How long will you survive in space?

Answer 1

A person flushed into space would remain conscious for about ten seconds and die in about ninety seconds. It's best if I quote from the "Bioastronautics Data Book" from NASA:

"Some degree of consciousness will probably be retained for 9 to 11 seconds (see chapter 2 under Hypoxia). In rapid sequence thereafter, paralysis will be followed by generalized convulsions and paralysis once again. During this time, water vapor will form rapidly in the soft tissues and somewhat less rapidly in the venous blood. This evolution of water vapor will cause marked swelling of the body to perhaps twice its normal volume unless it is restrained by a pressure suit. (It has been demonstrated that a properly fitted elastic garment can entirely prevent ebullism at pressures as low as 15 mm Hg absolute [Webb, 1969, 1970].) Heart rate may rise initially, but will fall rapidly thereafter. Arterial blood pressure will also fall over a period of 30 to 60 seconds, while venous pressure rises due to distention of the venous system by gas and vapor. Venous pressure will meet or exceed arterial pressure within one minute. There will be virtually no effective circulation of blood. After an initial rush of gas from the lungs during decompression, gas and water vapor will continue to flow outward through the airways. This continual evaporation of water will cool the mouth and nose to near-freezing temperatures; the remainder of the body will also become cooled, but more slowly.

"Cook and Bancroft (1966) reported occasional deaths of animals due to fibrillation of the heart during the first minute of exposure to near vacuum conditions. Ordinarily, however, survival was the rule if recompression occurred within about 90 seconds. ... Once heart action ceased, death was inevitable, despite attempts at resuscitation...."

NOT FUN would be my summation. It bears mention that there are examples of people who have been exposed to vacuum and recovered with virtuall no ill effects and people who have died because they were exposed to vacuum. They tend to fall very well within the guidelines laid down above. For more information and accounts, follow the link.

Of course, if you're just asking how long it's possible to live in a space station, then the answer is indefinitely. The current record-holder for a space stay is Valeri Polyakov who stayed in orbit for 14 months. It was only staying on Earth afterward that was the hard part.

Answer 2

Astronauts have survived quite nicely for months on the space station. With proper supplies and precaution, I think one could survive there indefinitely.

Answer 3

Only about minute... there is no air in space so you would die from lack of oxygen. And the "air pressure" in space is zero, so the nitrogen dissolved in blood would form bubbles as it comes out of solution. You would die from lack of blood circulation because the heart can not pump the bubbles. That's why divers die from "the bends" and the only cure is to put them in a high pressure container. Either way death would occur in a minute, no matter if you could hold your breath or not.

Answer 4

I'm not going out in space.

Answer 5

Not long without one of those cool white suits. The pressure would crush any person.

Answer 6

Couple of seconds, if you're lucky.

Answer 7

well..its as long as you can hold your breath lol

Answer 8

You would die instantly.

Answer 9

I DON,T KNOW .
I AM NOT GOING