海角直播

When astronauts look down at Earth, some report a phenomenon called the overview effect. In this state, they鈥檙e awestruck by the vastness and beauty of their home planet and the cosmos. They鈥檙e reminded of the fragility of human life and how small people are compared to the universe. Many also say the overview effect evokes self-transcendence, a perspective shift beyond one鈥檚 individual purpose, and an increased appreciation for humankind鈥檚 interconnectivity.

Estonia native Andres K盲osaar hasn鈥檛 been to space yet, but he felt a similar sensation when he traveled to Antarctica鈥檚 King George Island in January 2025. The UCF psychology doctoral student joined a Swiss colleague on a three-week extracurricular research mission to study how people from different countries work together in this unique environment.

Surrounded by stark white glaciers, the bluest water he鈥檚 ever seen, colonies of penguins and persistent silence, K盲osaar says the mission made him feel like he had journeyed to another planet. As an aspiring NASA psychologist, K盲osaar鈥檚 doctoral work investigates how variations in traditions and social norms of people from different countries influence shared mental models 鈥� an especially fitting topic for an international student. He鈥檚 also interested in how isolation and extreme conditions impact individuals鈥� well-being and teamwork dynamics.

鈥淭his lack of shared understanding of expedition-related aspects results in tensions and individual negative emotional experiences,鈥� K盲osaar says.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that NASA, or any space agency, hasn鈥檛 looked at much.鈥�

鈥淚 listened to an astronaut talk a year ago and he said NASA should be paying more attention to this subject because working in space is really emotionally taxing,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here are not many studies out there that focus on those emotions and how to deal with them in this situation.鈥�

Again, K盲osaar can identify with these feelings on a smaller scale, as he鈥檚 already participated in a simulated Mars excursion. In December 2022 he spent two weeks on an analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah. There, six-person research teams eat the same foods as astronauts in space. They conduct investigative work ranging from engineering to geology. And they have no contact with the outside world 鈥� not even Wi-Fi to check news or social media.

鈥淵ou experience this isolation, lack of privacy and confinement [that鈥檚 the same as in space],鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not allowed to exit the station without spacesuits … [The experience really] tries to mimic life in space or life in [a space] station as closely as possible.鈥�

While K盲osaar, like all researchers, maintains objective judgment in his studies, he has an adventurous nature that informs his scientific
pursuits. When asked if he would like to actually go to space one day, there isn鈥檛 a moment of hesitation before K盲osaar answers.

鈥淥ne-hundred percent yes,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have this childish dream that maybe in the next 20 to 30 years, when there are enough people living and working on the moon, then maybe there is room for me to go there as an industrial and organizational psychologist to help manage the stations and support with my knowledge and research.鈥�

Enhancing Human Performance

While pursuing his master鈥檚 in psychology from the 海角直播 of Tartu in Estonia, K盲osaar developed an interest in space psychology, partially due to the influence of a college friend studying space physics. After earning his degree and an internship at the European Space Agency, he came to UCF in 2021 to begin his doctoral studies under the mentorship of Research Professor Shawn Burke, a leading industrial and organizational psychology researcher who specializes in maximizing team performance, particularly in challenging circumstances. At UCF she directs the Team Research and Adaptability in Complex Environments (TRACE) Lab.

NASA has sponsored Burke鈥檚 work for over a decade, using her expertise to better inform how to protect the space agency鈥檚 most precious
cargo: people.

