Microgravity on a trip to Mars might leave astronauts emotionally impaired
A new study looking at mental function in volunteers taking part in a long-term simulation of microgravity has results that raise questions about impaired cognition and emotional function during long space voyages.
One of the many challenges with sending humans to Mars is the psychological stamina that will be required. A dangerous six-month voyage in a small spacecraft, with isolation far more extreme than that experienced by astronauts on the International Space Station, will create significant psychological and emotional strain.
And microgravity — when astronauts experience the feeling of weightlessness — may aggravate some of that strain by skewing astronauts' perception of the emotional state of their fellow travellers, according to the new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology.
Skewed emotional perception in astronauts could create interpersonal stresses that could impair the efficiency of the astronaut team, according to the researchers.
