Isolation and confinement: analysis of the human performance of an analog crew in space analog simulation

Abstract

Crew members on analog missions participate in simulated space missions that experience isolation and confinement in order to educate and conduct science, technology, engineering, and other experiments. These analog crew members are typically students or individuals seeking careers in space science and industry. This article describes the first lunar analog simulation carried out by military professionals from the Colombian Air Force, a mission that was designed to provide efficient training for future operations that are aimed at developing the national astronaut training program in Colombia. The THOR (Team of Human Operation Research) mission was carried out in August 2022, with the support of a Mission Control Center (MCC), a seven-day analog isolation and confinement mission whose objective was to promote cognitive development, physical, physiological, psychological and technological during this simulated space mission. The THOR mission was the 50th mission of the Analog Astronaut Training Center (AATC), it was divided into a crew within the habitat composed of 5 analog crew members with specific roles based on their experience, background and appropriate to the roles provided by the AATC , and two additional external crew members who provided remote support and external investigation. During the mission period, tests such as spatial learning, working memory, abstraction, sensory-motor speed, spatial orientation, emotion identification, abstract reasoning, risk decision making, team dynamics, quality and quantity of sleep, were performed. Fatigue scores, R-R interval, using wrist actigraphy and anthropometry, psychomotor alertness, time perception, and critical habitat tasks were measured by simulating a short mission to the lunar surface using the NASA-TLX survey, as well as the Brainess mobile apps. and Subjective Time Perception. Subjects were exposed to cryotherapy and accelerations.