The Consequences of Death in Space

If someone were to die in space, the handling of the body would depend on the location and circumstances. In low-Earth orbit missions, the body could be returned to Earth within hours or days. However, during a trip to Mars, the body would likely be preserved on the spacecraft until the end of the mission, which could be a couple of years later. If an astronaut were to step outside into space without a spacesuit, they would die almost instantly due to the loss of pressure and exposure to the vacuum. Burial or cremation on Mars is not ideal, as it could contaminate the planet's surface, so the body would likely be preserved in a specialized body bag until it could be returned to Earth.