There are destinations beyond Mars that may beckon us in future years, Huntress said. One such world is Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter that may support an ocean. Wherever the next 40 years of space exploration takes humanity, how best to deal with the stresses and strains of long-term spaceflight needs serious study, said Albert Harrison, a social psychologist at the University of California at Davis. For over four decades, little attention has been paid to psychological and interpersonal issues, he said. The Human Dimension, he points out that conducting comprehensive psychological research about lengthy forays into space is critical.
Psychological factors are crucial.
We may live in a narrow window of time, Harrison said, when the resources, technology and practical knowledge to establish a continuing human presence in space are available. Welcome to the Universe.