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INTRODUCTION The beginning of the Space Age was also the beginning of the Space Race. With the emergence of new technologies

like jet-engines, missiles & atomic power there were mixed feelings about the future of mankind. Any idea we could come

up with seemed credible. With the power to go where man had never been before, we also gained the power to destroy

ourselves and everything we loved. People of the west world experienced an enormous improvement in quality of life,

consumerism, cars, houses, we could have it all. Limitless naivity and optimism, mixed with the terror of the End.

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POPULAR CULTURE

Wernher von Braun, the engineer behind the missile-technology, had a dream and desire to

see man travel in space. He was a genious in many ways, and he understood the importance of convincing scientists, indus-

try, politicians and, in particular, the public. He worked together with Walt Disney to create a series of tv-shows that forever

changed the public view of space. “Man in Space”, “Man and the Moon.” (1955) ” Mars and Beyond.” (1957).

In 1965, 10 years after “Man in Space” first aired, von Braun invited Disney and others involved in the 1950s films to tour the

Marshall Space Flight Center. One Marshall official wrote, “Out of this we would at least establish good will, and maybe (if we

play our cards right) we could get something going that would be of tremendous benefit to MSFC, Apollo, NASA, and the entire

space effort.”

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FIELD STUDY

During the development of this project, called “project X” or “design for dreaming” I had the possibility to visit

NASA and Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas. During this field trip, which lasted a month, I experienced

some of the inner workings of the space-machinery which is NASA.

It became clear very soon that the naivity of the old days had dissapeared. In my on opinion also some of the

optimism which made anything possible in the 50ies. Most people of today understand that the Astronauts no

longer are “heroes” in the old sense. They don´t use zappers like in the tv-shows, neither do they have supercool

outfits and small personal spacecrafts. What´s expected of an astronaut of today is to be a scientist, not the Hero.

If you feel a bit cheated as an Astronaut who grew up in the Walt Disney Futureworld, I wouldn´t blame you.

It´s just a dream.

With this project, I have worked on some of the more tangible issues (health, stress, hygiene) but also the more

intangible. I want my product/solution to have a bit of optimistic “space-age” in the design. The engineering and

design of I.S.S is purely practical. In my opinion not enough consideration has been taken into the esthetics which

has created a very monotone & stressful environment.

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The research I did during this project was about medical aspects, historic aspects and also about possible

cultural values. The development of technology and achievments during the space race, the fear, the opti-

mism and the naivity. As a designer, i´m very interested in this period in history. Without optimism and naivity,

creativity will soon hit a dead end.

This is the first collection of images I used during the development of my project. As with much of the inspira-

tional pictures i´ve collected during my research phase, It´s not always clear how this has influenced my final

design. I needed it to understand how our view of heroes, sacrifices, and achievements has changed during

the last century.

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STAYING CIVILIZED(?) BRIEF

If the ambition to civilize space is a serious one, we need to put more focus on the humans involved. To build colonies on

other planets in this solar system, or even further away into space, is an enormous effort, but still, my personal opinion is

that the goal of establishing human presence anywhere outside earth is without value if we compromize to much. Stay-

ing human is more than just staying alive. In order to “civilize space” we have to be “civilized”.

PERSONAL HEALTH

The International Space Station, floating around earth in the vacuum of space, is a workplace you can´t leave. No matter

how beautiful the view may be, you are stuck up there, doing research and keeping the station up and running every

day, all week, all month. This environment will put the astronauts to the test, both physically and mentally. Some of the

aspects I will consider in my design solution will be the following.

1. Personal Space

2. Stress and the lack of excercise

3. Hygiene

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1. PERSONAL SPACE?

According to Jennifer B Ritsher (Cultural factors and the international space station (2005. Aviation Space and Environmen-

tal Medicine) privacy and personal space norms are likely to differ between American and Russian space program person-

nel. Such differences have clear implications for long-duration missions in isolated and confined environments because they

can trigger conflict in multicultural groups.

There is not even a word for “privacy” in Russian, and little concept of it. The closest Russian terms back translate into English

as aloneness, seclusion, solitude, keeping secret, and loneliness. Americans living in Russia commonly remark on what they

perceive as the intrusiveness of their Russian colleagues, such as telephoning with work-related questions late at night. When

Americans express a wish for private time, Russians may interpret this as indicating that the American is unwell, unfriendly, or

offended. Such differences in privacy norms could become difficult on a small space station.

I have taken this into consideration, and tried to create a solution which may prevent this misinterpretation. When you want

to be alone, by yourself, it should be obvious.

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2. STRESS & LACK OF EXCERCISE

On earth, the fluids in the body will be pulled down towards the

legs. This will give your heart excercise as the blood is circulated

upwards through your body..

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upwards through your body.. in space however, the gravity is

non existant. This means that the heart no longer gets the natural

excercise of the circulation itself.

