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Aerospace
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Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission
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Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission

A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Astronautics & Space Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 8510

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Vadim Gushin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 76A Khoroshevskoye Shosse, 123007 Moscow, Russia
Interests: social psychology; space psychology; psychological support under extreme environments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

If you are discussing astronauts’ behavior, you must always mention at least three issues.

One is permanent stress caused by the threat to life and health, sensory and social deprivation, monotony, isolation and confinement. Therefore, when we speak about astronauts, we have to speak about coping with stress. Their behavior is determined by the effectiveness of their coping strategies, by their choice to avoid stress, to escape or to resolve the existing problems.

The second issue is the objective of every space flight. It is not an objective of the traveler, just to observe. They have to work in space to survive, to run life-supporting systems in their spaceship. Therefore, discussing behavior in space, we cannot help but mention professional performance and all the factors that determine success. They are cognitive skills, stamina, resilience, motivation, etc. Monitoring of the astronaut inflight is always targeted at their working capacity, performance mistakes, fatigue, sleep quality, etc.

The third issue is teamwork. Now, on the ISS, we have cross-cultural mixed-gender crews of at least four people that have to cooperate, avoid conflicts and behave as a cohesive team. They also should effectively interact with Mission Control Center specialists, that, on the one hand, give the crew recommendations, helping it to live and perform, but, on the other hand, they are astronaut supervisors, monitoring all their mistakes, both in behavior and performance. Therefore, the crew member, communicating with Earth, always takes into consideration that his future career depends on the opinion of MCC.

Finally, speaking about astronauts’ behavior, countermeasures must be taken into account, so-called psychological support. Thus, we also have to discuss how these measures work as well as when and how to use them.

Articles devoted to these issues are especially valuable now when human astronautics is preparing for the next step in its development, to interplanetary flights. We know now how to behave and perform in low Earth orbit but we need answers for how to live and work on another planets. 

Dr. Vadim Gushin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Aerospace is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • space stress
  • coping
  • isolation
  • confinement
  • professional performance
  • countermeasures
  • team work
  • crew communication

