what would happen if we let a person roam outer space freely.?

Question

without any kind of support or the person being connected to a space ship. just curious.

ofcourse the person would die! , but where would the person go.

Answer 1

An unprotected human or other living being placed in the outer space environment would perish in a few brief, agonizing moments.

The principal environmental characteristic of outer space is the vacuum, or nearly total absence of gas molecules. The gravitational attraction of large bodies in space, such as planets and stars, pulls gas molecules close to their surfaces leaving the space between virtually empty. Some stray gas molecules are found between these bodies, but their density is so low that they can be thought of as practically nonexistent.

On Earth, the atmosphere exerts pressure in all directions. At sea level, that pressure is 101 kilopascals. In space, the pressure is nearly zero. With virtually no pressure from the outside, air inside an unprotected human's lungs would immediately rush out in the vacuum of space. Dissolved gases in body fluids would expand, pushing solids and liquids apart. The skin would expand much like an inflating balloon. Bubbles would form in the bloodstream and render blood ineffective as a transporter of oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells. Furthermore, the sudden absence of external pressure balancing the internal pressure of body fluids and gases would rupture fragile tissues such as eardrums and capillaries. The net effect on the body would be swelling, tissue damage, and a deprivation of oxygen to the brain that would result in unconsciousness in less than 15 seconds.

Answer 2

Normally, in space exploration, "support" means providing oxygen, heat and cooling, protection from harmful rays, tactical guidance, etc. (lots of stuff).

Maybe you mean that the person is floating freely in space without being attached to a spaceship (the person is still wearing a suit which provide him with air and protection, etc.).

In which case the person is falling at the same rate as the objects around him that are on the same orbit.

If the spaceship is accelerating or braking (meaning: if the rockets are firing), then the person will see the spaceship accelerate away (because the person has no rockets).

If the spaceship is ballistic (no rockets firing): if the person and the spaceship are on the same orbit around Earth (or the Sun or whatever else) and they are both responding to the same gravitational field, they will stay side by side.

However, when the person pushed himself away from the space ship (even if he did so very softly), this did put him on a slightly different orbit than the spaceship. At the moment that the person pushed himself away, both (spaceship and person) were at the same point on their respective orbit. One orbit later, these two objects will go through the same point. However, if the person's orbit is slightly larger (or smaller) than the spaceship, the person will pass that point a tiny bit after (or before) the spaceship.

So, at every orbit, the person and the spaceship will get close (but this closest point of approach will get a bit further at each orbit).

If this is going on around Earth, on a very low orbit, then there are still some atmospheric molecules (even if they are very rare). The person and the spaceship may present a different cross-section to the air resistance. It is possible that one -- spaceship or person -- is slowed down a bit more than the other and will fall into the Earth's atmosphere before the other (meaning: the air resistance will increase the rate at which the distance increases between the spaceship and the person).

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In general, the person will simply float in space, following the "curvature" of the gravitational speed. If the person is in orbit around Earth, at a very high altitude (no air resistance), then the person could stay in orbit for centuries. As far as "mechanics" of space movement is concerned, there would be no difference between a person and any other object on the same orbit.

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An unprotected human body in the vacuum of space does NOT explode.
http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/970603.html

Answer 3

Of course the astronauts will be raptured. God made everything, including outerspace. Also, though some people may believe the entire May 21, 2011 thing to be true, it isn't. The bible doesn't have a set date or time when the rapture will happen; there are only signs that guide people; for now, people should just keep living life to the fullest, Christians specifically. It will happen when it happens. What you should do is read the bible more if you want more answers to questions like these so you don't have to keep getting rude, nonsensical answers from this place. Just some advice. :)

Answer 4

Depending on the circumstances it could be any number of things ----- all leading up to death. Assuming the person had a space suit on they would not die of dehydration or hunger but of suffocation...due to the lack of oxygen after their supply has run out. If they did not have a suit on they would freeze to death instantly or cook like a thanksgiving turkey depending on their location in space but none the less die instantly due to the pressure differences. Their really isn't any happy medium in space as far as oxygen, atmospheric pressure, food and water compared to earth. Hope this helps. Goodluck!

Answer 5

Assuming he/she is in a space suit they would drift along side the ship they came from until acted on by some out side force. In orbit they would slowly drift apart do to the difference in mass and orbital drag caused by thin atmospheric conditions near the earth. Same thing that brought down Skylab. With out a space suite they just explode from internal pressure down to a cellular level...yuk! Who's going to clean up that mess?

Answer 6

Ummmm..... with no support? They would die. That tends to be a side effect of having no oxygen. So I guess they would suffocate and then their dead body would float around in space. Sounds like a bad idea to me. I don't think there will be any volunteers.

Answer 7

What a fascinating question, and such solid, helpful, intelligent answers. You chaps have no idea how much I'm enjoying the Astronomy and Space section.

Answer 8

The person will keep on moving until it hits a meteorite or get pulled into another planets atmosphere, he will never stop or speed up, he will keep on moving at the same speed.

Answer 9

And what would be the point? And where are you going to find such a person?

Answer 10

His name would prolly be I.P. Freely