Submitting Campus
Worldwide
Department
Aeronautics
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication/Presentation Date
5-15-2025
Abstract/Description
SpaceX mission and the Polaris Program extended astronaut competencies and skills, suggesting mixing traditional practices with pioneering methods. The current astronaut symbolizes a progression, integrating old skills with evolving competencies. While maintaining core technical and scientific aptitudes, today’s astronauts or space explorers must demonstrate mastery in autonomous operations, cross-cultural collaboration, and navigation between governmental and commercial space protocols. Current training practices echo this change, emphasizing resilience for prolonged isolation, self-governing management proficiencies, and competence throughout distinct spacecraft systems. This chapter explores the fundamental human qualities that drive successful space exploration: resilience, curiosity, collaboration, and hope. We highlight how these vital traits facilitate mission success and technological innovation by analyzing astronaut training, mission experiences, and personal transformation. Understanding these human factors becomes vital for future mission design and crew selection as humanity stands at the threshold of permanent lunar presence and Mars exploration.
Publication Title
The Human Element in Advancing 21st-Century Space Exploration - Human Space Exploration Benefits to Humanity
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1010684
Publisher
InTechOpen
AERO Commons Citation
Halawi, L., Miller, M., & Holley, S. (2025). The Human Element in Space Exploration – Embodying Our Highest Values. In The Human Element in Advancing 21st-Century Space Exploration - Human Space Exploration Benefits to Humanity. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1010684 Copy to clipboard
Included in
Health Psychology Commons, Human Factors Psychology Commons, Space Habitation and Life Support Commons