The lack of exercise is something that affects the buildup of stress

hormones, and it´s not too easy to get rid of them in your daily life

if you are constantly floating.

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This buildup of stress in your body will also affect your sleep. It has

been shown that astronauts sleep an average of only six hours

while in orbit, and sleep hypnotics are 45 percent of the medica-

tions taken on board. The fact that the sun sets & rises every 90

minutes will probably also affect you.

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This buildup of stress in your body will also affect your sleep. It has

been shown that astronauts sleep an average of only six hours

while in orbit, and sleep hypnotics are 45 percent of the medica-

tions taken on board. The fact that the sun sets & rises every 90

minutes will probably also affect you.

The redistribution of the fluids will also make your face look puffy

and your sinus congested.

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3. HYGIENE Since the astronauts & cosmonauts at the International space station are taking care of their personal

hygiene with wet napkins as the main tool today, a long term mission would become unsustainable. Tests

have showed that the immune system will become weakened in space, for unknown reasons, while bac-

teria and viruses are strengthened. This put an even higher demand on the hygienic facilities and their

effectiveness.

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HEALTH ISSUES * Decreased circulation

Build-up of stresshormones

Difficulty sleeping

Congested sinus

Weakened immune system

IMPROVED HYGIENIC APPROACH NEEDED

overview

* These are the problems i´m focusing on, even though there are many more not discussed here.

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LIQUIDS IN SPACE It has been problematic to use a shower on the

International Space Station. Too much water is

used this way..

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used this way.. and the water will be a bit un

controllable without gravity. Detergents should

not be mixed into the watersystem either.

Using steam has been under consideration how-

ever, since steam will spread evenly in a closed

environment.

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used this way.. and the water will be a bit un

controllable without gravity. Detergents should

not be mixed into the watersystem either.

Using steam has been under consideration how-

ever, since steam will spread evenly in a closed

environment.

THEORY

It might be possible to use the vacuum in space

to create a low temperature steam, since water

under low pressure will boil even with lower

temperatures. Heat induced sweating will clear

the skin and body without using detergents, and

with a very small amount of water.

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As a Scandinavian, I have personal experience of steam bathing (sauna) as a form of mental and physical recuper-

ation. Interestingly enough, I´ve realized that this form of bathing is something that connects cultures from all around

the world, all of them believing in the rejuvenating properties of steam bathing.

In this section I will briefly summarize information about cultures which have been using this type of therapy and hy-

gienic approach, from ancient times until present time.

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”Give me the power to create a fever, and I shall cure any disease,” boasted Hippocrates,

the Greek founder of modern medicine, more than 2,000 years ago. Since then, many

cultures have used heat and steam to implement this principle and induce “artificial fever”

and sweating.

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ROMAN EMPIRE, Italy In Rome, “sudatoria” or steam rooms made up one section of the bathhouses, which also incor-

porated eating, talking, gambling and sports. The letters S-P-A frequently appeared on the walls,

an abbreviation for “solus par aqua” meaning health or healing through water. Modern-day spas

derive their name from this acronym.

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MAYAN CULTURE, South America While Rome was building her Empire, the Mayans were building theirs. When the Spaniards arrived in the

16th century, they found spirited use of the sweat house among scattered Mayan tribes and their new rul-

ers, the Aztecs. The word for sweat bath was Zumpul-che, “a bath for women after childbirth and for sick

persons used to cast out disease in their bodies.”

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ISLAMIC COUNTRIES Muslim bathhouses, or “hammam” consisted of a domed, central steam chamber. Adopted by Europeans,

the hammam serves as the model for modern Turkish baths. The bathhouses were a place where you could

meditate, pray to the Creator, or think.

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JAPAN For centuries, Japan has been another culture known for its bathing customs and obsession about cleanli-

ness. Spiritual pursuits of purity, hygiene and ritual purification were an important part of Japanese culture

and bathing was done communally without regard for division of the sexes. To this day bathing is still a major

Japanese indulgence and passion.

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RUSSIA Russian hot vapor baths, known as “banya,” originated more than 1,000 years ago. Sweating and health are virtu-

ally synonymous in Russia, where in the early 20th Century, more than 30 medical essays were published on the

healing powers of the banya, or Russian Bath. It’s a tradition that has been part of Russian culture since medieval

times. Almost every village had - and still has - its own banya. Even until today, the perception of the banya as a

healing panacea is still common in remote villages where traditional folk medicine prevails.45

THE NORDIC COUNTRIES (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland) Sweat bathing gained popularity in Finland at approximately the same time as the Russian banya. It

remains wildly popular to this day - the country boasts more saunas than cars. Sweden may not have

as many saunas, but it´s still a natural part of our culture. Iceland have their hot springs “Bláa Lónið”

(The blue lagoon”), a geothermal spa.

