I invite you all to stand up, and stand on one leg. Close your eyes.

You might have lost your balance. Open your eyes and imagine
you’re in a spacesuit floating outside of the space station. You can see earth next to you and the stars twinkling all around. Your sight
is connecting you to the only survivable habit in space. Suddenly there is searing pain in your eyes, you can no longer see. You are
blind in the vacuum of space. You realize you have no idea how to get back inside the space station. Your instinct is to panic.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield went blind during a spacewalk, but he didn’t panic, he actually tried to keep working.

Hadfield’s extensive training and NASA’s preparation saved the mission. Hadfield practiced and prepared for every thing that could
go wrong. Allow me to explain.

Hello, my name is Grace Whitken and I’m about to tell you more about space psychology than you ever wanted to know. I wanted to
research space psychology for 4 broad reasons.

Personally, my love of the many series of Star Trek inspired in me a desire to go to space. My life goal is to go to Mars.

Physically, overpopulation requires that civilization must spread to other planets if we are to maintain healthy living conditions.

Climate change and global warming threaten the future of the human race on Earth. While it's true humans caused these problems,
there is no visible motion to stop it by politicians, billionaires, or particularly powerful people.
Except for Mr. Beast maybe.

Scientifically, Mars could be our next home or prove that we are not alone in the universe; it’s the next step to all of our future
exploration.

So what does psychology have to do with space? The simple answer: healthy astronauts equals efficient success. Astronauts must be
able to fix any problems that arise and perform well under high stress. Their ability to do so is compromised if their mental health is
not properly maintained.

In space there is no day-night cycle that regulates our circadian rhythm and sleep patterns. It is easy to forget stimuli such as sunlight
in space. Astronauts are put at heightened physical risk when exposed to the weightless environment of space. Risks include muscle
and bone atrophy, carcinogenic effects of radiation, changes in vision, and more. The confined habitats in space are contaminated by
CO2 the astronauts breathe out, contributing to increased irritability.

On extended missions, astronauts will be separated from their families; the crew will be forced to manage all conflict. Astronauts’
large workload and busy schedule provided by space agencies contributes to daily stress and little separation between leisure and
work. Psychologically, for long- and short-term mission, astronauts face depression, anxiety, sleep dysfunctions, grief from missing
family, pressure to understand multiple disciplines, and fear of the many risks associated with their work. Some would say
psychologists are a pivotal crew member on any extended missions.

In the 1960’s NASA was working on the Gemini and Apollo programs. The Gemini capsule was intimately small and shared by two
pilots. NASA didn’t attempt to ensure any physical boundaries for the crew. On Apollo 13, the crew was forced to inhabit the Lunar
Module for 4 days. The LM was designed to support two people for only two days. The crew’s ability to adapt and endure and the
hard work of experts at NASA saved the mission. If one or more of the crew had been unable to help the situation due to mental
trauma, they all could have died.

Astronauts trained for short minute periods on a plane flying in the shape of a parabola.
The way astronauts train has changed a lot since the early 60’s as well. A plane taking parabolic flight simulates microgravity at the
vertex. This is how astronauts trained until the mid- to late-60’s when they began practicing underwater in scuba gear, reflecting
NASA’s realization that preparation is of the utmost importance.

Currently, astronauts receive individual and family assistance, training for high-risk environments and extended durations,
conferencing with counselors, care from clinical psychologists and psychiatrists, and consultations on rest, work, and fatigue.
Additionally, the Behavioral Health team conducts a strict selection process designed to weed out applicants unfit for the conditions of
space travel.

My research is based around this question: what can we do to prevent the negative psychological effects of long term space travel on
astronauts? The answer is somewhat complicated. I have found that constant communication with Earth, perpetual access to
psychological/psychiatric care, and a practice of maintaining positive group dynamics are the best way to ensure the mental health of
astronauts. However, the 40 minute communication delay between the Earth and Mars complicates matters.

In an interview, Dr. Tom Williams, Element Scientist for the Behavioral Health Team at NASA, discussed the 5 major hazards of long
term space travel: radiation (which affects the brain), isolation and confinement, distance from Earth, physical changes to the
astronauts, and a hazardous closed environment (meaning high CO2 levels and such).

All of the major risks involved in long term space travel are affected by or affect the crew’s mental health, however Dr. Williams
believes that the selection process and the training that the astronauts will receive is enough to keep them psychologically healthy. Dr.
Williams also commented on the ineffectiveness of AI psychologists because they lack the connection needed to establish accurate
diagnoses.

Early on I realized that space travel is the future of the human race. As a people who strive for progress, we tend to go above and
beyond. Space travel would still be “impossible” if it weren’t for the astronauts who proved it was in fact possible.

Mental health is an essential part of our future and the preservation of our beautifully diverse culture.

There’s no doubt that there will be humans on Mars, however, those humans may be very different from you and me.