鈥淓verybody assumes they know what makes teams function well because most of us have been part of a team. But oftentimes we see people are very good at their individual tasks [but] don鈥檛 work well together,鈥� Burke says. 鈥淭he importance of doing research on teams is [that they] are ubiquitous and form the foundation of most organizations.鈥�

Burke and K盲osaar note that increasing team efficiency also requires studying differences in social norms, especially their concentrated presence in small environments and over long periods of time. NASA has an increased interest in this area because successfully sustaining human activity in space will require the most qualified people across the planet who can work in strenuous conditions.
鈥淥ftentimes we 鈥� assume that everybody is like us, until something begins to go wrong,鈥� Burke says. 鈥淪ometimes underlying 鈥� values and beliefs that may be different end up causing human interaction to degrade. So being able to recognize the differences that exist and work through them [is important].鈥�

[Our psychology] doctoral program in general has a very collaborative environment. It is [the professors鈥橾 priority for you to do good science that鈥檚 interesting to you. … They don鈥檛 want to limit you.鈥�

鈥� Andres K盲osaar, psychology doctoral student

It鈥檚 easier for countries to determine their own social and legal norms on their own lands. However, when physical spaces are shared with multiple nations, there are greater opportunities for miscommunications, and unintentional offenses can happen if customs from all sides aren鈥檛 understood. Once those differences are better comprehended, Burke says teams and organizations could work toward developing ways of collaborating that best serve everyone.

A Culture of Collaboration

As a faculty member, Burke shares with students more than 20 years of knowledge in the field, as well as connections to dozens of experts she鈥檚 met throughout her career. She encourages collaboration across the department and with other universities, as long as students perform well in their assigned academic responsibilities.

鈥淭he flexibility and autonomy [Burke] has allowed me to have is brilliant,鈥� K盲osaar says. 鈥淏ut really, our [psychology] doctoral program in general has a very collaborative environment. It is [the professors鈥橾 priority for you to do good science that鈥檚 interesting to you. If you find awesome opportunities outside of UCF, [they鈥檙e] rather supportive of that. They don鈥檛 want to limit you.鈥�

For example, the simulated Mars mission K盲osaar completed in Utah was a collaboration with Professor Andero Uusberg from the 海角直播 of Tartu. The recent Antarctica mission 鈥� in partnership with postdoctoral researcher Monika Maslikowska and Professor Jan Schmutz from the 海角直播 of Zurich, and Professor Pedro Marques Quinteiro from the 海角直播 of Lusofona of Lisbon 鈥� was an international effort, including support from the Estonian government, plus the Swiss and Portuguese polar institutes.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to have students that are very passionate about what they do. And [Andres] is definitely passionate,鈥� Burke says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 very good at networking. He鈥檚 got a lot of those qualities that you really want to see in graduate students and he鈥檚 very collaborative by nature, which is another kind of strength.鈥�

For K盲osaar, the Antarctica research trip was also an opportunity to gain firsthand experience and expand on a study he and Burke published in January. Their work examined the impacts on individuals鈥� emotions and the overall effectivity of teams among researchers who previously voyaged to the region.

While K盲osaar prioritizes his doctoral work, including Burke鈥檚 active NASA-funded research projects, he鈥檚 free to engage in research activities to help him achieve his goal of working for NASA someday. These experiences also better inform the TRACE Lab鈥檚 work to support NASA now.

Using the Past to Propel the Future

To support the TRACE Lab, K盲osaar has recruited more than 30 research assistants over the past four years. For his own NASA grant awarded in February 2024, he recruited a team of eight undergraduate students, providing them a chance to complete research sooner than most students earning bachelor鈥檚 degrees, and better prepare those who will pursue graduate studies.

鈥淣ASA is such a big name that it can be intimidating to think about working on research for it,鈥� says Victoria Torres, a psychology undergraduate student who became involved with the TRACE Lab after an academic success coach in her department connected her to the opportunity. 鈥淚 feel like a small cog in the machine of this research. But it鈥檚 an incredible opportunity to contribute to [space exploration].鈥�

Luke Middaugh 鈥�25, a psychology student who graduated from UCF this spring and is set to continue his doctoral studies at Texas A&M 海角直播, is another member of the research group. Like K盲osaar, he wants to work for NASA as a psychologist, specifically designing experiments. He says he chose UCF because of the variety of tracks across the psychology program.