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1584 KiB  
Article
The Communicative Behavior of Russian Cosmonauts: “Content” Space Experiment Result Generalization
by Dmitry Shved, Natalia Supolkina and Anna Yusupova
Aerospace 2024, 11(2), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11020136 - 04 Feb 2024
Viewed by 737
Abstract
The increasing complexity of the space flight program and the increase in the duration of missions require an improvement in psychological monitoring tools for astronauts in orbit. This article summarizes the experience of using quantitative content analysis of communication between the crews and [...] Read more.
The increasing complexity of the space flight program and the increase in the duration of missions require an improvement in psychological monitoring tools for astronauts in orbit. This article summarizes the experience of using quantitative content analysis of communication between the crews and the Mission Control Center (MCC). This method allows us to assess the dynamics of an astronaut’s psycho-emotional state, identify their communicative style, and detect the communication phenomena of board-MCC communication. The method is based on a combination of the coping strategies approach by Lazarus and Folkman as well as B.F. Lomov’s concept about the three functions of communication. We found the influence of workload on the structure and volume of communication, defined the main stable communication styles of crewmembers, and confirmed the presence of the emotional transfer phenomenon. We detected that astronauts successfully solve problems that arise in orbit using the capabilities of their communication style. An ineffective MCC communication style usually leads to psycho-emotional ill-being, manifesting in the emotional transfer phenomenon. The presence of the “third-quarter” phenomenon was not confirmed by materials from six-month space flights. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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21 pages, 5902 KiB  
Article
Mapping of Communication in Space Crews
by Radvan Bahbouh, Eva Hoschlova, Michal Huzva and Katerina Bernardova Sykorova
Aerospace 2024, 11(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace11010045 - 31 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1250
Abstract
(1) Background: Starting in 1993, the sociomapping method was used in the Czech Army to map communication. After initial pilot tests in military aviation, where we verified the reliability and validity of the basic subjective scales (for example, by correlations with physiological data), [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Starting in 1993, the sociomapping method was used in the Czech Army to map communication. After initial pilot tests in military aviation, where we verified the reliability and validity of the basic subjective scales (for example, by correlations with physiological data), this method was utilized for communication mapping in the HUBES (Human Behavior in Extended Spaceflight) experiment conducted between 1994 and 1995, and since then has been repeatedly used in experiments simulating long-term space flights. (2) Methods: In this article, we summarize the key findings obtained through sociomapping in eight space experiments with crews including women, conducted between 2015 and 2023, including five experiments at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) and in three stages of the SIRIUS project (Scientific International Research in Unique Terrestrial Station). (3) Results: The median test-retest correlation for both the frequency and quality of communication was 0.64, ranging widely from −0.74 to 1. The quantity and quality of communication showed a moderately strong correlation (0.40). Control charts demonstrated diverse developmental trends in crew communication across the experiments. Sociomapping allowed for more detailed visualization of the structure and dynamics of communication throughout the missions, as well as the detection of subgrouping and isolation of individuals in the crews. (4) Conclusions: The experiments showed that scaled assessments of mutual communication in terms of both quantity (frequency) and quality are a reliable and valid tool that enables the capture of significant one-time fluctuations and/or long-term trends. The experiments highlighted the possibility of increased risk of significant fluctuations and gradual deterioration of communication in the second half of the mission, which, however, does not have to be the rule, especially in shorter isolations. Continuous monitoring of communication through simple rating scales allows for timely intervention and stabilization of communication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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12 pages, 1064 KiB  
Article
Gravity’s Influence on Human Motivation
by Stephanie Schoss, Oliver Ullrich, Jean-François Clervoy and David Scheffer
Aerospace 2023, 10(10), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10100848 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 620
Abstract
Earth’s mass generates a definitive Earth-vertical reference, shaping life’s evolution. Notably, these gravity models influence self-perception and the first-person viewpoint in the CNS, tied to bodily self-awareness and spatial orientation. Transitioning from Earth’s constant gravity to microgravity potentially disrupts the CNS’s gravity-representation models, [...] Read more.
Earth’s mass generates a definitive Earth-vertical reference, shaping life’s evolution. Notably, these gravity models influence self-perception and the first-person viewpoint in the CNS, tied to bodily self-awareness and spatial orientation. Transitioning from Earth’s constant gravity to microgravity potentially disrupts the CNS’s gravity-representation models, formed since birth. Our study explored if altered gravity triggers emotional and motivational responses in rapid CNS adaptations. A psychological parallel between Earth’s gravity and attachment systems in infants and adults is proposed. We measured implicit motives through vocal interactions during demanding tasks, finding that disrupted gravity impacts the implicit affiliation motive, i.e., the subconscious need to restore bonding as soon there are signals that this attachment or “gravitational” field is disrupted. As expected, this implicit need for attachment was significantly higher in the groups which experienced disrupted gravity. Causation remains unverifiable due to exploratory design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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25 pages, 4564 KiB  
Article
Application of a Psychosocial Approach to the Identification and Strengthening of Adaptation Mechanisms of Humans and a Small Social Group during the Isolation Experiment “SIRIUS 2017–2023”
by Katerina Bernardova Sykorova
Aerospace 2023, 10(9), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10090771 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 971
Abstract
TOPIC: The task of the 21st century is the implementation of manned flights in Earth’s orbit with the view to building orbital and planetary bases. This requires addressing the impacts on people and small social groups in terms of psychological, psychosocial, physiological [...] Read more.
TOPIC: The task of the 21st century is the implementation of manned flights in Earth’s orbit with the view to building orbital and planetary bases. This requires addressing the impacts on people and small social groups in terms of psychological, psychosocial, physiological and health. The author presents her own comprehensive research and intervention approach to exploring and supporting the operation of the space crew in the four-month isolation period of “SIRIUS-18/19”, which can be used in the future for manned flights into deep space. GOAL: The main goal is to present three main areas, within the implementation of social research, designed to analyze the operation of the crew in a simulated space flight: 1. WORKING CONDITIONS, WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE; 2. the STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF RELATIONSHIPS and TIES; 3. a set of other specific areas. The key outputs of the comprehensive analysis of the “SIRIUS-19” crew operations concerning the level of satisfaction with the working environment and conditions, the structure and dynamics of relationships and other specific areas are presented. The suitability of the implementation of intervention activities for isolated crews is pointed out. The purpose is to contribute to the preparation of human crews for manned flights in deep space and to reduce the risks of damage to human biopsychosocial health. METHODS: For a comprehensive analysis, a set of the author’s