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I had a look, but I didn't see this question specifically asked, so please forgive me if I missed it.

In Interstellar, the occupants of the cryo-sleep chambers are at least partially submerged in a clear, water-like liquid. When Dr Mann is revived, he had the liquid over his mouth but not in his lungs. What would be the reason for this? Could it be easier to regulate the temperature? Is this why they are inside those bags? Does that keep the liquid out? I notice when the crew go to sleep for the trip to Saturn, they seem to step directly into the liquid, then the bag or membrane seems to close over their bodies. They then seem to have to tear these off to exit the chamber.

Sorry, it's a bit of a compound question :)

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  • 1
    Someone left the freezer door open.
    – CandiedMango
    Commented Oct 4, 2015 at 11:57
  • @CandiedMango Ah, of course! I hate it when that happens! :)
    – Jane S
    Commented Oct 4, 2015 at 12:01
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    @janes - I don't even need to look at the script to know that it'll be described as "cryo-fluid"
    – Valorum
    Commented Oct 4, 2015 at 12:49
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    @JaneS - Handwavium is always in liquid form, so the writers can spray it around liberally.
    – Valorum
    Commented Oct 4, 2015 at 14:31
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    @Schwern I used the term "water", but I should have more correctly said "fluid". It just made me think of water, but it could have been anything at all.
    – Jane S
    Commented Oct 4, 2015 at 23:21

1 Answer 1

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According to the film's official novelisation, the only stated purpose of the "liquid" appears to be to serve as a radiation shield for the crew while in stasis:

“You are literally wasting your breath,” she said. She got into the bed and lay down. The lid slid shut over her, encasing her in a plastic sheath. Liquid began filling in around the plastic, where it would freeze into a shield that would help protect her from the two years’ worth of radiation that would sleet through the hull as she slept.

There is no specific description of the fluid's composition

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  • Thanks Richard! The part you have highlighted is the answer I was looking for :)
    – Jane S
    Commented Oct 4, 2015 at 23:15

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