Archeology has traditionally focused on studying ground objects throughout history, but with the development of space exploration, there has been a shift in approach. The International Space Station (ISS), which has housed over 270 astronauts for two decades, has provided researchers with a unique opportunity to apply archaeological methods to an extraterrestrial facility.
In a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE, a group of scientists from The University of Chapman in California utilized traditional field methodology to analyze the ever-changing “microcosm” onboard the station. Instead of traditional excavations, the team selected six different locations on the ISS and instructed astronauts to photograph these sites daily for approximately two months in 2022.
The focus of the study was primarily on the first two documented sites – a square location designated for equipment maintenance and another site near the gym and toilet. By using a specially designed computer program to analyze images, scientists identified 5,438 different “artifacts” utilized by the crew in their daily lives, ranging from AR-bars to ordinary markers. The data was then compared with astronaut activity reports to understand how the actual use of these spaces differed from their original intended purpose.
It was discovered that, similar to Earth, spaces on the ISS are not always used as originally intended. For instance, the maintenance site was primarily utilized for storing various items, and the undefined area near the gym and toilet became an impromptu storage space for packages, personal hygiene products, and even an almost useless computer, as described by station residents.
One of the astronauts involved in the study mentioned, “We were a rather organized team, which basically had the same opinion on how to do everything, but over time we put things in order in the laboratory and came to a general agreement on where and how to store things.”
This experiment shed light on how humans adapt to a completely new habitat that is vastly different from Earth. The team believes that by making the utilization of space on the ISS more flexible, the autonomy and overall well-being of the crew can be improved. Scientists also suggest that further research utilizing techniques developed for ground object studies can aid in designing future living modules for long-term space missions to the Moon, Mars, and other planets.