Barriers to Space: And Why They Should Be Overcome

Sep. 11, 2003
by Douglas Vakoch - Social Scientist / Principal Investigator

"Its extremely difficult to live and work in space," says psychologist Albert Harrison, who compares a stint onboard the International Space Station to "being in a cramped house with trash piling up." While the wobbly legs of an astronaut just returned to Earth may be the most obvious side-effect of a year-long space mission, simply getting along with other astronauts for months at a time may be even harder.

According to Harrison, author of Spacefaring: The Human Dimension, "One of the things that the Russians have done with tremendous skill and daring is to build a record of increasingly long space flights. Our own astronauts gained experience on Skylab and later on Mir and the ISS." As a result, "the people that go up into space have been able to get along with one another. They work out patterns of mutual existence, living under conditions where theyre cramped together." In orbit 240 miles above the Earths surface, astronauts who tire of being in close quarters have "very little opportunity to get away."

And in their celestial home away from home, theres little room for solitude. Long gone are the days of the Mercury space capsules, with room for only one astronaut on missions measured in hours. But like their predecessors, Harrison says, todays "astronauts still have the Right Stuff, its just that its redefined a little bit."

"The Right Stuff has sort of expanded," in Harrisons view. Modern astronauts are "still highly competent and motivated and theyre still cool. Today they dont have to be fighter pilots with great kill ratios ... but they do have to be able to get along with one another in ways that werent required in the 1960s." The challenges of long-term amity can become even more difficult when astronauts come from cultures with different ways of relating to others. "Todays international crews," says Harrison, "raise the complexity. A lot of effort goes into ensuring that international crews can function comfortably."

The Greatest Obstacle

But interpersonal strife is far from the worst threat to a stable space program. Commenting on the space program in the United States, Harrison says if he had "to pick one problem which is greater than others, I think its national will, our desire to go to space, to provide the political infrastructure and the economic support to realize that dream."

Harrison identifies three critical ingredients to a successful space program: technology, money, and commitment. "We do have the technology, and if we choose to spend it, we do have the money." But in recent years, he says, America hasnt maintained a commitment to a strong presence in space.

Though the Russians and the Chinese may have fewer resources, Harrison could well imagine either country soon surpassing the United States in space. "The Russians are a little short on cash, the Chinese are a little short on technology, but they both seem to be very determined, and its quite possible that one day within the next five years or sosomewhere around 2007, 2008 we will see a Russian space station with tourists and a Chinese manufacturing facility."

Risky Business

"Were all happy to see the smiling faces and occasional clowning around of astronauts, on the shuttle or in the space station," Harrison says, but he warns, "We should never lose sight of exactly how dangerous and how demanding and how exacting space travel is."

Six months ago, the world was reminded of these dangers when the Columbia space shuttle exploded. Such risks, Harrison says, can never be eliminated completely. "The reality is that whenever we go where people have not gone before, wherever we try something new, theres a certain level of risk. No, we dont want people to die, they dont want to die, we do everything we can to keep them alive, they do everything they can to stay alive, but it is a cost of doing this kind of business."

Harrison was particularly struck by the unanimity of those closest to the Columbia astronauts in calling for continued exploration. "The families of the astronauts that died, the other astronauts, NASA officials, the greater Johnson space community, the greater NASA community, all came forward and said, This is very terrible, its very sad, but we want space exploration to continue. This is what they would have wanted."

Worth the Cost

In light of all these risks, is space exploration really worth it?

For some, the appeal of space is economic, though Harrison advises any potential investors to take a very long-term view. While manufacturing opportunities in zero-gravity or asteroid mining may some day be a paying proposition, Harrison warns that "its a long way from where we are now until you start getting interest on the money that you put into this."

Harrison also emphasizes the knowledge that can be gained through space faring: "We make tremendous advances in science as a result of our exploration of space." While much of this knowledge is about outer space, some has a deeper, inner significance. After looking down on our planet from orbit, where political boundaries arent evident, some astronauts have reported a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all life on Earth. As Harrison summarizes their experience, "Its one planet, one people."

Though a more holistic view of Earth may help us survive as a species, Harrison suggests it may not be enough. Instead, he says that space travel might help us insure that humankind will continue to exist, even in the face of widespread disaster on our home world: "As soon as were able to become a two planet species, as soon as were not limited to Planet Earth, we can protect ourselves, or we can at least protect the human future, from any global level catastrophe or extinction level event."

In spite of the obstacles to space travel, Harrison remains optimistic: "I see a long, tough road, to tell you the truth, but I think that well eventually get there ... that well get back to the Moon, well get to Mars."

"If we dont run out of money, if we dont lose the practical know-how that weve built up, I think that our eventual movement into space is inevitable."

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Barriers to Space: And Why They Should Be Overcome