鈥淚 knew that UCF had a really strong Department of Psychology. Other schools I applied to didn鈥檛 have that,鈥� Middaugh says. 鈥淚 could set a focus on instrumental design and research [by pursuing the experimental track], and that was really important to me.鈥�

He started contributing to research in his second semester with the Minerva Research Initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, which examined the impact of individual and team cognitive processes on teamwork during collaborative problem-solving events. His work included coding transcripts related to critical incidents during the manned Apollo space missions, such as the Apollo 13 oxygen tank explosion and the resulting efforts to bring three astronauts back home alive. Based on different mission and problem-solving incident characteristics, the findings shed light on how astronaut teams engaged in different teamwork behaviors to overcome the challenges. This is important as it provides insight into the types of cognitive and teamwork processes that foster successful collaborative problem-solving, both within the crew, and between the crew and Mission Control.

No matter the level of complexity of a problem, astronauts engaged in a proportionate level of team evaluation and consideration for alternative solutions, Middaugh says.

鈥淭his indicates there was a high level of shared mental models among the crew members,鈥� he says. 鈥淸And it] indicates the processes they were trained on and the communication methods they used, including closed-loop communication, are really effective. The Apollo missions are a starting point for training our astronauts going forward.鈥�

But it鈥檚 important to consider that each of the 24 Apollo astronauts were American. As collaboration advances across worldwide space agencies, so does the need to understand how various traditions and social norms influence astronauts鈥� shared comprehension of the mission environment.

Investigating International Relations

Launched in 1998, the International Space Station (ISS)鈥檚 main partners include the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia and the participating countries of the European Space Agency. Astronauts from 18 countries have visited the station, according to NASA.

For more than 25 years, various studies have investigated how astronauts from other nations work together on the ISS. Findings have shown differences in how people communicate, collaborate, cope and use shared spaces.

鈥淧eople have different perceptions about traditions or how to regulate emotions or, for example, [determining] what level of hierarchy we want to have in a team, and so on,鈥� K盲osaar says.

During his trip to Antarctica, K盲osaar observed these factors as he interviewed researchers from different regions. His stay was split between Polish and Chilean stations, visiting other nations鈥� stations for interviews. The 70 research stations across Antarctica represent 29 countries and every continent.

鈥淚t was interesting to see how countries that are far away from each other geographically, such as Chile and China, are close to each other in this environment,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hose people are from very different backgrounds and very different languages, but here they have to be very adaptive and flexible to be able to coordinate and collaborate with each other.鈥�

An example K盲osaar recalls is when someone from one of the stations had a dental issue, so another country鈥檚 station, which had a good medical facility, offered to complete X-rays and provide care.

鈥淭he Antarctic environment itself creates this feeling of community that you really have to help,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 imagine that on the moon or Mars, there would also be a similar situation with different stations having different capabilities that need to support each other because safety is very important and helping a human being is paramount.鈥�

A few differences K盲osaar says he observed were mainly related to the civilian or military perspectives of the stations and general differences in information accuracy. For example, a station stated five people were coming to visit another station when, instead, 20 people showed up, requiring more time and effort from the hosting station to accommodate extra guests. He also notes that more regimented military stations typically didn鈥檛 support a more relaxed social environment, which can contribute to emotional regulation issues over time, especially for winter expeditions.

To a certain degree, all Antarctic stations have to be flexible with operations because of fluctuating weather, including temperatures, winds and tides. While the ISS has already provided some insight into how international teams work together, there are missing environmental variables that would influence how astronauts operate on the moon or Mars. Part of the reason researchers are studying working conditions in Antarctica is to better understand what it鈥檒l be like to work beyond Earth.

Ideal Variables in Severe Conditions

Antarctica has qualities that make the location a great testbed for the space-like conditions Burke and K盲osaar are interested in: isolated, confined and extreme environments, also known as ICE.

