Wild Hypothetical: Could an astronaut only in an EMU survive deorbit?

[G'th]

Lets say the ISS had spontaneously begun to deorbit, and for whatever reason one of the astronauts jumped out wearing an EMU. Could they survive reentry and the eventual fall to the ground?

[Kryten]

No, they'd burn up. If they somehow didn't (through whatever magical force caused the ISS to deorbit, perhaps) they'd still die on impact because, well, that's what happens when a person hits the earth's surface at or above normal terminal velocity. It's not like those things have parachutes.

[xenomorph555]

Ok here's my idea: an EMU with a inflatable, detachable heat-shield backpack with a powerful jet pack underneath which activates when you stop slowing down in the atmosphere.

[ZooNamedGames]

Agreed- and if the ISS started to decay your safest place would be on the emergency Soyuz module and if that isn't an option- then any module made of dense materials that has something for you to hold onto since when you hit the atmo your going to be thrown about.

So- no. Death is guaranteed during re-entry if you don't have some sort of heat shielding.

- - - Updated - - -

Ok here's my idea: an EMU with a inflatable, detachable heat-shield backpack with a powerful jet pack underneath which activates when you stop slowing down in the atmosphere.

http://troll.me/images/ancient-aliens-guy/ancient-aliens-guy.jpg

Heat shield idea is plausible but unlikely... as for the jetpack? More trouble than it's worth- add a parachute to the back.

So the difference between this EMU and a normal one is:

-Increased Life Support

-Little to no maneuverability due to lack of thrusters or fuel

-parachutes

-re-entry chute thing

[Nibb31]

Ok here's my idea:

Not your idea. NASA already had it in the 60's. It was called MOOSE:

Edited January 2, 2015 by Nibb31

[Bill Phil]

Depends on type of reentry. Of it's the type that's really complicated while not burning up, then maybe. Although, they'd probably be dead by then. And no parachutes.

[78stonewobble]

Bodyboarding a heatshield down?

Ultimate awesome?

[Bill Phil]

Bodyboarding a heatshield down?

Ultimate awesome?

If his name is Jeb, or some other Space BadS.

[Agent86]

How does the Emu feel about all this?

[ZooNamedGames]

If his name is Jeb, or some other Space BadS.

10/10 most BadS thing of all time.

- - - Updated - - -

How does the Emu feel about all this?

http://solotravelerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Pic-12-Loreto-Wacky-Emu.jpg

Edited January 2, 2015 by ZooNamedGames

[SciMan]

Sounds like a job for the Paracone.

Basically, EMU + deployable heatshield + small solid rocket de-orbit motor = Paracone.

There is no parachute, the heatshield creates enough drag to be the parachute, and the heatshield's nose-cap absorbs the rest of the impact.

There have been many orbital bail-out systems proposed.

I found a web page on Astronautix that has links to a bunch of them

Many of them are just an (often inflatable) temporary "lifeboat" system intended to be somewhere you can survive until a rescue mission arrives. Others are full blown "station evacuation" craft fully capable of safely returning the entire crew of a space station to Earth with one ship.

And then there's the ones like the Paracone and MOOSE systems, which are closest to what you're thinking of.

But the direct answer to your question is no, an astronaut in an EMU suit can not survive de-orbit and re-entry without additional equipment.

However, the total mass of the Paracone system was estimated to be comparable to a standard ejection seat from a fighter jet, which is actually quite good considering the conditions it's intended to survive.

[Wallygator]

Bodyboarding a heatshield down?

Ultimate awesome?

Reminds me of the final scene in Darkstar.

He burned.

[Bill Phil]

Reminds me of the final scene in Darkstar.

He burned.

I was thinking the same thing...

[78stonewobble]

Reminds me of the final scene in Darkstar.

He burned.

Well there's a very fine line between awesome and darwin award.

[Bill Phil]

Well there's a very fine line between awesome and darwin award.

Hey, wouldn't you want to go out in a blaze of glory? Especially after your ship blew up?

[78stonewobble]

Hey, wouldn't you want to go out in a blaze of glory? Especially after your ship blew up?

Haha, nah I don't have glory aspirations... Highly prefer asphyxiation to incineration... Well, for cause of death... Afterwards it doesn't really matter

[MacKerbie]

Somebody made a Paracone addon for Orbiter Space Flight Sim a few years ago. It was in the form of a backpack, and had animated deployment and everything. They included an 'ultimate base jump' scenario with it, jumping from orbit high above Australia, with the objective of trying to avoid landing in the ocean. It was pretty cool. Surprised somebody hasn't done similar for KSP yet.

http://www.orbithangar.com/addonpics/urp-090108.jpg