Behavioral Health and Performance Operations and Research in Human Spaceflight

Source-supplied abstract

The Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) Operations and BHP Laboratory teams at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) are advancing capabilities critical to the next era of human space exploration. Together, these teams share a unified goal: to promote optimal behavioral health and performance of astronauts across all phases of mission execution. This goal is realized through a strong bi-directional integration of operations and research—operational experience guides research priorities, and research findings directly inform and strengthen clinical, training, and operational practices with astronauts. As NASA progresses toward the Artemis missions and prepares for exploration beyond Low Earth Orbit, the BHP community is undertaking essential foundational work to support mission success in increasingly complex and demanding environments. This panel will highlight recent advancements and ongoing efforts across key operational and research domains that directly support exploration-class missions. Within the Space Medicine Division, the BHP Operations team plays a central role in astronaut selection, training, and behavioral healthcare services for astronauts and their families, as well as long-term surveillance of behavioral health outcomes following separation from NASA. In parallel, the BHP Laboratory conducts research across spaceflight and analog platforms to address behavioral health, team functioning, and sleep–circadian risks associated with future exploration missions. The panel will feature five presentations that blend educational content with current research findings. One presentation will provide an overview of recent BHP contributions to NASA’s astronaut applicant screening process, highlighting collaborative advancements with the Astronaut Office to select Astronaut Candidates (ASCANs) likely to support future lunar and Mars missions. A second presentation will describe the development and implementation of Exploration Skills Training for newly selected ASCANs and for astronauts awaiting mission assignment. A third presentation will summarize data collected through the BHP Laboratory’s contributions to the Human Research Program’s Exploration Standard Measures initiative. A fourth presentation will describe emerging BHP Laboratory research efforts that contribute to the development of the new EVA/Lunar spacesuit. The fifth presentation will address BHP Operations’ occupational health surveillance of former astronauts, including key findings and the importance of this work in informing risk mitigation strategies for astronauts completing long-duration exploration missions.

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