posted 04-06-2015 05:25 AM               

Using anecdotal reports from astronauts and cosmonauts, and the results from studies conducted in space analog environments on Earth and in the actual space environment, this book broadly reviews the various psychosocial issues that affect space travelers. Unlike other books that are more technical in format, this text is targeted for the general public.

With the advent of space tourism and the increasing involvement of private enterprise in space, there is now a need to explore the impact of space missions on the human psyche and on the interpersonal relationships of the crewmembers. Separate chapters of the book deal with psychosocial stressors in space and in space analog environments; psychological, psychiatric, interpersonal, and cultural issues pertaining to space missions; positive growth-enhancing aspects of space travel; the crew-ground interaction; space tourism; countermeasures for dealing with space; and unique aspects of a trip to Mars, the outer solar system, and interstellar travel.

Dr. Nick Kanas is an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco, where he has directed the group therapy training program. For over 20 years he has conducted research in group therapy and conducted space-related research with the European Space Agency and NASA. He was a Principal Investigator of NASA-funded research on astronauts and cosmonauts for over 15 of these years and has published over 200 professional publications.

• Softcover, 200 pages
  
• Publisher: Springer, 2015
  
• ISBN: 978-3-319-18868-3