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If someone thrown out of the space shuttle, what will he die of


kenny1999

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1 hour ago, Externet said:

Asphyxia

Yes, or issues relating to the rapid decompression.

That's what killed the cosmonauts who died in space

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/only-three-people-have-died-in-space

1 hour ago, Externet said:

+ hypothermia

Probably not enough time if you asphyxiated. If you had an air supply but no protective suit, perhaps

1 hour ago, Externet said:

+boiling blood

That's unlikely, seeing as blood would not be exposed to vacuum. It's in a container.

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4 hours ago, swansont said:

Yes, or issues relating to the rapid decompression.

That's what killed the cosmonauts who died in space

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/only-three-people-have-died-in-space

Probably not enough time if you asphyxiated. If you had an air supply but no protective suit, perhaps

That's unlikely, seeing as blood would not be exposed to vacuum. It's in a container.

won't he be killed by direct sun radiation first???

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14 hours ago, swansont said:

Not sure why that would kill them. They might get a sunburn after 5-10 minutes. Fatal radiation damage would likely take a while

no air or atmosphere to protect him against the direct sun, in that case, won't he be burnt vigorously and dead in short time?

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1 hour ago, kenny1999 said:

no air or atmosphere to protect him against the direct sun, in that case, won't he be burnt vigorously and dead in short time?

Which is why they would sunburn more quickly. There would be more UV. To be killed by the ionizing radiation, the exposure time would likely be measured in days or possibly weeks. Keep in mind the measures astronauts have to protect them are limited, and they can survive on the ISS for months, and do spacewalks. It's not like their suits are made of 10-cm thick lead.

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I think your big worry, in terms of survival, would be alveolar rupture from the sudden depressurization.  Also, strokes and other tissue damage from dissolved gases coming out of solution.  IIRC, they tried some monumentally cruel experiments with dogs and found they could recover if the vacuum exposure was only a couple minutes.  After that, there was often too much damage to lungs and other tissues to recover.  

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