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Psychological and sociological effects of space flight are important to understanding how to successfully achieve the goals of long-duration expeditionary missions. Although robotic spacecraft have landed on Mars , plans have also been discussed for a human expedition , perhaps in the 2030s, [ 1 ] for a return mission.
Selection, training, cohesion and psychosocial adaptation influence performance and, as such, are relevant factors to consider while preparing for costly, long-duration [clarification needed] spaceflight missions in which the performance objectives will be demanding, endurance will be tested and success will be critical.
Space psychology refers to applying psychology to advise human spaceflight.This includes applying industrial and organizational psychology to team selection, individual and team mental preparation, team training, and ongoing psychological support, [1] and applying human factors and ergonomics to the construction of spacecraft to ensure sufficient habitability.
MARS-500 was intended to study the psychological, physiological, and technological challenges inherent to long-duration space flight. Among other hurdles to overcome, the experiment examined the physiological effects of long-term weightlessness, the effectiveness of resource management, and the effects of isolation in a hermetically sealed environment.
The overview effect is a cognitive shift [Note 1] reported by some astronauts while viewing the Earth from space. [2] Researchers have characterized the effect as "a state of awe with self-transcendent qualities, precipitated by a particularly striking visual stimulus". [ 3 ]
As space debris increases, scientists are worried about collisions that could eventually clog up Earth’s orbit, posing a threat to astronauts, space missions and other satellites, according to NASA.
Ten research teams are assembled to conduct an integrated research on the change on physiological, molecular and cognitive level after exposing to long-duration spaceflight. The study also required the astronauts to keep a journal, and investigated the psychological effects of living in a confined space for an extended length of time.
American astronaut Marsha Ivins demonstrates the effects of microgravity on her hair in space. The effects of spaceflight on the human body are complex and largely harmful over both short and long term. [1] Significant adverse effects of long-term weightlessness include muscle atrophy and deterioration of the skeleton (spaceflight osteopenia). [2]