Can passengers in an airplane survive if the airplane was in space?

Question

I know that a commercial airplane airplane is not able to go up to space, but this is just a theoretical question. My reasons for asking this is for me to know.

Suppose an airplane full of passengers suddenly was out in space. Is it possible for the passengers to survive for a good amount of time? If yes, for how long? Will the vacuum of space affect the inside pressure of the airplane? Will it cause it to break apart?

I know for sure that the engines would not work, so I just need those few questions answered. Your response will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

yes they would

most commercial aircraft are pressurized so there would still be air to breath--atleast in the very short term.  the motors still need air, and the air in the aircraft wouldnt hold out for long, but I would doubt that the aluminium of the crafts hull would rupture--but then again....

Answer 2

Most pilots that fly that high (military)  need space suites for the oxygen.

Pilots that fly the SR-71 blackbird and the U-2  spy planes  are an example.

Answer 3

I'm no astro physicist, but I know that if the plane was not pressurized properly, and assuming the passengers were not wearing  pressurized space suits, the vacuum in space would just explode (or implode?) the bodies in within nanoseconds.

Answer 4

no, i dont think that they would besides the fact they would go out of breath the fact that coming in and out of the atmosphere and going so fast will make the plane go on fire.

Answer 5

Cool question.

When the engines stop and all power is lost I think that the pressurization in the cabin would stop too.  An airplane travels at around 35,000 feet, so it should survive the vacuum for a little while.  The vacuum would not cause it to break apart, but the temperature extremes would either freeze or cook everyone inside the plane.

As for how long it would take?  I would think that it would be on the order of minutes.  Planes are not constructed to withstand a complete vacuum on the outside.

Answer 6

no they would not survive. the cabin, well the entire inside of an airplane, has high pressure. space has close to none, if no pressure at all. this pressure change would cause the plane to explode, exposing the passengers to this pressure change, and they would exploid too. and the plane would never be able to re-enter the atmosphere. it would burn up. so there is no way those passengers are coming home!

Answer 7

Of course not they would run out of breath.

Answer 8

I believe the Plane should withstand the pressure.

At the flight level of commercial planes the air pressure is already down to a third of the pressure at ground level, and planes withstand that just fine.

Answer 9

No, they would suffocate and their heads would explode from lack of oxygen.

Answer 10

1. No, people would die. Most importantly, because of lack of oxygen. They also would die, because of temperature and radiation, even if they had enough oxygen.

2. Vacuum will affect pressure. "Body" of an airplane will experience huge pressure loads. It will not break, if it was created to withstand this pressure.

Answer 11

Planes tend to keep the pressure differential, or the difference in pressure between inside and outside, at around 52-55 kPa.  If, for example, a plane pressurized to work at sea level suddenly found itself 35,000 feet in the air, the differential would be around 60 kPa, causing structural problems.

The pressure in aircraft is usually kept at around that of 8000 feet above sea level, or 75.22 kPa.  If an aircraft at this interior pressure suddenly found itself in a vacuum, the pressure differential would be 75.22 kPa, causing structural failure.

Air will leak out at supersonic speeds, probably leading to explosive decompression.

Answer 12

Nah !