Review

Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives

Volume: 3 Number: 1 April 24, 2026
EN TR

Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Crew Resource Management (CRM) is a system originally developed in aviation to reduce human errors, improve decision-making, and strengthen teamwork. This paper analyzes the past, present, and future of CRM in space missions. It examines Apollo missions 11, 13, and 15 to show how astronauts managed human cognition, emergencies, and teamwork, even before formal CRM programs existed. The study then explores present-day CRM approaches for Artemis lunar missions and upcoming SpaceX Starship missions to Mars, including tools like Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Threat and Error Management (TEM), and Verbalize-Verify-Monitor (VVM). Leadership, decision-making, and human behavior are analyzed as critical components of CRM. Finally, the paper discusses the theoretical application of CRM for future long-duration missions, including Mars colonies and potential missions to Titan. This analysis shows that understanding human factors, structured teamwork, and adaptive CRM strategies is essential to reduce errors, increase efficiency, and ensure mission success across all phases of space exploration.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Air-Space Transportation, Workplace Wellbeing and Quality of Working Life

Journal Section

Review

Publication Date

April 24, 2026

Submission Date

October 2, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 3, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 3 Number: 1

APA
Badran, M. (2026). Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace, 3(1), 57-68. https://doi.org/10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025
AMA
1.Badran M. Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace. 2026;3(1):57-68. doi:10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025
Chicago
Badran, Maryam. 2026. “Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives”. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace 3 (1): 57-68. https://doi.org/10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025.
EndNote
Badran M (April 1, 2026) Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace 3 1 57–68.
IEEE
[1]M. Badran, “Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives”, Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 57–68, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025.
ISNAD
Badran, Maryam. “Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives”. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace 3/1 (April 1, 2026): 57-68. https://doi.org/10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025.
JAMA
1.Badran M. Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace. 2026;3:57–68.
MLA
Badran, Maryam. “Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives”. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace, vol. 3, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 57-68, doi:10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025.
Vancouver
1.Maryam Badran. Crew Resource Management in Spaceflight: The Past, Present and Future Perspectives. Human Factors in Aviation and Aerospace. 2026 Apr. 1;3(1):57-68. doi:10.26650/hfaa.2026.1796025