Date of Award
December 2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Aerospace Sciences
First Advisor
Keith Crisman
Abstract
Astronauts' mental health is of significant concern for any spaceflight mission. For low-Earth orbit (LEO) spaceflights, crews are four to six hours away from home. They can still see planet Earth, and if there is an emergency, there are escape routes; however, when it comes to long-duration spaceflights millions of miles away from home, crews cannot see planet Earth, cannot turn around in an emergency and are on their own in a monotone and sterile environment. These desensitizing conditions directly impact astronauts’ psychological and psychosocial well-being. Crews must learn how to interact with each other for an extended period, considering their mental health and the other crew members' mental health, which can easily overwhelm the mind in an underwhelming environment. Using Earth-anchoring, a technique involving stimuli that allows for mental recall and nostalgia, this research intends to reconnect an individual to Earth, to possibly mitigate astronauts' psychological and psychosocial issues during long-duration spaceflights.
Recommended Citation
Schwartz, Skye Elizabeth, "An Indepth Look On Earth-Anchoring Through Architectural Treatments To Mitigate Psychological And Psychosocial Issues During Long-Duration Spaceflight" (2022). Theses and Dissertations. 4557.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/4557