Humans’ need to expand their range of knowledge has led them to touch limits that were unthinkable in ancient times. Perhaps this is why space exploration borders on science fiction and when it comes to swinging dangerously between the known and the unknown, anything can happen. For this reason, many wonder what happens when a human visits space and the risks that this entails, that is, what would happen if an astronaut gets lost in space.
They are people who go through arduous preparation to visit the ends of the Earth. Until now, the furthest a human being has gone is to the far side of the Moon. It happened in 1970, when the Apollo 13 manned mission that was destined to visit the satellite had to abort the moon landing due to an oxygen tank fire. Instead of landing on the Moon, the crew circled around the natural satellite and returned safely to Earth.
And although there was no moon landing on this mission, there were others apart from Apollo 11 in which astronauts landed their feet on the moon. In these cases, their duty of exploration requires them to carry out spacewalks, otherwise there would be no point behind manned missions. And precisely at this point is where people wonder, what would happen if an astronaut got so far from his ship that he ended up lost in space.
What happens if an astronaut gets lost in space?
First we must clarify that survival out there seems to be not easy, starting with the fact that there is no pure oxygen to breathe. Therefore, hours before carrying out a space walk (EVA), they place their bodies inside special pressurized suits, to stay safe once they leave the ship. Inside these suits, they have the oxygen necessary to breathe for long periods of time, as well as to drink.
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Once they are ready to leave the ship, they do so through a special door called an airlock. It functions as a room that keeps the interior of the spaceship airtight. They have two doors and once the first one is crossed, it must be closed to maintain the pressurization of the ship. Then they can open the second door and go out into outer space.
Of course, being lost in space is a possibility, which is why they do not move freely without security. Instead, they remain tied to their ship through safety straps, to avoid this possibility. Although if this measure fails, they still have one more option to survive eternal space travel.
Behind their backs they carry a type of backpack called SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue). This device uses small jet thrusters to allow astronauts to move through space more quickly. So, if an astronaut were to come loose from the safety straps, she can use SAFER to help her fly back to her ship. SAFER’s control mechanism is very similar to that of a video game joystick.
Image: SAFER
In a remote case where SAFER runs out of almost a kilo of fuel, there is still the possibility that a companion will reach him to save him. However, if this does not happen, there is no protocol to save it and perhaps it is time to worry. He will begin a journey with no known destination as he waits for his nearly 7.5 hours of breathable oxygen to run out.