With various countries frequently sending astronauts to space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has come out with a burial policy in case an astronaut passes away beyond the Earth’s atmosphere!

A senior NASA astronaut, who wished to remain anonymous, has said that the independent agency of the US Federal Government responsible for the US’ civil space programme, aeronautics research and space research has prepared certain death simulations that need to follow, if an astronaut dies in space. He has revealed that NASA considered all kinds of make-believe scenarios and simulations while preparing the policy, and asked its officials to be prepared for the outer space challenges.

According to the astronaut, the virtual, as well as apocalyptic, scenarios and simulations are a part of a NASA astronaut’s everyday routine. Hence, they remain fully prepared for scenarios, including an asteroid hitting the Earth and (if) the Earth stopped spinning.

Chris Hadfield, a former Commander of the International Space Station (ISS), has stressed that NASA prepared its astronauts for using death simulations that are quite interesting, as well as scary. He stated that if someone passed away while on an EVA (Extravehicular Activity), her/his fellow astronauts should bring the body inside the airlock first, and then keep it inside their pressurised suit. It would help the body decompose faster.

Other astronauts would not have to smell the decomposition odour of the body, if it is kept inside the pressurised suit. According to Hadfield, astronauts would have to store the body somewhere cold on the ISS before the final disposition of remains.

It may be noted that NASA astronauts are trained on what to do in case a death occurs in space and the related activities.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das