Assessments of astronaut effectiveness

Area of Science:

• Human factors in aerospace
• Psychological assessment in high-risk professions

Background:

• Effective astronaut performance is critical for mission success.
• Objective measures for evaluating astronaut effectiveness are needed for selection and training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the reliability and convergent validity of peer and supervisory ratings for NASA astronaut effectiveness.
• To explore the relationship between these ratings and flight assignments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three distinct methods for peer and supervisory ratings.
• Analyzed the correlation between rating factors and astronaut flight assignments.

Main Results:

• Peer and supervisory rating methods demonstrated reliability and convergent validity.
• Seniority and a peer-rated Performance and Competence factor strongly correlated with flight assignments.
• Supervisor ratings and a peer-rated Group Living and Personality factor showed no significant association with flight assignments.

Conclusions:

• Peer ratings, particularly those focusing on performance and competence, are valuable for predicting flight assignments.
• Supervisor ratings may require refinement or different focus areas for astronaut selection and training.
• Findings inform astronaut selection criteria and training program development.