Deceased Astronaut on board...

[EndeavorRX7]

I was envisioning a human mission to Mars the other day as I have done several times before. It is to my understanding that a round trip to Mars would take approx. 1 year (to and fro 6 months each). I was wondering what NASA would do if one of the astronauts "passed away" during the voyage (ie heart attack). This is obviously something (albeit unlikely) that has to be considered.

I'm inclined to think that the mission would be immediately aborted. However, would that be the right move if the crew could perform all the neccessary duties and the risks were not significantly increased by the absence of the astronaut? They should be trained to perform each others functions for safety precautions by redundancy.

I would imagine if it happened while still closer to earth they would turn right back around no questions asked. But lets say they had been traveling for almost the 6 months and had less than a week till Mars arrival. Then what? Proceed?

My guess is it would be aborted and return immediately no matter what stage because of the media publicity surrounding the mission. What are your thoughts?

[Tedward]

No expert here so.

I would imagine that there would be a minimum to crew the vehicle for a successful mission that is less than the number setting out. Death of one would not scrub the mission after all it would be a huge undertaking even with a lot of automation. But how to deal with the deceased? Buried in space? Not being funny but if a body is ejected from the main craft, which way and how much energy to drift away. Or deep freeze? Probably the later.

The bit I am unsure of is the times and mechanics. Would it not depend on where Mars is in relation to the Earth. Then the required energy to get back. Like 13 it might mean a fly around Mars to get back the best option then if you are going that way why not stop off for a look see. Or can you just alter your trajectory mid flight and how much fuel would it take to get a return to Earth?

[ravens_cry]

As the RussianSpace Station programs have shown, we are going to need generalists who can handle many situations and get along well with others, not a bunch of hot headed narrow specialists. Such a team could, with extra effort take up the slack, but I would say (depending on crew size) that 2 would be an upper death limit. I am guessing that with a small crew of six. I can imagine a death would be quite traumatic.

[JonClarke]

Death just after leaving Earth? Abort is possible in most senarioes.

Death near Mars? The options are very limited. Some scenarioes allow a free return trajectory which means spending a further 600 days in space and returning without actually landing. Depending on the mission type this might not bring the crew home much quicker than if they landed.

Given the autonomy of any Mars mission I suspect the crew will decide and I suspect they would decide to land anyway, regardless of what people say back on Earth. Cross training would mean the crew could complete the mission despite the loss of one of their number. Unless of cause something to do with the circumstances of the death made landing impossible or very unwise.

What to do with the body? It would depend on the the cultue of the nation(s) sending the mission, the wishes of the crew, the families, onboard facilities, and planetary protection issues.

Yes, it would be deeply traumatic, but if terrestrial expeditions are any guide, people would cope and continue.

Jon

[Ronald Brak]

What to do with the body? Definitely eject it. You can't have a decomposing body on board and even if you were to freeze it or seal it up it would still be dead weight. Of course, on a low cost mission, it may not even be possible to eject a body in flight as the landing craft might be attached to the only airlock. You could seal it in a space suit, but the suit would end up expanding as decomposition releases gases, which could make things difficult.

[Frog march]

what if they took along some fly eggs, then put the eggs and the body in a bag- pump out any excess gases(into space). And then after a few weeks/months, all you would have would be a heap of bones and a few million dead flies.

[Argos]

Since death is always a very real possibility for anyone, I suppose there will be contingency plans to cope with the situation. That would include proper means of disposing the body. And I don´t think the mission should/would be aborted.

[Swift]

I was envisioning a human mission to Mars the other day as I have done several times before. It is to my understanding that a round trip to Mars would take approx. 1 year (to and fro 6 months each). I was wondering what NASA would do if one of the astronauts "passed away" during the voyage (ie heart attack). This is obviously something (albeit unlikely) that has to be considered.

As I recall it, the numbers were closer to two years. For one, you don't spend a year traveling and 3 days at your destination.

I also suspect, that except for very small parts of the mission, that an abort is not possible. If they are doing a low energy transfer orbit to Mars, they are not going to have enough fuel to do a turn-around/abort. The only question, if this happened on the journey to Mars, is do you / can you spend less time at Mars.

I also would be surprised if NASA hasn't already started to think about this issues and would be shocked if they don't include them in their plans as they get closer to having a Mars mission.

[Damburger]

I've always wondered if NASA have a predetermined procedure for burying a crew member in space. We know, for instance, that there was a speech prepared for Nixon in case the Apollo 11 astronauts couldn't get home, so people have considered it.

Even for a space station, having a body around is bad for hygiene and for morale. It probably couldn't wait for the next Soyuz or Shuttle launch to be disposed of.

[Noclevername]

A simple sun-shade turns the entire outer hull into cold-storage. But most likely they'll opt for Burial In Space.

[samkent]

If the death occured before the burn to leave Earth orbit, they would delay and possibly postpone the mission. At least until the 'alternate' arrives in orbit. You know that they will be training multiple people for the same position. It would be a simple, if not tearful, replacement.

After the burn to leave orbit the body would be ejected into a what would be a solar orbit. I would imagine this would apply all the way until a few days before the burn to enter Mars orbit.

Once in Mars orbit, the body would be transported to the surface with the landing party. Then buried or covered with rocks.

I expect the same for the return trip.

