Psychology of Space Exploration
International Space Station (ISS), put into service in 2000, must be regarded as
just one further step toward a much bigger endeavor: human exploratory missions
into outer space and the establishment of human outposts on other celestial bodies
of the solar system. This effort might include a return to the Moon and the estab-
lishment of a lunar station for permanent occupation, as well as flights of humans
to our neighbor planet Mars. Technology is just one important aspect of such long-
duration space missions. Beyond that, there is no doubt that different biomedical
and psychological factors might represent important limitations to the success of
the missions.
The chapters presented in this volume and publications elsewhere demonstrate
advances in our understanding of challenges related to human spaceflights. Yet a
number of issues remain that require additional investigation. This is particularly
the case in regard to long-duration exploratory space missions to the Moon and
Mars, which to some extent can be expected to involve the same range of psycho-
logical issues and risks that have been reported from long-duration orbital flights,
simulation studies, and expeditions into analog environments. Nonetheless, mis-
sions to Mars will add a new dimension to the history of human expeditions into
terrae incognitae with respect to the distance and duration of travel. Such missions
might not be comparable to any other undertaking humans have ever attempted
because of the long distance of travel, the duration of constant dependence upon
automated life-support systems, the degree of isolation and confinement, and the
lack of short-term rescue possibilities in case of emergencies. Current knowledge
about human adaptation under these conditions is very limited, but predictions
about the emergence of certain psychological issues can be extrapolated from Earth-
based analogs and studies, as well as previous spaceflights. For example, historical
expeditions to unknown parts of the world parallel some of the human require-
ments associated with future interplanetary missions. In addition, studies of person-
nel wintering over on Antarctic research stations, such as the Concordia station,
in which the European Space Agency (ESA) has been involved in recent years,
may provide highly useful data in such fields as telemedicine as well as psychophys-
iological reactions and group dynamics associated with isolation and lack of evac-
uation possibilities. A 500-day space simulation study in hyperbaric chambers is
currently under way to model the living conditions of crews on future Mars mis-
sions. While these earthbound analogs provide interesting platforms for research,
a much more detailed understanding of the concrete scientific and operational