Scientists have considered how to make space habitats not only safe for humans, but also sufficiently comfortable to live in. They have offered several recommendations on how these modules could support the psychological health of their inhabitants.
What Should a Space Habitat Be Like?
As phys.org reports, engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have considered what a space habitat should be like in order to support astronauts’ lives in extremely hostile conditions without contributing to the development of psychological disorders.
The primary purpose of any dwelling is to protect a person from unfavorable external factors characteristic of the environment in which it is located: heat, cold, wind, water, and so on. The more extreme the conditions, the stricter the requirements for the habitat become.
Space is the most extreme environment in which humans have so far spent long periods of time. A habitat must simultaneously protect against vacuum, radiation, overheating, and overcooling, provide autonomy, and, if it is a space station, be well adapted to microgravity. These are usually the issues engineers focus on.
A Map of Psychological Comfort
In the new study, scientists turned to another problem — psychological health. Even on Earth, our long-term mental states are connected with the conditions in which we live. In space, where people will be forced to spend almost all of their time inside the same enclosed spaces, psychological health must be treated with particular care.
At the same time, factors posing direct physical danger should not be overlooked. To take all of them into account, the researchers created an interactive map showing what determines their occurrence. After that, they turned directly to psychological safety.
The scientists proceeded from the idea that our psychological health is primarily connected with the emotions we experience. In total, they identified 87 emotions and impressions that a person may experience. Of these, they selected 14 that a space habitat should help provide.
The researchers then studied the relevant literature in greater depth, identified recommendations for supporting these emotional states, and overlaid them onto the space-habitat safety map. As a result, they developed a set of design recommendations for what may eventually exist in space.
