America's first astronauts underwent extensive psychological testing and psychiatric evaluation. Monitoring on subsequent flights revealed no psychological abnormalities that could contribute to a life threatening or mission abort situation. However, current long-duration missions and more heterogeneous crews increase the possibility that behavioral issues will impact mission success and crew safety. For example, deterioration of individual coping skills over time could lead to stress-induced anxiety, crew or crew/ground control conflict, and psychosomatic complaints.
The mission of Wyle's Behavioral Health & Performance Section is to identify psychiatric, psychological, psychosocial and psychophysiological factors that could impact extended-duration space missions and to develop countermeasures to facilitate adaptation to the space environment.
Wyle's Behavioral Health & Performance Section is responsible for supporting astronauts and their family members during all mission phases. Wyle personnel assist the astronauts in monitoring and maintaining their behavioral health, well-being, and performance during ISS missions.
Wyle employees provide psychological support for astronauts and their families through training that prepares astronauts and their families for the effects for long-duration missions. Wyle personnel develop care packages, recreational materials, and electronic photo albums, monitor crew health in flight and coordinate private psychological conferences and communication between the crew and their families. The Behavioral Health & Performance Section is further extending its services to the ground-based analogue studies conducted in the Bed Rest and Artificial Gravity projects. This includes performing psychological assessment of applicants, training and psychological and psychiatric support and monitoring services during each campaign that can last for several weeks to several months.
As NASA extends its mission to exploration, Wyle’s Behavioral Health & Performance Section is assisting NASA in defining salient behavioral research goals that are critical to mission success. Understanding and preparing for the behavioral stresses of exploration missions has been identified to be one the keys to having humans complete these missions safely and successfully. In addition, Wyle personnel assist NASA by coordinating and implementing testing and psychological interviews during the astronaut selection process.
For more information, please contact Wyle at:
service@wyle.com