---
title: "Report: Mortality Related to Human Spaceflight (NASA 2023)"
id: 61699
type: "post"
slug: "report-mortality-related-to-human-spaceflight-nasa-2023"
author: "NSE"
published: "2023-08-21T07:00:00+00:00"
modified: "2023-08-20T20:12:12+00:00"
canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2023/08/21/report-mortality-related-to-human-spaceflight-nasa-2023/"
markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2023/08/21/report-mortality-related-to-human-spaceflight-nasa-2023.md"
description: "This technical brief from NASA's Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer addresses the medical, psychological, ethical, religious, cultural, and legal…"
language: "en-US"
category:
  - "Earth"
  - "Industry Reports, Papers And E-books"
  - "Space Economy"
post_tag:
  - "Human Spaceflight"
  - "NASA"
  - "Spaceflight"
---

# Report: Mortality Related to Human Spaceflight (NASA 2023)

![](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/img_5514-1.jpg?resize=696%2C928&ssl=1)

[Download document](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ochmo-tb-012_mortality_related_to_human_spaceflight-1.pdf)

### Synopsis

Here are the key points on mortality related to human spaceflight from the [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) technical brief:

- Crew fatalities during spaceflight could be caused by medical events, vehicle emergencies, insufficient resources, etc. Handling remains requires medical, psychological, ethical, religious, cultural, and legal considerations.
- Immediate concerns would be protecting surviving crew from biohazards as remains decompose in the closed vehicle environment.
- Pronouncement of death, death certificate filing, and determining cause of death present challenges. Forensic evidence may need collection.
- Disposition of remains options include returning to Earth, long-term storage, burial on planetary surface, or jettison from vehicle. Considerations include [planetary protection](https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2025/07/02/the-science-and-stakes-of-planetary-protection/) and orbital mechanics.
- Psychological impacts on surviving crew who handle remains or perform procedures must be addressed, as well as impacts on families.
- Legal jurisdiction over investigations and remains is complex, involving international treaties and agreements between countries. Autopsies would be done per agency agreements.
- Environmental monitoring of gases released during decomposition is critical to crew health and safety. Proper storage inhibits decomposition.
- Transportation and handling of remains must account for decomposition stage as well as various mission phases and environments.

In summary, comprehensive pre-mission planning is essential to address medical, psychological, cultural, religious, legal, and practical aspects related to potential crew mortality during spaceflight.