• Question: how long would it take for you to decompose in space

    Asked by will to Simon, Julia, Delma, Andrew, Alex on 15 Dec 2015.
    • Photo: Delma Childers

      Delma Childers answered on 15 Dec 2015:

      Technically, forever. Once a body is completely dried out in space there’s nothing to really drive decomposition. Unless the body drifts into a star or re-enters a planet’s atmosphere, it’ll stay intact.

    • Photo: Alexander Finch

      Alexander Finch answered on 15 Dec 2015:

      As Delma says – forever! The only time you’d have to decompose would be the time your spacesuit or spacecraft – if you had one – kept your body warm. As soon as the life support runs out, youre body would be either heated up or frozen, depending on how much sun it got, killing any bacteria that would decompose you. Eventually, the seal that keeps the air in your suit or spacecraft would fail or it would be punctured by a micrometeorite, and the air inside would escape. Then your body would be freeze-dried, which is a great way to store something for a very long time!!

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