If you have seen movies like Star Trek, Gravity, Sunshine, you may have wondered what would happen to someone who loses his spacesuit in space? Will the person explode? Is there a possibility of survival?
But first, let’s understand how a spacesuit works.
How Does a Spacesuit Work?
The principal functions of a spacesuit are to create a pressurised, oxygenated atmosphere for astronauts, and to protect them from ultraviolet rays and extreme temperatures. Without it, a spacewalker would choke from the lack of breathable air and suffer from ebullism – a condition in which a reduction in pressure causes bodily fluids to boil.
What Will Happen Without a Spacesuit?
At most, an astronaut without a suit would last about 15 seconds before losing consciousness from lack of oxygen – because this is how long it will take the body to use up the oxygen left in the blood. And if one doesn’t hold his breath, he could perhaps survive for as long as two minutes without permanent injury.
While it’s possible to hold one’s breath on earth for several minutes without passing out, doing this in space will be fatal since space is one huge vacuum, and the loss of external pressure would cause air inside the lungs to expand, causing it to rupture and forcing air bubbles into the blood vessels, and ultimately the heart, then brain. So, the first thing to do if ever one finds himself suddenly expelled into the vacuum of space is to exhale.
After about 10 seconds or so of exposure, the skin and the tissue underneath will begin to swell as the water in the body starts to boil in the absence of atmospheric pressure. One won’t balloon to the point of exploding though, because human skin is strong enough to keep one from bursting.
The blood will also not boil, but one will be in an immense amount of pain, and if brought back to atmospheric pressure well before 15 seconds of exposure, one’s skin and tissue will return to normal.
Also, without a suit, one will be exposed to dangerous cosmic radiation that will cause really bad sunburn, damage one’s DNA which would potentially lead to mutations, likely resulting in cancer even if one survived
Has This Happened Before?
Yes. In 1965, a technician at the Johnson Space Centre was exposed to near-vacuum conditions when he accidentally depressurised his suit by ripping out a hose. He remained conscious for 14 seconds, and during this time, he remembered feeling the saliva on his tongue boil before slipping into unconsciousness.
Around the 15 second mark, other technicians who witnessed what happened started the process of re-pressurising the chamber.
But if left in a vacuum or near vacuum condition past the 2-minute mark, all body organs will have to shut down from the lack of oxygen, and in medical circles, such a person will be declared clinically dead.
See Also: These are the 8 Effects of Space Life on the Human Body