[FPSPACE] FYI: "From Aelita to the International Space Station"

[dconst+@pyrrhus.cimds.ri.cmu.edu]

From: Peter Pesavento

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Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen...

A current topic of discussion has been whether Humankind is ready to go to
Mars.  There has been much written about the topic, particularly about the
hardware and propulsive concepts and trip times and so on.  But not much has
been issued in the general public realm about perhaps the most limiting
factor for such missions--the human beings themselves.

The next issue of Quest, the Quarterly Magazine of the History of Spaceflight
is due out in the near future, and an article authored by me with the title
"From Aelita to the International Space Station: the Psychological and Social
Effects of Isolation on Earth and in Space" will be appearing in this issue
labeled 8-2.  The article will provide information--much previously
unpublished in periodical form (in one place), and some previously unpublished
in English--about the experiences of both Russian and American participants in
such efforts.  It will cover psychological issues, food, social interactions
between crews and Earth control and between each other (including a special
section dealing with mixed gender interactions).  Other topics will also be
covered that are germaine as well, including sexuality in space.  The piece
includes interviews/Q&As conducted by me. The article has 75+ references....