[Doodler]

Dispose of the body by burial (on planet) or at "sea" (in space), and recalculate the mission duration and/or fuel burn based on new mass and resource consumption calculations.

[KaiYeves]

Death near Earth, I would say to abort, death near Mars, continue and bury the poor guy there.

[Ronald Brak]

One very scary thing is, did she die of an undetected pre-existing condition, which doesn't seem likely considering or the medical tests someone would have to pass to qualify for a mars mission, or is there something, somewhere on the ship that is killing astronauts? Admittedly this is more likely to be a toxin or some flaw in life support than a blood sucking alien critter.

[JohnD]

This rather like the examination for Chief Pilot of Air Force One.
Q.23 "The cabin crew report that the President has fallen out of the rear exit door. What do you do?"







The correct answer is "Adjust trim for loss of weight in rear compartment"

John

[EndeavorRX7]

did she die of an undetected pre-existing condition

Hehe....thought it was funny how you choose she....a stab at feminist I suppose, good one.

Glad to see everyone agrees with proceed. Wish the politicians in Washington could have the same mindset on space exploration and not stop (or cut funding) - especially if ever an accident which is gonna happen.

[JustAFriend]

Once you're on trajectory for Mars, you ain't turning around.

So you got 3 choices:

a) Freeze it outside and bring it back.
b) Burial in Space (good for ratings - took up 10 minutes in Star Trek 3!)
c) Tastes like CHICKEN!!!!!

[Bearded One]

I don't see the body being buried on Mars, to much potential for contamination. I also don't see the mission being aborted unless they are still in Earth orbit. I would also be very surprised if the sending agency didn't already have contigency plans prepared for such a scenario.

The big question is what to do with the body. NASA/ESA may have plans for storing the body, the Chinese would probably do a burial at(in?) space. I just don't see the body being left on the martian surface.

[hhEb09'1]

I just don't see the body being left on the martian surface.

Well, if I go, and I go, that's what'll be in my living will. Burial on Mars, wow.

[Noclevername]

Well, if I go, and I go, that's what'll be in my living will. Burial on Mars, wow.

If it says what happens after you're dead, it's not a living will. It's a will.

[Swift]

If it says what happens after you're dead, it's not a living will. It's a will.

Maybe he wants to be buried alive? :surprised

[PhantomWolf]

Once they have done the TMI insertion burn out of Lunar orbit, there is no possible way to return, the mission would have to continue.

[hhEb09'1]

Maybe he wants to be buried alive?

If they have to pull the plug on Mars, pull the plug! (wait, not that one)

[Doodler]

Death just after leaving Earth? Abort is possible in most senarioes.

Well, considering we haven't had anyone kick off during launch, despite our best attempt with one decrepit elitist who's main distinction was being a hairless space monkey during the Dark Ages of the space race, I would be utterly shocked if the docs let one slip through the net on a long term mission to another planet.

Once they've completed their primary burn to leave Earth's gravity well, fuhgettaboutit. They're Marsbound and I doubt they'll waste mass on a contingency return home for a complete longshot possibility.






Addendum: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TECH/sp...day/index.html In the event you're wondering who I'm talking about.

[Celestial Mechanic]

[Snip!]
c) Tastes like CHICKEN!!!!!

From what I've read (of course I have no actual experience with this!) human flesh tastes more like "The Other White Meat", hence the euphemism in many formerly cannibalistic societies of "Long Pork".

[hhEb09'1]

Long Pig, 148,000 google hits
Long Pork, 7,000 google hits, but one of them is apparently a bit of dialogue from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

[Frog march]

perhaps they should take taxidermy equipment.


worked for Norman Bates.

[Neverfly]

Most likely there are procedures for such an event.
Investigation of the cause of death.
Containment of the body.
Crew Moral.

In the case of a Mars Mission: perhaps disposal of body. If so, disposal would most likely wait until the mission reaches mars. Makes a space burial a lot easier- and more 'proper' or reverential.

I find the idea of disposal to be a last resort however. It is more likely that NASA would deem the body should be contained and transported back to Earth. For the families and for investigative reasons. We are technologically advanced enough to contain and secure a body without needing to dangle it out the airlock guys...

The primary concerns would be investigating the cause of death (to ensure the safety of the rest of the crew) and crew moral after the event.

I agree that it is highly unlikely the body would be buried on Mars. That's severe contamination.

It would be contained, secured and frozen for transport back to Earth. Or given a space burial once the mission has reached Mars.

[voyager_3]

Has anyone seem the BBC show Space Odyssey about a fictional future manned tour of the Solar System? This issue was featured when one of the ship's crew (ironically the medic) died of lymphoma when the ship was at Saturn. The crew opted to continue on with the mission and released his body into Saturn's rings, being "buried" in Saturn's rings how about that?!

I guess that in real life, like in the show mission control would let the surviving crew decide if they wanted to continue, there's probably not much that mission control could do if they wanted to abort the mission and the crew disagreed. They're hardly going to strand them up there!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/prog.../spaceodyssey/

[Doodler]

A burial in space over Mars would probably end up with contamination. At a thousandth of Earth's atmospheric density, the odds are a good chunk of the body would arrive intact (though probably not remaining that way upon impact).

Knowing NASA's karma, it would probably land on a rover...