Human Factors

Space Settlement relevance

Even though space settlements will have much more room for people than today's spacecraft, the pychological effects of living in one need to be considered. Will there be large open vistas, or low cramped ceilings? How much space will each colonist need? And finally, any leader of a space settlement will need to make good decisions to keep the settlement, and its colonists, working.

Related links

• Human Needs in Space: Environmental Design to Reduce Stress From the NASA Ames/Stanford 1975 Summer Study
• CUErgo: Ergonomics Research Has information about how lighting and air-quality effect people.
• Urban and Rural Sociology Lots of links having to do with city planning.

Group size
3 people

Time required
One 50 minute period

Materials

• A computer (the more the better)
• The SpaceColonyH game.
• Some drawing paper and pencils.

• To help students understand the pychological effects of living in space.

Student Objectives
Student will:

• Design the houses and interior of a space settlement.
• Make decisions about the running of a space settlement.
• Learn about the human factors involved in space colonization.

Advance Preparation Time
Download the SpaceColonyH game, and get the other materials.

Lesson Activity:

Step 1
Each student should look over Human Needs in Space from the 1975 Summer Study.

Step 2
Have the students split into groups of three. Each group should draw the interior of an imaginary space settlement. Remind them to include places to work, play, and live. The students should try to be fairly detailed. They should at least show the different areas in the settlement, (housing, business, farming) and any large recreation areas such as forests of lakes.

Step 3
While the students are drawing, take one group at a time (or however many can be on the computers), and have them read the instruction for, and play, the SpaceColonyH game. They should all play together on one game, this will make them talk with each other about how to solve the problems.

Step 4
Once every group has finished drawing, have them present their ideas to the class. The students should explain why they chose to design their settlement the way they did. Let them answer questions at the end of their presentation.

Author: Thomas Beatty

Curator: Al Globus If you find any errors on this page contact Al Globus.

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