This combustion, similar to that of meteorites, would ultimately leave few traces. The debris that survived this infernal descent would end up burning up completely in the lower layers of the atmosphere.

The confines of space: quasi-eternal conservation

In deep space, the scenario changes radically. The quasi-absolute vacuum limits molecular interactions to their minimum. Gabit specifies: “ There is nothing to come into contact with an object, since we are in a total void ». Only three forces come into play: solar radiation, the solar wind (particles ejected by our star) and occasional impacts of micro-meteorites.

However, the further away we are from the Sun, the more these effects diminish, making decomposition extremely slow. Under such conditions, a body could theoretically be preserved for thousands of years, as if frozen in time.

We would then witness a phenomenon close to a natural mummification, but very different from that observed in the past on Earth. Without any human intervention, without embalming, or bandages, the organic matter would find itself ad vitam eternam (or almost) preserved by the vacuum and cold of space.

• In the vacuum of space, the absence of oxygen greatly slows down decomposition, limiting the action of bacteria present in the body.
• In low orbit, the body would gradually disintegrate due to friction with residual air molecules, until it burns up in the atmosphere.
• In deep space, the body could remain virtually intact for thousands of years, exposed only to solar radiation and micro-meteorites.

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