鈥淭his ICE environment amplifies all the emotions and stressors you feel because you don鈥檛 have your normal social support, everything is new or changing, or there is a lot going on,鈥� K盲osaar says. 鈥淵ou really have to have very good coping mechanisms to deal with that stress and to be able to perform your duties and also [manage your emotions].鈥�

Without someone鈥檚 typical support system in ICE environments, K盲osaar and Burke鈥檚 January 2025 study hints that journaling can be an effective method for managing emotions in tough conditions. Ultimately, the researchers know they must continue to investigate what the correct factors are for putting together a good team.

There are several approaches to determining the right recipe for creating a group dynamic. Typically, K盲osaar says, psychology researchers first consider the 鈥渂ig five鈥� personality traits 鈥� openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism 鈥� often referred to as OCEAN.

鈥淸For a good team member], what has been found is neuroticism should be as low as possible because neurotic people can be more reactive,鈥� he says. 鈥淐onscientiousness should be quite high because this [indicates] how goal-oriented and structured someone is.鈥�

This feeling of venturing into the unknown and experiencing the elements firsthand 鈥� it鈥檚 just something that really makes me feel alive.鈥�

鈥� Andres K盲osaar, psychology doctoral student

With the variable conditions of ICE environments, K盲osaar notes conscientiousness shouldn鈥檛 be too high, as that may make someone more rigid when situations require a level of flexibility.

People with a high tendency for openness tend to be curious and embrace challenges, while those with a low tendency may be more practical and conventional. Those who rank higher for agreeableness are typically empathic and cooperative, while people who place lower can appear more dominant and overly critical.

K盲osaar says extraversion, which relates to a person鈥檚 sociability, is a trait that may serve a team best when members are somewhere in the middle, such as ambiverts. These individuals are outgoing enough to build bonds with others and speak up when needed, but reserved enough to take and give personal space.

鈥淧ersonality鈥檚 not the only factor. There are those interpersonal skills, abilities and values that matter, too,鈥� he says. 鈥淩egarding skills for long-term missions, taking care of your own things, and being reliable and trustworthy, are quite important for group living. This comes down to flexibility and being empathetic, as well. You have to understand the needs of others.鈥�

While it鈥檚 easier to identify helpful individual traits, skills, abilities and values, it can be complex finding the right mix of people with those characteristics to assemble a team, which is why recruitment and making the right selections are crucial.

Embracing the Elements

Since K盲osaar returned from his Antarctic adventure, he鈥檚 had a reinforced purpose for his work with Burke and the TRACE Lab. Over the next few months, he and the team will finalize findings on their research project for NASA and make recommendations for how people from different countries can improve collaboration, mitigating issues related to different values, social norms and differences in languages.

鈥淲hat makes this difficult is that every time [and every team] is different, so there is no single best way of dealing with these tensions,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t depends on the individuals in the team and [the team鈥檚] composition.鈥�

Before K盲osaar鈥檚 anticipated graduation in 2026, he鈥檒l take on at least one more extracurricular challenge to enhance his knowledge of ICE environments. This December he鈥檒l row across the Atlantic Ocean with a team of three other Estonians who, like K盲osaar, will only have six months of rowing training before their journey. The challenge is known as The World鈥檚 Toughest Row, spanning 45 consecutive days on the water.

鈥淟iving around 40 days in a small rowing boat in the ocean will definitely add another layer of understanding of what it requires to continue performing, [and to] keep your team coherent and your own psyche in check while being mentally and physically devastated,鈥� he says.

The pursuit to better understand what influences the way people are, how they handle challenges and how they work with others remains constant as society evolves. With humankind inching closer to advancing life beyond Earth, this new world of psychology will need to be further explored. If K盲osaar eventually makes it to the moon as an industrial and organizational psychologist, there will be plenty of new extremes for him to test. And, finally, an opportunity to appreciate the overview effect in full force.

鈥淭his feeling of venturing into the unknown and experiencing the elements firsthand 鈥� it鈥檚 just something that really makes me feel alive,鈥� he says.
鈥淚 think space is that frontier right now for humanity. That鈥檚 the main connection that I feel [I can contribute to with my work] 鈥� pushing the boundaries and helping humanity to discover and evolve farther and farther.鈥