The impact of architectural features on stress and cognition, in confined and isolated work and living environments, over time

This relates to the MUNINN mission, sponsored by SNSA.Architecture has been known to play a crucial role in shaping the physical and social environments, and it has a direct impact on human physical and psychological well-being.The built environment can influence stress and cognitive performance in various ways, particularly in confined and isolated living and working environments such as space habitats.As we look forward to even longer duration missions, and to broaden the selection pool of astronauts, the space habitats of the future will need to be designed and specified in a manner that supports the user’s cognition and helps them cope with the inevitable stress of a mission.

To study the effects of architecture on cognition and stress, a variety of methods will be used.This study will collect data from crew members in the International Space Station and will see if the effects of architectural environment in space correlate to the effects we observed in earth-bound experiments.