Johnson Psychologists Participate in Expeditionary Trip in Arizona Wilderness

On Nov. 13, 2022, two psychologists with the Behavioral Health and Performance group of the Human Health and Performance Directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center set out on a six-day expedition in the Galiuro Mountains outside of Tucson, Arizona. They were joined by the Crew-7 astronauts, two NASA flight directors, and a JAXA flight surgeon.

The expeditionary trip was designed not only to immerse participants in the wilderness but to also build expeditionary, interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills.

“We went to not only build trust with the crew before we support them on the space station, but to also aid in developing crew cohesion, expeditionary behaviors, and stress management skills,” said operational psychologist Dr. Anna Cejka.

The trip was a first for Cejka and a second for Dr. Jana Tran, who are assigned as the behavioral health providers for Crew-7.

Participants hike through the Gailuro Mountains outside of Tucson, Arizona. Credit: Fiona Turett

The group hiked between five and eight miles a day, found and purified water, and learned to read topographical maps. Based on that, they decided what route to take each day while considering risky scenarios like slick rocks, ravine crossings, steep mountainsides, and cacti. But Cejka and Tran had an additional goal in mind.

“As psychologists, we worked alongside the instructors to help the crew accomplish their goals, identify and practice various leadership styles, improve mission communication, and provide feedback to each other,” Cejka said.

The providers are assigned to crew members about 18 months ahead of time. As two of the behavioral health providers, Cejka and Tran will continue to follow the crew through pre-flight training and provide specialized behavioral health training and support.

Once the crew launches and docks to the space station, they will conduct private psychological conferences every two weeks. During these conferences, they check in with the crew members individually to see how things are going and provide behavioral health support in a confidential environment.

“Our goal is to provide them support through their entire process from assignment to a crew, training, while they are on orbit, and upon return,” Cejka said.

Overall, the trip allowed Cejka to get to know the crew she will be working with, both on a personal and professional level.

“We really had to participate in everything right along with the crew, which allowed a lot more trust building because we were willing to get into the hard stuff and do all the things that they were having to do,” Cejka said. “It was an adventure with new challenges every day.”