FATIGUE MANAGEMENT FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE SPACEFLIGHT OPERATIONS

Sleep loss and fatigue remain an issue for crewmembers on the ISS. Schedule shifting is sometimes required for conducting mission operations. These shifts lead to tasks being performed during the biological night, and sleep scheduled during the biological day. Even without schedule shifting, sleep is often disrupted. Other stressors have been recognized as hindering sleep in space including workload, thinking about tasks, noise, heat and humidity, and given that light levels on ISS are reportedly dim, insufficient exposure to strong light-dark cycles to maintain circadian entrainment. It is unknown if and how other factors such as microgravity, carbon dioxide or increased radiation may also disrupt sleep. Preflight training requires that crewmembers travel frequently overseas. The jet lag caused by changes in time zones is challenging to sleep, performance and well-being, and crewmembers suffer from sleep loss, circadian desynchronization and fatigue well before their space mission. Ground crews are often scheduled to work at night or on unusual schedules, and many NASA personnel also travel and suffer the same jet lag-related disorders as crew members. Efforts are underway to standardize and provide care for crewmembers, ground controllers and other NASA personnel. Through collaborations between research and operations, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines are being developed to equip flight surgeons with the tools and processes needed for treating circadian desynchrony and subsequent sleep loss. Scheduling tools allow for the proper implementation of countermeasures such as lighting protocols and medications. Training and cognitive behavioral education can also hasten phase shifting, enhance sleep and optimize performance. This panel will focus on Fatigue Management in current and future spaceflight operations. Speakers will present on research-based recommendations and technologies aimed at mitigating sleep loss, circadian desynchronization and fatigue during training and on-orbit. Sleep and performance in an exploration spaceflight analog (the Mars-500 Study) will also be discussed.