# What happens if an astronaut dies in space? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 28, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713 "2014-08-28T01:15:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/41 "2014-08-29T20:05:03Z")
> [@tallcoldone](#): > > All astronauts must be aware of the hazards of space travel, especially those going “where no (one) has gone before…” > > They may not have know the text, but they must have known that there was a plan for dealing with a tragedy. I bet there was even training on how to deal with a crewmember’s death. They trained for almost (Apollo 13) anything someone could imagine happening on a mission. > > They all (Collins too) were military men with lots of experience losing friends in their country’s service. > [@bump](#): > > I suspect they had to have had at least a suspicion that there was a speech written, or at least preparations made in case they screwed the pooch. Okay, it makes sense that they would have known that some sort of contingency plan was in place. And that the President would, in that eventuality, address the nation by necessity. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/42 "2014-08-29T21:16:13Z")
In Chris Hadfield’s book “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth,” he says that astronauts, before going into space, prepare for all sorts of scenarios, including the death of a crew member while in space. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/43 "2014-08-29T21:18:02Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > In Chris Hadfield’s book “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth,” he says that astronauts, before going into space, prepare for all sorts of scenarios, including the death of a crew member while in space. Thanks for that! I loved his music, so just bought his book. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/44 "2014-08-29T21:33:12Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > I’m surprised to see that Safire paraphrased [Rupert Brooke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Brooke). I suspect that few Americans would have recognized the allusion; in other words, in the minds of most who would have heard it, Safire would have been credited for more than he deserved. Hmm. Which poem of Brooke’s? > [@user\_hostile](#): > > Ray Bradbury deals with this somewhat philosophically: [“Kaleidoscope”](http://www.scaryforkids.com/kaleidoscope-by-ray-bradbury/). > > Whereas [Perry Bible Fellowship](http://pbfcomics.com/97/) is just plain demented. 😉 It’s also featured in the conclusion of the 1974 sf comedy _Dark Star_. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/45 "2014-08-30T14:31:18Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > I think SOP is to strap the body to the luggage rack on the exterior of the capsule and land in Phoenix. Make sure you pin a note to his spacesuit before you leave him in a lawnchair on the porch, though. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/46 "2014-08-31T00:49:11Z")
If an astronaut’s body was left in space and potentially retrievable by a later mission than you can bet that NASA would speak to the family (even if only to inform them about their intentions) and you can also bet that it would get political. If there was public pressure and political pressure to bring the body back then NASA would surely consider it very favourably. If the family say however that they feel it was a good resting place then that might have an effect too. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/47 "2014-08-31T11:45:19Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Hmm. Which poem of Brooke’s? [The Soldier](http://www.bartleby.com/103/149.html). The first lines of Brooke’s poem are used for the last of Nixon/Safire’s eulogy. “IF I should die, think only this of me; That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England.” “For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/48 "2014-08-31T17:53:53Z")
Ah, thanks! Very nice indeed. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/49 "2014-08-31T18:31:32Z")
florists would establish a delivery surcharge. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713/50 "2014-09-01T17:10:38Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > Nitpick: the title of the 1969 David Bowie song in question is “Space Oddity.” Major Tom was the, er, major character in the story line. > > There was a sequel of sorts to this song in 1983 entitled “Major Tom (Coming Home).” But the artist who did it was not Bowie but Peter Schilling. Ashes to Ashes by Bowie in 1980 also revisited the legend of Major Tom too: “I’ve heard a rumour from Ground Control Oh no, don’t say it’s true” “We know Major Tom’s a junkie Strung out in heaven’s high Hitting an all-time low” "My mother said to get things done You’d better not mess with Major Tom " Which doesn’t clear anything up at all really. Sorry I mentioned it 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-an-astronaut-dies-in-space/696713.md?page=2)