If I put my hand out the ISS window.

[Sunshine]

If I were on the ISS or any other ship for that matter, I would be so inclined to just pop the airlock open for a few seconds or roll down the window and feel the vacuum. If I stood in the airlock and opened the door for say 5 seconds while holding my breath, would that be the end of me? I don’t know. It’s safe to say that I should never be allowed on the ISS, my curiosity is only matched by my stupidity. No one would be able to stop me from feeling empty space for a few seconds, anyone feel the same way? I have a feeling I’m not alone.

Edited April 3, 2023 by Sunshine

[Paul M]

The problem I see, other than cold if you are in shade, is a rather extreme case of the bends, or decompression injury, as suffered by divers.

Any air spaces, such as lungs and airways, dissolved gases in tissues etc are in balance with normal air pressure. 

If you were suddenly exposed to a vacuum all that compressible gas would rapidly if not viloently expand and find new ways to escape. Something like opening a bottle of lemonade. You blood would likely turn to foam!

For every 10m depth, a diver is exposed to 1 additional bar of external pressure. The Scuba regulator provides air at increasing pressure to compensate for increasing depth. Return to the surface too rapidly and that gas expands way more quickly than it can be metabolised and respired.

So a person at normal sea level pressure experiences 1 atmosphere of pressure (Bar). A diver at 10m depth experiences 2 Bar. A rapid change of just 1 bar can be fatal. My exacting calculation implies that a sudden change of 1 bar, sea level pressure to vacuum, would be impressively fatal.

I think.

[Sunshine]

I do understand the effects, but I wonder how long it would take before exposure would be irreversibly fatal, maybe a few seconds, a minute? is there something someone can do to prolong the onset of fatal effects? interesting.

[VNA]

Hello, let us know when you plan your trip on the ISS. Because it is not we don't like you and your company.
But your idea is goofy, you will feel nothing because the experience will be instantaneous. Even at 17,500 mph  you will not feel a breeze.
So don't do it!  ;- )

[AstroKeith]

Some poor chimpanzees were subjected to a near vacuum for 3 minutes and recovered.

15 seconds is often described as the maximum before you would pass out. A technician as Nasa survived an accident over this sort of period.

So its not completely daft, however opening the window would lead to an outrush of air, that would drag you into the window.

[saac]

You wouldn't get your astronaut badge and you certainly wouldn't get invited back  

Looks like you may get around 10 second before you go unconscious. Death follows after a few minutes!  Get yourself a skateboard, find a really steep hill and go for it - you'll still hurt yourself but you'll enjoy the ride for longer.

ehttps://www.livescience.com/human-body-no-spacesuit 

Jim 

Edited April 3, 2023 by saac

[Macavity]

As a kid, I read a book where an Astronaut was "rescued" sans Space Suit"!
"Breathing Space did not harm me - But I got the worst dose of Sunburn"? 😎

Something called "Stirring Stories for Boys"? We were made of stern stuff! 😅

[Paul M]

Y'all aren't nearly gory enough.

Foaming blood is where this story leads!

[maw lod qan]

17 hours ago, Paul M said:

Y'all aren't nearly gory enough.

Foaming blood is where this story leads!

Yes, I do believe this would be the result, but how quickly I'm not sure.

And it would need to go somewhere, because I would think as it foamed, it would expand.

So, any opening might become messy, till the freezing took over.

[vlaiv]

As far as hands and vacuum go - there is actual example of what might happen.

Here is an account told by person that experienced the whole thing during project Excelsior - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Excelsior

 

[Macavity]

Recall (misspent youth) some "wicked person" (a Chemist!) claimed to have done the: "Vacuum
Desiccator versus Bluebottle" experiment! Youtube makes this a reality... Exoskeletons Rule? 😎
 

[powerlord]

For All Mankind (spoiler alert) - the Apple tv series covered this. I think there's a free trial for Apple tv sometimes if you wanna binge watch for free.

If you've not watched it - I'd recommend it. It starts in the 1960s, and the basic premise is, imagine the russians got to the moon first. Imagine they actually kept up in the space race.

It then follows it through the next couple of decades.

Best space thing I've seen since the classic all time great - The Right Stuff.

stu

[Elp]

The important thing to gather from this is that you'd fail the psyc evaluation so would be prevented from doing such a thing.

[Alien 13]

I would be up for a dip into outer space for a few seconds, cant be worse than sticking hour arm into a hot oven or a freezer, things we do most days or even a flame..

Alan

Edited April 4, 2023 by Alien 13

[Paul M]

2 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

I would be up for a dip into outer space for a few seconds,

Ok, just give us a shout when you want hauling back in... 😁

[Sunshine]

5 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

I would be up for a dip into outer space for a few seconds, cant be worse than sticking hour arm into a hot oven or a freezer, things we do most days or even a flame..

Alan

Perfect! so we apply for a ride on the ISS but say nothing about our experiment or the party poopers at NASA will revoke our tickets.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

On 03/04/2023 at 02:09, Sunshine said:

If I were on the ISS or any other ship for that matter, I would be so inclined to just pop the airlock open for a few seconds or roll down the window and feel the vacuum. If I stood in the airlock and opened the door for say 5 seconds while holding my breath, would that be the end of me? I don’t know. It’s safe to say that I should never be allowed on the ISS, my curiosity is only matched by my stupidity. No one would be able to stop me from feeling empty space for a few seconds, anyone feel the same way? I have a feeling I’m not alone.

According to several sources you will lose consciousness at around 11-15 seconds and be dead at 30 seconds or so. Keeping a towel handy may keep you alive slightly longer.

Most importantly, remember pics or it didn't happen. Goodbye in advance. 🫡

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by ScouseSpaceCadet

[symmetal]

This article from Harvard University may help.

THE HUMAN BODY IN SPACE: DISTINGUISHING FACT FROM FICTION

Alan