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Abstract:Space science has been developed with a long-term perspective beyond missions on the
Earth’s orbit, the International Space Station (ISS) and Shenzhou. While space tourism is
a commercial project, NASA’s SpaceX is considering innovative missions for the moon
station and Mars in the 2030s. The major hazards of radiation, microgravity, distance from
Earth and hostile environments will be technologically addressed for the biological and
physiological safety of human spaceflight. However, prolonged isolation in space was not
the key issue of past missions but nevertheless critically affected psychological and
behavioural changes. How can we enhance future astronauts’ mental well-being? What
methodology would be efficient for outer space travel? Are space agencies’ gender policies
still valuable? If not, how can they be reconsidered in risk management? Since insecurity
illogically leads to the internal circumstances of solitude, fear, anxiety, low morale,
negativity, unwillingness and longing for family, this paper explores the significance of
spaceship community life in the context of gender equality. The physiological
characteristics of future astronauts (around late twenties to early forties) are evaluated in
relation to sexual nature for 2.5–3 years. The paper argues a feasible hypothesis as a
competitive prerequisite of confinement and isolation that, in the secured system of STEM
and medical environments, the application of ‘couple astronaut theory’ could be an
alternative countermeasure for the resilience, safety and success of deep space exploration. |