What happens if you die in space, on Moon, Mars?
Image Credit: newsbytes
Over the past six decades, human space exploration has seen 20 astronaut fatalities, notably 14 in NASA's shuttle disasters (1986, 2003), three during Soyuz 11 (1971), and three in the Apollo 1 fire (1967). As NASA plans lunar missions by 2025 and Mars voyages soon after, discussions on handling potential fatalities intensify. Current protocols aim to return bodies to Earth swiftly, within hours for low-Earth-orbit missions and days for lunar missions, ensuring respectful handling and analysis.