Outer Space Exposure

[psi29a]

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=741

For about ten full seconds– a long time to be loitering in space without protection– an average human would be rather uncomfortable, but they would still have their wits about them. Depending on the nature of the decompression, this may give a victim sufficient time to take measures to save their own life. But this period of "useful consciousness" would wane as the effects of brain asphyxiation begin to set in. In the absence of air pressure the gas exchange of the lungs works in reverse, dumping oxygen out of the blood and accelerating the oxygen-starved state known as hypoxia. After about ten seconds a victim will experience loss of vision and impaired judgement, and the cooling effect of evaporation will lower the temperature in the victim's mouth and nose to near-freezing. Unconsciousness and convulsions would follow several seconds later, and a blue discoloration of the skin called cyanosis would become evident.

At this point the victim would be floating in a blue, bloated, unresponsive stupor, but their brain would remain undamaged and their heart would continue to beat. If pressurized oxygen is administered within about one and a half minutes, a person in such a state is likely make a complete recovery with only minor injuries, though the hypoxia-induced blindness may not pass for some time. Without intervention in those first ninety seconds, the blood pressure would fall sufficiently that the blood itself would begin to boil, and the heart would stop beating. There are no recorded instances of successful resuscitation beyond that threshold.

Though an unprotected human would not long survive in the clutches of outer space, it is remarkable that survival times can be measured in minutes rather than seconds, and that one could endure such an inhospitable environment for almost two minutes without suffering any irreversible damage. The human body is indeed a resilient machine.

[EnglishJim]

I've always wondered what would happen, but a minute and a half in space and no permenant damage? What about radiation from the sun, wouldn't that fry your body?

Damn, those ten seconds would feel like an eternity. Overall a slow and painful death. Starlore would like it !

[MrFelony]

i just picture Jackass' next adventure is to go to outerspace and survive out there for a little bit

[Fuji Nagase]

wow, 2 minutes huh.
they would probably do it too...
but this time its a little more than some bruises that would come with fucking in that stunt. id still watch it, but still..

[Tempest]

Huh, guess that makes the part in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy where Arthur and Ford are released into space for a while a bit more plausible. I'm going to start keeping a towel nearby me from now on.

[MonkWren]

Would I gain superhuman powers due to direct exposure to the Sun's radiation?

That would be kickass.

[Skullkracker]

well, you could end up as the biggest piece of beef jerky ever

[Gattsblackfalcon]

LOL

Next time I go to space I'll be a lot more careful .

That sounds horrible and yeah those 10 secs would be an eternity out there .

[Messatsu]

I wonder if its painful...

[psi29a]

I wonder if its painful...

If you RTA, it says that it is uncomfortable but not agonizing. You won't be cold except for your mouth and nose which may get frost bite if out longer than 10 seconds.

After 10 seconds, you will probably blackout before anything else happens, such as your blood boiling.

[MonkWren]

well, you could end up as the biggest piece of beef jerky ever

Eh, works for me. *shrug*

I could give bad guys the runs!

[ZoddsNo1Fan]

Would I gain superhuman powers due to direct exposure to the Sun's radiation?

That would be kickass.

That and the fact that its about -370 degrees F(im guessing you would be cold), solar winds/flares you might encouter in that 10 seconds could limit your ability to survive...
A section of an interview with Susan Fehres, Dr. of Mechanical Engineering

How hot does the surfuce get on the entry to the atmosphere? Does the
insulation ever break?

Up in space the black stuff is about 3 degrees Kelvin - really cold! but
because we (that is, that spacecraft or satellite) is near the sun and the
earth , it is a balmy 50 degrees Kevin, or ! -370 Fahrenheit (yes
minus!!). So when the astronauts take a spacewalk, it is darn cold out
there, and their suit is like a very warm blanket. When a spaceship comes
back to earth, the outer surface heats up to 3600 degrees Fahrenheit or
so, and we use very good insulation to keep the astronauts from burning
up. The inside of the ship is kept at reasonable temperatures for the
people. If you saw that wonderful movie, Apollo 13, The only reason it got
so cold inside the ship is they had to divert energy from the heaters to
survive and get back home.

[TheDrizzit]

Reminds me of Han in Carbonite for some reason. Sounds fun though especially since you can be brought back. ^_^

I never ever thought about there not being any air pressure out there. That's pretty cool! Great find Psi!! I'm taking this to my geology teacher. he loved the article about the Stargate thingy being built underground so I'm sure he'll like this too since he taught a little about space when we did the formation of the universe.

I wanna do it now. Not to be stupid like the Jackass guys, but to be able to say I did it. I wouldn't mind being blind...Zatoichi style....YEA!

Also, i would swim toward Earth so I could fall from the sky and attempt the Buddhist Palm technique. Heh, I don't think I would make it through the atmosphere though...

[Libaax]

Huh, guess that makes the part in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy where Arthur and Ford are released into space for a while a bit more plausible. I'm going to start keeping a towel nearby me from now on.

Maybe Douglas Adams wasnt as wacky as i thought, maybe he knew what he was talking about

[psi29a]

The thing is that in a vacuum (which space is), heat doesn't transfer. When you feel cold, it is heat escaping your body. When you are in space, heat doesn't escape even if it is 'cold' in space. That fact isn't really relevant except for two places, your nose and mouth. You will be frostbitten there, and of course if you take a leak.

Space isn't a perfect vacuum. Over longer periods of time of course your temperature will drop but that takes a few hours. Obviously you have more things to worry about in space than how warm/cold it is outside, for example air pressure in your lungs which is expanding your chest outward and of course your blood boiling because of low pressure.

So I fail to see how -375F has any impact on you in space within the first 10 minutes when heat does not transfer in a vacuum.

[TheDrizzit]

You badass you... ^_^

Like a tome of knowledge! I'm lovin it!

[Shisho]

The secret science of a thermostat.

I was always wondering what the air pressure difference would amount to.