Psychological Effects of Long-Duration Space Missions and Stress Amelioration Techniques

Abstract

As we observed the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the “space age,” the United States and the Soviet Union were formulating comprehensive plans to extend the human presence into space on a permanent basis. On December 29, 1987, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko returned to Earth after a record flight of more than 326 days aboard the Mir space station. In recent months, other countries have disclosed plans and concepts for Earth-orbiting space stations and have developed scenarios for human exploration and exploitation of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. One of the three major goals of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the 21st century is to “expand human presence beyond the Earth into the solar system” (Ride, 1987, p. 13).