Design for Sustainability and Inclusion in Space

This issue presents the strategic contribution of Space Design, based on a multidisciplinary approach and the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB), the project launched by the European Community to design sustainable, inclusive and beautiful spaces in which to live. The first section presents the theme of design for space with reflections and design examples to illustrate what it means to design in an extreme environment characterised by confinement and reduced gravity, what the impact is on the human being and what it means for designers, what are the challenges they have to face in order to improve the well-being of astronauts. The essay goes further, introducing the concept of “avant-garde” Space Design, which is based on designing sensory environments through an innovative use of furniture, colour, light, materials, tools. It emphasizes the importance of considering not only the functional aspects but also the physiological and emotional ones that greatly influence our behaviour. The second part introduces the New European Bauhaus project, which is connected with the European Green Deal. It highlights the principles that inspire a movement to facilitate and steer the transformation of our societies through various initiatives that are spreading rapidly and gathering large participation. Among these initiatives, the most significant is the NEB Festival, whose 1st edition in 2022 allowed for the sharing of projects and values. The Politecnico di Milano, an official NEB partner, participated in the initiative. The projects developed by the Space Design Lab_PoliMi and Space4InspirAction MSc course, with the support of European Space Agency (ESA), were selected by the NEB Festival and presented through the exhibition in Milan titled “Space Design for New Human Beings. The Role of Design in the Future of Space Travel and Settlement Between Science, Technology and Beauty. Why Microalgae on the Moon and Disability in Microgravity are Pillars to Increase Sustainability and Inclusion Values”. The projects have been chosen as case studies to illustrate the main themes of the book: sustainability and inclusion in space through design that creates innovation and beauty.

This issue examines the growing number of space agriculture projects aimed at maintaining greenhouses in a confined environment and under microgravity conditions, and observing the behaviour of plants. Many studies and researches in astrobotany have been developed since the 1920s and many advances have been made to develop gardens in microgravity until today. The most significant transformations are briefly described in this essay, with reference to ESA’s MELISSA, launched in the late 1980s and active for over 30 years, and NASA’s Veggie experiments until 2023. Design supports these projects by creating environments and tools that aim to make the International Space Station (ISS) sustainable according to the principles of the New European Bauhaus project, both in terms of survival, as a food source for astronauts, and for the positive effects on their psycho-physiological system stimulated by contact with nature. The focus is on the idea of a new concept of “symbiotic relationship between humans and nature” developed by Space Design Lab_PoliMi, with the support of European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Astronauts Center (EAC), to make extra-terrestrial habitats sustainable and beautiful to live in, by designing spaces and tools for the production, transformation, consumption and conservation of microalgae on the Moon, enhancing the entertainment values. Through the results of MSc course of space design Space4InspirAction (S4I) 6th edition, some case studies are presented that propose new extra-terrestrial habitats and tools to serve and support astronauts living and working on the Moon which can also be transferred on Earth as spin-offs. The concept of “symbiotic relationship between humans and nature” is innovative because it proposes a progressive interaction using specific objects and wearables that are designed for an immersive experience with nature.

This issue investigates for the first time a revolutionary topic, “disability in space”, destined to impact the history of human space exploration. The “ESA Parastronaut Fly! Feasibility Project” launched in 2022 represents the first step toward “inclusion” providing an opportunity for design to engage with a highly relevant theme that also aligns with the principles of the New European Bauhaus Project. Some reflections on behaviours in space are highlighted. The intent is to ask whether in space, governed by other physical laws that alter many parameters, such as psycho-physiological, postural, and perceptual, we can all consider ourselves disabled. What if disable people develop different abilities in confined environments and in microgravity conditions? These experiences led on the International Space Station (ISS) with physical limitations could suggest new tools and instruments useful to astronauts as well? The focus is on the idea of a new concept of “prosthetic object as body extension” developed by Space Design Lab_PoliMi, with the support of ESA, able to amplify the performance of both astronauts and parastronauts by designing equipment and wearables that are comfortable and pleasant in use, thanks to the application of Use & Gesture Design (UGD) methodology. Through the results of the MSc course Space4InspirAction (S4I) 6th edition, are presented some case studies that propose new tools serving and supporting astronauts and parastronatus in the next interplanetary missions that can also be transferred as spin-offs to Earth. The concept of “prosthetic object” is innovative because it suggests a progressive adaptation of humans, allowing wearable extensions and new objects that somehow anticipate the evolution of life in space. Will we be mutants in space and time?