Coping with the Problems of Space Flight: Reports from Astronauts and Cosmonauts

Paper number

IAC-07-A1.1.07

Author

Dr. Peter Suedfeld, The University of British Columbia, Canada

Year

2007

Abstract

Autobiographies, memoirs, interviews, and oral histories of 45 spaceflight veterans from various countries were content analyzed to assess their reported coping strategies in each phase (before, during, and after) of their space mission.  Comparisons were made on the basis of: national origin, gender, historical period of space exploration (Early, up to and including Apollo vs. since Apollo), and longest flight duration (up to two weeks vs. more than 6 months).  
Coping strategies were identified by trained scorers whenever the material indicated that a problem had occurred and a solution was sought or applied.  Coping was scored in all relevant contexts (e.g., technical, interpersonal, medical).  Strategies were classified as Problem-Oriented (Confrontation, Escape/Avoidance, Seeking Social Support, Endurance/Effort, etc.) vs. Emotion-Oriented (Compartmentalization, Denial, Positive Reappraisal, etc.).  Relying for solutions on Luck and Supernatural Protection were added to the standard list of strategies (REFS).  Problem-oriented strategies predominated in all three mission phases.
Seeking Social Support (SSS), Planful Problem Solving, and Endurance/Effort were the most common strategies over all; Compartmentalization, Denial, and reliance on Supernatural Protection were the least common.  SSS was particularly high among international astronauts (those from third countries who flew with either American or Soviet/Russian spacecrews), especially during flight.  They also made many references to Luck, especially prior to their mission.  Only Russian cosmonauts referred to any strategy more frequently than SSS; their highest ranked approach in all three phases of their assignments was Planful Problem Solving.  The earliest astronauts were significantly more likely to use Denial as a coping mechanism than those active during later historical periods of spaceflight.  Interview data referred to Planful Problem Solving more than did the other kinds of source materials, a difference perhaps due to the relatively spontaneous nature of interview responses as opposed to memoirs and oral histories.
The findings indicate the importance of mutual reliance and cooperation within space crews, for whom social support is at least as important as cognitive (planned) problem-solving.  It also highlights the anomalous position of third-country crew members.  Interestingly, there were no major differences in coping strategies between male and female astronauts, nor between those engaged in missions of short vs. long durations.

Abstract document

IAC-07-A1.1.07.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-A1.1.07.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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