THE JOURNAL OF ASTROSOCIOLOGY VOLUME 1

conditions that go beyond those specified in current habitability models that at their mostextensive, stipulate only conditions for comfort and well-being. As crews will foreseeably spendyears in space—and eventually lifetimes or generations—a new level of adaptation must addressour longevity and subsequent evolution.Figure 5: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 6To that end, a fourth level of habitability should be added to NASA’s existing standard:one that speaks to how we adapt to our environments—not just physiologically andpsychologically, but also evolutionally, as migrating to space will be the greatest catalyst forhuman transformation (Finney, 1986). The design features that must be cultivated in order topromote this level of adaptability should instill qualities of resilience, robustness, anddurability—in short, what is required not just for habitability, but also for longevity once wehave migrated beyond the protective atmosphere of Earth.IV.ObservationsWhat differentiates traits of a fourth level of habitability from those typically associatedwith habitability revolves around the degree of engagement. Well-being, comfort, and quality oflife are generally passive conditions, which to some extent can be achieved through a shielding6 Image by Elizabeth Song Lockard.© 2015 Astrosociology Research Institute76