Group dynamics in long term blind endeavors on earth as an analog for remote space missions (lewis & clark expedition, 1803 – 1806, dynamic analysis)

Paper number

IAC-06-A1.P.1.01

Author

Mr. Matthew Allner, University of North Dakota, United States

Coauthor

Dr. Vadim Rygalov, University of North Dakota, United States

Coauthor

Ms. Kaily Bell-McGrath, Student, United States

Year

2006

Abstract

Looking back at exploration events on Earth, such as Magellan Round The Globe Expedition or Lewis and Clark Expedition (which was the exploring North American Continent), there are many similarities to experiences (including social-psychological and mental) future human space explorers will face when colonizing the Moon and travel to Mars and beyond (NASA Vision for Space Exploration, 2004).  These Expeditions: 
- Lasted over years, involving relatively small crews (small group dynamics);  
- Were far away from customary comfortable environments known to Western Europeans in early 18th and later centuries;  
- Involved remotely confined high-perceived risk environments with high levels of uncertainty providing stresses and every day challenges for crew; 
- Brought limited supplies (mainly mass/weight issue rather than cost), therefore discovery and use of environmental resources (In-Situ Resource Utilization approach, including info-resources to mitigate uncertainty) was necessary for survival.
  
Environments astronauts will encounter in space and on the Moon and Mars (due to high risk and uncertainty) will be in many aspects similar to what Magellan’s or Lewis and Clark’s crews experienced, as environments will be hostile and unforgiving if problems arise. The analysis provided is specifically interesting because those expeditions needed to move extensively and with minimal supplies.  Polar remote settings, which were analyzed extensively (Stuster, 1996), were different from Earth exploratory expeditions because they did not encompass extensive movement of crew facilities and supplies and were more like space missions orbiting the Earth. A dynamic phase analysis of the expeditions (supported by attempts of math modeling for uncertainty level in relation to small group current status) shows the existence of at least three critical group dynamic development phases of the expeditions when risk of failure increases dramatically: 
- early-mission (when leadership is tested and crew uncertainty for the future is maximal); 
- mid-mission (when fatigue accumulation from everyday challenging routines and monotony decreases crew performance); 
- late-mission (when expedition resources including Human Factor potential are depleted).  

Understanding leadership qualities of expedition leaders and relations established and maintained between leaders and crew, the selection and diversity of their crew, and the group dynamics that were developed and maintained so carefully during the expedition is important.  With this knowledge and understanding one can gain insights useful in planning and preparing for future long-duration space exploratory missions with high level of autonomy, mobility, minimal primary life support supply and high dependence on material re-circulation and ISRU approach.    

Abstract document

IAC-06-A1.P.1.01.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-A1.P.1.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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