Four Legs in the Morning: Issues in Crew-Quarter Design for Long-Duration Space Facilities

Abstract

<div class="htmlview paragraph"><i>In designing habitats for long-duration space missions, one of the primary issues to address is that of sleep spaces, commonly known as Crew Quarters</i>.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"><i>While ergonomic design plays a major role in short-duration crew quarters (CQ) design, longer term missions must take into account the significant effect which environmental factors have on crew productivity; to that end, the establishment of private space for each individual crew member, as well as a range of semiprivate work and rest areas represents a significant departure from established norms in space habitat design</i>.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"><i>Both for proposed planetary habitats and microgravity habitats, various systems must be studied to enhance the wellbeing of the crewmembers. Improved lighting, color, and acoustic environments as well as the introduction of diurnal simulation systems, virtual windows, flexible partitions and other potential innovations are being investigated by the Space Habitation Design Group as means of developing efficient, high-acceptability crew accommodations</i>.</div>