"The Fate of a Corpse in Outer Space"

If an astronaut were to die in space and their body were released, it would undergo a series of changes. In the vacuum of space, bodily fluids would vaporize, and the remaining water would freeze, preserving the body in a mummified state. Bacteria could survive and begin to digest the body, and powerful radiation would cause further degradation. The body would orbit in space and could potentially collide with space debris, but eventually, it would be drawn back to Earth by gravity and burn up upon reentry. NASA is developing procedures for handling mortality in space, including the possibility of space burial and the use of a body bag to preserve remains.