Human behavior and performance in deep space exploration: next challenges and research gaps.

Area of Science:

• Space psychology
• Human spaceflight research
• Behavioral science in extreme environments

Background:

• Space exploration is expanding beyond low Earth orbit to destinations like the Moon and Mars.
• These long-duration missions introduce novel psychological, behavioral, and team dynamics challenges for astronauts.
• Existing scientific knowledge needs to be synthesized to address these emerging challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and map unfilled research gaps in space exploration psychology.
• To provide an up-to-date overview of scientific knowledge relevant to astronaut psychology.
• To guide future research endeavors supporting human space exploration.

Main Methods:

• Development of a white paper by a European expert team.
• Synthesis of available scientific knowledge on space exploration psychology.
• Identification of research needs for pre-, during-, and post-mission phases.

Main Results:

• An integrative map of research gaps in space psychology has been created.
• Key issues of adaptation, mission experiences, and countermeasures are addressed.
• The white paper highlights areas requiring further investigation for astronaut support.

Conclusions:

• Addressing psychological and behavioral challenges is crucial for successful long-duration space missions.
• The identified research gaps provide a roadmap for future space psychology studies.
• This work supports the development of effective countermeasures to ensure astronaut well-being.