Space psychology

Space Psychology refers to applying psychology to advise human spaceflight. This includes applying industrial and organizational psychology to team selection, individual and team mental preparation, team training, and ongoing psychological support,^[1] and applying human factors and ergonomics to the construction of spacecraft to ensure sufficient habitability.

Components of Industrial/Organizational Psychology

The field is necessary for planning for and accomplishing successful human spaceflight missions by ensuring readiness for the unique physiological and psychological challenges posed by spending extended time in closed isolated environments like spacecraft. It is critical that each team member functions individually and as a team in order to avoid human error, overcome unforeseeable challenges, and complete the mission. Due to the importance of team reliance on mission success, the field has focused on team composition and cohesion in spaceflight missions ever since 1957’s Project Mercury. This involves applying and conducting research from social psychology, group dynamics, group performance and team psychology, and applying it to select team members that will be able to live together in close quarters for an extended amount of time, and create team training programs that improve team performance.^[2] In addition to teamwork, there is an assortment of psychological and sociological effects of spaceflight that needs to be addressed in order to plan for successful space missions, such as loneliness, unavailability of familial mental health support, elevated levels of stress due to demanding tasks, and reduced material comforts.

Components of Human Factors and Ergonomics

To ensure habitability of constructed spacecraft, human factors and ergonomics specialists must advise on environmental requirements such as lighting, room layout and design, sound requirements, and solutions for the physiological challenges posed by being in an environment without gravity.^[3]

Research

Most published research specific to space psychology has been conducted by NASAs Human Systems Integration Division.^[4] Tests conducted to ensure team success include putting a team in an airtight quarters on earth for an extended period of time, such as in the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test.^[5]

References

Spaceflight General Astrodynamics History Accidents and incidents Records Space Age Space Race Asian Space Race Animals in space Space policy China European Union United States Applications Earth observation satellite Reconnaissance satellite Weather satellite Private spaceflight Satellite navigation Space archaeology Space architecture Space colonization Space exploration Space medicine Space nursing Space research Space technology Space tourism on the Moon Human spaceflight General Astronaut Life support system Extravehicular activity Space suit Hazards Effect of spaceflight on the human body Space adaptation syndrome Health threat from cosmic rays Psychological and sociological effects of spaceflight Space and survival Space weather Weightlessness Major projects Vostok Mercury Voskhod Gemini Soyuz Apollo Skylab Apollo–Soyuz Test Project Space Shuttle Mir International Space Station Shenzhou Spacecraft Launch vehicle Robotic spacecraft Rocket Satellite Self-replicate Space observatory Space probe Spacecraft propulsion Spaceplane Destinations Sub-orbital Orbital Geocentric Geosynchronous Interplanetary Interstellar Intergalactic Space launch Direct ascent Escape velocity Expendable and reusable launch systems Launch pad Non-rocket spacelaunch Spaceport Space agencies ASI CNES CNSA CSA DLR ESA ISRO JAXA NASA RKA ISA Ground segment Flight controller Ground station (Pass) Mission control center   Category   Portal   WikiProject