own questionnaire methods, verified over 25 years in the normal and extremely demanding conditions of specific professions, was used. The diagnostic and intervention method sociomapping, based on fuzzy theory and the mathematical modeling of outputs, was used for the analysis of the structure and dynamics of relationships as it is a technique suitable for the analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems. The methodology enabled the author to obtain a comprehensive view of the experimental situation from a psychosocial and sociological point of view. RESULTS: The model of the author’s analytical approach confirmed the legitimacy of its implementation in the case of isolation experiments. A comprehensive analysis of the “SIRIUS-18/19” crew’s work environment yielded outputs from the 10 main and 48 sub-areas analyzed. The analysis of the six-member, gender-mixed, multicultural crew in the area of structure and dynamics of relationships focused on 35 areas; a total of 344 sociomaps were created. The files were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using control diagrams. CONCLUSIONS: Outputs have the potential to be used in other isolation experiments as sociotechnical measures for project organizers and as verification of the need to introduce work with the crew in the form of development workshops using the sociomapping method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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14 pages, 1672 KiB  
Article
Crew Interaction in Extended Space Missions
by Alla Vinokhodova, Vadim Gushin, Polina Kuznetsova and Anna Yusupova
Aerospace 2023, 10(8), 719; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10080719 - 16 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 805
Abstract
Detection of the extent of common values in a cohesive space crew has become an important trend in modern space psychology. It is known from the works of Ch. Osgood that the semantic differential scale is a reliable way to obtain objective information [...] Read more.
Detection of the extent of common values in a cohesive space crew has become an important trend in modern space psychology. It is known from the works of Ch. Osgood that the semantic differential scale is a reliable way to obtain objective information on the emotional attitudes towards a topic of interest. Within the frame of the Russian space experiment “Interactions” on the International Space Station (ISS), a computerized survey, the Personal Self-Perception and Attitudes (PSPA), was developed for analyzing the subjects’ emotional attitudes toward their social environment. In the course of the PSPA procedure, the crewmembers rate each other and themselves (in the past, present, and future) using the criteria previously personally chosen. These criteria should be regarded as their personal values. A total of 30 subjects have already completed the study on board the ISS. The main tasks of the study are: (1) to define individual and group values and the extent of group identification reflected in sharing these values; (2) to determine the impact of cross-cultural factors on mutual perceptions and self-perceptions in space crews and with the Mission Control Center (MCC); (3) to study changes in the space crews’ group cohesiveness and structure as they are exposed to the stress of the extended space mission environment. The data obtained indicate an increase in a “psychological distance” between the crew and the MCC personnel versus increased crew cohesion. The results gained made it possible to identify the most significant categories of values common to the subjects from the professional cosmonaut group. The priority of these shared values for each subject is an important condition for the formation of a cohesive crew. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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18 pages, 2158 KiB  
Article
Psycho-Religious Experiences in Deep Space History: Astronaut’s Latent Countermeasures for Human Risk Management
by David W. Kim
Aerospace 2023, 10(7), 626; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10070626 - 10 Jul 2023
Viewed by 2130
Abstract
Current scientific developments have reached the stage where human aspirations of space exploration are not science fiction but a reality involving travelling to the Earth’s orbit, the Moon and Mars. In the second half of the twentieth century, international space agencies (like NASA, [...] Read more.
Current scientific developments have reached the stage where human aspirations of space exploration are not science fiction but a reality involving travelling to the Earth’s orbit, the Moon and Mars. In the second half of the twentieth century, international space agencies (like NASA, European Space Agency, and Russia) witnessed the professional experiments of official and commercial space projects, gradually unveiling the universe’s secrets. Astronautical research has predominantly been developed within the context of advanced materialism. The astronauts’ physical health has been protected by the technology of space medicine, while the socio-cultural aspect of psychological well-being was less regarded. As space-travel time is getting longer and more solitary, the evaluation of the mental environment of the astronauts during space travel or in technical crisis is necessary. Also, can the private sphere of astronauts help the public sphere of space safety or security? When and how can religious behaviour (or psycho-religious potentiality) be effective in the space community of long-term missions? This paper explores the sacred experiences of past astronauts in the non-scientific aspects of fearlessness, courage, stability, and confidence. It argues a new hypothesis that while the space team can theoretically depend on the visual and systematic data of the latest information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI), the success of deep space missions (including Mars exploration), in terms of human risk management, is not always irrelevant to the strength of individual spirituality as an internal countermeasure of self-positivity in absolute hope. Furthermore, this aspect can be proved in the case studies of the American Christians’ willpower, Papal support, spontaneous Jewish astronauts, the institutional cooperation of the Russian Orthodox Church and its government, and the commitments of Asian and Islamic astronauts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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12 pages, 1316 KiB  
Article
Medical Support for Space Missions: The Case of the SIRIUS Project
by Stefania Fedyay, Arslan Niiazov, Sergey Ponomarev, Aleksei Polyakov, Mark Belakovskiy and Oleg Orlov
Aerospace 2023, 10(6), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10060518 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1132
Abstract
Medical support is one of the essential safety conditions for isolation or confinement experiments, as it enables the timely arrangement of actions to preserve the health of crew members and volunteers. Such analog experiments allow the testing of prospective medical technologies and methods [...] Read more.
Medical support is one of the essential safety conditions for isolation or confinement experiments, as it enables the timely arrangement of actions to preserve the health of crew members and volunteers. Such analog experiments allow the testing of prospective medical technologies and methods for health support in long-term space missions and on-planet stations. In the current paper, we report the results of the medical control within the medical support system of the two model isolation experiments of the SIRIUS series, lasting for 4 and 8 months, respectively. The results indicate the prevalence of headache complaints, skin inflammatory reactions, and sleep disturbance during the longer confinement experiment. In addition, signs of vitamin D deficiency were revealed in 10 of the 12 objects. The data exchange with the scientific branch of the experiments provides for the in-time detection of early symptoms of disease, using samples of blood, urine, saliva, epithelia, etc. However, the issues of medical data confidence and, subsequently, of the crew members’ compliance with the medical staff, become pointed. In general, the work demonstrates the expediency of the investigations, including the data collection and analysis of the medical control indicators in further experiments, for the optimization of the medical support of both the analogous research projects and the development of the recommendations for the medical support of small autonomous groups, such as manned space missions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Behaviors in Space Exploration Mission)
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