Science fiction movies and series often show what is a hypothetical situation Astronaut exposed to the hostility of space without a protective suit. A variety of scenes are presented, ranging from suffering and brief revelations of victims to gruesome deaths. But what does it actually look like?
The question and its answer are collected in an article on a special portal Direct science By voice Stephen T MayThe senior head of strategy of the European Space Agency (ESA): «In the very short term, in between 10 and 15 secondsYou may lose consciousness due to lack of oxygen,” he says.
As if that were not enough, being unable to breathe is not the only problem faced by anyone caught in that situation. The Complete lack of pressure, for example, bodily fluids such as saliva and tears begin to boil. Likewise, the human body expands, yet the skin is elastic enough to cope with the change in pressure. The latter therefore refutes film scenes showing people violently 'exploding' in space.
Once the oxygen in the bloodstream is depleted, the person involved is unconscious and brain dead within minutes, except in the saved case, and returned to safety. Stressful environment And from there, oxygenated from a spaceship, resuscitated.
In addition to providing oxygen and pressure, space suits also protect astronauts OTHER RISKS AND DAMAGESRadiation, extreme temperatures (between -150 ºC in the shadow of the Sun and 120 ºC when exposed to its rays) and micrometroids and space debris can travel at speeds of several kilometers per second.
In conclusion, it can be summarized that the chances of survival in space without a spacesuit are very slim, and if one succeeds, it only takes a few seconds to return to the safe environment of the ship. , rescued and resurrected.
