How can a Kerbal survive in space forever?

[PLB]

Although you could argue that it is simply a feature not implemented, we shall give it science to make it more acceptable for now. Have you not noticed that no matter how long you put a Kerbal somewhere, that they don't die? That may be because they are green. Plants are green because they have chloroplast in them which has green pigment in it. I am saying that Kerbals then probably have chloroplast in them, which absorbs light and makes sugar for mitochondria to turn into energy. (BTW i just gave you the entire first lesson of a 7th grade textbook in a sentence, meh? ) This would probably let a kerbal live in space forever, assuming water is available. Oh wait, if Kerbals need water, then they can't stay there FOREVER! They could run out of water! And they also need CO2 for glucose production, so there can be no way I see to get what Kerbals need to survive. This is where YOU come in. YOU get to figure out a way to forever live in space undoubtedly like the scientist did many muns ago. This topic may become irrelevant in future updates, so if you find this in some archives or in the bowels of the Science Labs, then don't worry or care about it, like many other things.

[NovaSilisko]

They have a rare, benign virus, named Gamicus Unfinishus. It causes the body to consume screams and produce oxygen.

[lucidLemon]

I think it's a dream in Jebediah's head, so anything goes (particularly if it's explosive.)

[ashrutoraman]

heheh ''green color'' not always means photosynthesis anyway theres lots of way for living beeings to produce food themselfs like chemosynthesis, ect ect...

well im seeing they have mouth they have legs they have arms and hands, they are moving, so they are like us basicly... so we may put them to animal world...but they are clearly heterotrophic...

no one will live forever so they are not also they may extend their civilization to late universe and im seeing in that universe scale they have 2x more gravity per mass than us so their universe probably closed... i mean their universe probably gonna colapse itself after some point of expanding cause of that strong gravity....they are beyond thath critical mass so only way for them to find a way to go another similar universe (may paralel) (if exsist)

Edited October 10, 2012 by ashrutoraman

[Nikolai]

It's been suggested that if you want to create a closed life support system for humans, you'd need tanks with about six liters of Spirulina algae. Being substantially smaller, I imagine that Kerbal respiratory needs are much less burdensome; their spacesuits could simply house the algae needed to recycle the gases they need to respirate, with a little extra for a replenishable food source.

Of course, how that algae manages to photosynthesize at Jool's distance from the Sun is anyone's guess. Perhaps there are small sunlamps in the suit (which must use an RTG for sheer battery life).

[Tauge]

Phlebotinum

WARNING: Link is to tvtropes. Beware. Hours of your life may disappear.

[DrewTheAwesome]

You've also gotta consider, their spacesuits might be like terrariums. Terrariums, the plants in them have a limited supply of oxygen, water and carbon dioxide but can last for ages.

You also slightly misunderstand how plants get their energy, yes they do produce food using sunlight, and in turn produce oxygen and this is photosynthesis. The synthesis of food using photons (light). But to then USE that food they produce, they then need to reabsorb that oxygen to respire, releasing carbon dioxide and water. It's a beautiful cycle that only autotrophs can accomplish! (This is technically hypothetical still though, seeing as it requires a fair amount of energy for locomotion or movement of any sort.)

[NovaSilisko]

Just gonna put this out there, since it's been said a hundred times already by various parties: Kerbals are not plants and do not use photosynthesis

[Xellith]

Just gonna put this out there, since it's been said a hundred times already by various parties: Kerbals are not plants and do not use photosynthesis

There is an animal that was found that "steals genes" of algae that it eats. It then is able to photosynthesis even though its not a plant. Pretty interesting stuff. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/01/green-sea-slug/

Pretty sure that Kerbals dont do that though, but interesting none the less!

[karolus10]

I think, in this (0.17) kerbal's dimension, they simply don't need any consumables to live .

[Whptheenah]

I feel that a diagram of a kerbal's insides is in order here:

Let's make the biology of a typical kerbal (then make them in real life)

[SunJumper]

All Kerbals are Immortal, and when we see them 'die', they merely teleport to KSC. That is why Jeb is unafraid of crashing. He is at least 2000 years old...

[The Stinger]

They have a rare, benign virus, named Gamicus Unfinishus. It causes the body to consume screams and produce oxygen.

So may we conclude that this benign virus will eventually be killed by antibodies, which removes their special ability?

[MFN]

Who ever said they breathe oxygen?

[Whptheenah]

(post #12)We know they're immortal, we are discussing how that is possible.

(post #13)And viruses aren't destroyed by antibodies, because they can change their structure. Antibodies only work on the antigens of living pathogens.

[mrrpamplemousse]

I think that kerbal engine consume oxigen and the engine produce water (Lox + Lhx = H2O) and kerbal use water to live .(kerbal are in low brain activity and you control em whit computer)... No!

There just a big living forest ecosystem, that's why the kerbal are green.

Edited October 16, 2012 by mrrpamplemousse

[PLB]

Let us go back to the early years, millions of years ago. Perhaps then Kerbals were pale, or blue perhaps. Then, as Xellith's slug does, they stole chloroplast from plants, and perhaps improved on the efficiency, or maybe perhaps their hair captures the many airborne bacteria and the sort. Has anyone noticed Nasa makes the work area very sanitary? They do that to prevent bacteria from going up with the rocket. In the VAB and SPH no sanitary precautions are in order. Perhaps Kerbals, are filter feeders...

[RoninFrog]

On 10/9/2012 at 8:59 PM, NovaSilisko said:

They have a rare, benign virus, named Gamicus Unfinishus. It causes the body to consume screams and produce oxygen.

Ever watched Monsters, Inc?

[Cheif Operations Director]

Kernels have small micro-organism’s in them that recycle materials for consumption, sort of parasites. They also indeed use chloroplast. To take energy from the sun. When the get out of the sun they begin to loose their will to move around and go into a very efficient hibernation that can last for hundreds of thousands of years, They still have a a small sub brain though that can activate when it desires to, however it takes a few minutes to load, I mean re-activate.

*kerbals 

Edited August 14, 2019 by Cheif Operations Director

[kerbiloid]

They just can hibernate for seven years, like this thread does.

[justidutch]

It's quite simple: they are robots.  They can't even act autonomously!