Managing Negative Interactions in Space Crews: The Role of Simulator Researchus to measure the quality of the interactions among the participants. Answering
these questions required that we conduct an experiment; we decided to conduct
two simulated flights with equivalent groups. The flights would have to be essen-
tially identical except that one group (the experimental group) would get pre-
flight training in effective group behavior techniques, and the other group (the
control group) would spend the same preflight time in a placebo treatment with-
out group training.
The two groups would not know whether they were the experimental or con-
trol group. The groups would have to be observed during the simulation. They did
know that they would be observed by cameras and microphones placed so as to sur-
vey the entire interior except in the airlock and the toilet. (Participants changed
clothes and “bathed” in the airlock with moist towels that were warmed in a micro-
wave oven.) The participants could also be observed through a one-way window
that appeared to be a mirror on their side. Participants soon were oblivious to being
observed, as was often demonstrated when an observer on the outside would be star-
tled by a participant suddenly using the one-way window as the mirror it appeared
to be on the inside.
In an effort to recruit participants who would approximate the kinds of peo-
ple who might book a spaceflight, we contacted a travel company that booked
adventure travel tours such as to Antarctica and got from them the demographics
of the people who book such tours. We then advertised in a local paper for volun-
teers to act as participants in a simulated space “vacation.” Those applying would
have to commit to participating for 48 hours, from 5 p.m. on a Friday evening until
5 p.m. on the following Sunday evening. Six passengers were selected for each of
the two groups: they ranged in age from 34 to 72, half of them were men and half
were women, and each group had one married couple. In addition, each group
had its own two-member crew, a white male and a black female. We knew of no
spaceflight simulation study that involved such diversity of age, gender, and eth-
nicity involving civilians resembling those who might one day be involved in space
travel. Participants wore their own light sport clothing and soft slippers or warm
socks because, as they were informed, in space, where people will be floating about
and might bump into others or delicate equipment, shoes would not be worn. The
crewmembers were mature college students who were recruited and trained ahead
of time. They wore uniforms similar to NASA-type coveralls. They were unaware
of the fact that there were two groups and of the variables being studied.