PubMed · 1973 · 32 citations · 0 references
NursingPhysiologyPsychologyAstrobiologyEnvironmental PsychologyPsychophysiologyConfined Space HazardsHuman HealthReturn Of AstronautsSpace ExplorationDaily Life PerformanceEnvironmental Psychology Of SpaceFlight
Spaceflight has accumulated thousands of hours of human exposure, yet data remain limited, revealing that weightlessness causes physiological and operational effects that will be amplified on long missions and that habitability challenges—psychological stress, hygiene, and waste management—lack satisfactory solutions. The study aims to sketch the biological responses to microgravity and establish a foundation for future research on long‑duration spaceflight. The authors review in‑flight and ground‑based conclusions and outline future requirements for prolonged missions. The review finds that, despite adaptive physiological changes, astronauts return without lasting pathology, but weightlessness imposes operational challenges, and the authors identify knowledge gaps and propose solutions.
The Russian and American space programs have consisted of several thousands of hours of exposure of man to the space environment. In spite of numerous biological phenomena of adaptation observed, the space travellers have displayed, after their return, no enduring pathological effect. Although the usable data remain too limited to reflect fully the effects of space flight, it is possible to sketch the biological responses in the absence of gravity and to define the work bases for the future. Beyond its basic physiological effects, weightlessness has operational consequences in the daily life of the astronauts. These consequences will be still more evident during missions of long duration. The conclusions drawn in flight as well as on the ground are reviewed, and future requirements concerning prolonged flights are outlined. The gaps in actual knowledge are discussed and solutions are suggested. The problems of habitability are considered, particularly those which remain at present without satisfactory solutions: psychological responses to a confined life, cleaning, hygiene, and used material.