U.S. scientists have gone underwater to develop psychological tools that can be used in space to assess stress, fatigue and cognitive fitness.
"On exploration missions, quick self tests could allow astronauts to assess how they are functioning In this mission, well gather data to help refine the self tests and develop an interface component that provides immediate feedback to the user" - David Dinges of the National Space Biomedical Research Institutes Neurobehavioral and Psychosocial Factors Team.
NASAs NEEMO-13 goes under the sea NASA is conducting the thirteenth of its undersea missions called NEEMO, short for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, between August 6 and 15, 2007. The mission will test procedures and equipment for future explorations of the Moon.
NASA Announces Next Undersea Exploration Mission NASA will send three astronauts and a Constellation Program aerospace engineer into the ocean depths off the Florida coast from Aug. 6 to 15, where they will test lunar exploration concepts and a suite of medical objectives for long-duration spaceflight. NASA veteran space flyer and aquanaut Nicholas Patrick will lead the 10-day undersea mission aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Aquarius Underwater Laboratory. NASA astronaut Richard Arnold, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and systems integration engineer Christopher Gerty complete the crew. During the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations 13 (NEEMO 13), the crew will conduct a variety of undersea "moon walks." They will test concepts for future lunar exploration using advanced navigation and communication equipment.