Vestibular reactions to spaceflight: Human factors issues

Vestibular function, along with other sensory systems influencing spatial o rientation, can have a profound influence on the ability of astronauts to f unction effectively. Beyond the well-known problems of space motion sicknes s, vestibular effects can influence astronaut wellbeing and performance dur ing ail phases of a space mission, This paper discusses some of the major v estibular reactions affecting human factors encountered in all space missio ns, and covers them chronologically in the following sequence: launch, earl y on-orbit, late on-orbit EVA, artificial gravity, re-entry, and post-landi ng.