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United States of America The sauna culture is not so widespread in the U.S.A. Not outside the S.P.A. and luxury hotels at least. They have however

developed their own variants of the sauna, into more compact versions. Is this just an expression of the wish of creat-

ing a culture of their own, instead of just using what they had in their cultural backpack as immigrants? This behaviour

would be interesting to apply on the foreign space environment, where nothing is “odd” or “normal”. It´s just space.

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Why did Hippocrates believe so strong in this artificial fever? Listed here are just a few of the cultures which have a his-

tory of using sauna & steambathing as a form och thermal therapy. These countries are also all involved in the current

development in space. Many of them on the I.S.S.

Hypothesis: For me it makes sence, that cultures as old as civilization itself used it because it worked. Time is on it´s side.

However, things that may have been proved by doing, could benefit by explanation in theory. I will list the results I got

when I applied the benefits of thermal theraphy on the issues of space-travel.

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1 - Increase of blood circulation

Therapeutic sauna is the use of sauna for health purposes. It requires cycles of both hot

and cold, in a predetermined manner to bring about therapeutic change. The therapeu-

tic sauna with hot cycle followed by a cold cycle forces all the blood to flow gently and

evenly outwards to the skin to cool off in the heat of the sauna, and then forces it to flow

evenly inwards to protect and heat the vital organs of the body when suddenly cooled.

This increases the blood circulation and the breathing, and is similar to mild exercise. It

burns about 300 calories per average session.

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overview

HEALTH BENIFITS Increased blood circulation









2 - Decrease of stress hormones

With chronically ill people the amount of exercise that they can initially tolerate in recu-

peration may be insufficient to burn off excess stress hormones, so another way is needed

to achieve this. This can also be related to astronauts who build up stress in a zero-g envi-

ronment.

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overview


decrease of stress hormones









2 - Decrease of stress hormones

With chronically ill people the amount of exercise that they can initially tolerate in recu-

peration may be insufficient to burn off excess stress hormones, so another way is needed

to achieve this. This can also be related to astronauts who build up stress in a zero-g envi-

ronment.

3 - Strengthens immune system

Research has also shown that adaptation to cold through short term cold stimulus, as in

cold swimming, immersion (or showers) has the added benefit of improving the body’s

anti oxidant capabilities, with increases in glutathione and reduction of uric acid, which

may mean better handling of the stresses of illness. It is also believed that exposure of the

skin to heat stimulates the production of white blood cells and strengthens the immune

system.

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overview



Strengthens immune system

4 - Hygiene

A profuse sauna-induced sweat followed by a shower cleanses your skin far more thor-

oughly than just taking a shower (or using wet napkins). I want to create a system if pos-

sible, which doesn´t rely on detergents.

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overview




IMPROVED HYGIENE (without detergents)

4 - Hygiene




5 - Mind Relaxation

The sauna is essentially a place to relax. Regular sauna adepts all agree that it effectively

helps relieve physical and mental fatigue and stress. I will also consider if this could be an

area of personal space.

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overview





Mind relaxation

4 - Hygiene




5 - Mind Relaxation

The sauna is essentially a place to relax. Regular sauna adepts all agree that it effectively

helps relieve physical and mental fatigue and stress. I will also consider if this could be an

area of personal space.

6 - Improved Sleep efficiency

A 1999 study conducted by Harvard physician Cynthia Dorsey, Ph.D., director of the Sleep

Research Program at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts, found that 30-minute

steam baths taken 1.5 to two hours before bedtime improved sleep efficiency in female

insomniacs by approximately 10 percent. While the reasons for this are not altogether

clear, Dorsey believes that by elevating core body temperature, the 24-hour circadian

rhythm of some test subjects may have been temporarily reset to a more harmonious

relationship with the sleep-wake rhythm. Dorsey is currently conducting another study in

which she aims to determine whether a hot soak works better at inducing sleep than a

commonly prescribed sleeping pill. “So far” she says, “the results look comparable.”

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overview





Mind relaxation & personal space

improved sleep

HEALTH ISSUES in SPACE* Decreased circulation

Build-up of stress hormones

Difficulty sleeping

Congested sinus

Weakened immune system

IMPROVED HYGIENIC APPROACH NEEDED

overview

CONCLUSION I feel that the suitability of the steam bath as a therapeutic method is very

promising, and I think it will be suitable as a proposal for taking care of many

space-related issues. Creating a personal space where you can be alone,

where you can relax and let go of your stress, where you can take care of

your personal hygiene and relieve your congested sinus while at the same

time improve your immune system.

HEALTH BENEFITS of SAUNA Increased blood circulation




Mind relaxation & personal space

improved sleep

overview

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This is the last collection of images I used during the development of my project.

I have been inspired by the design of the jet-age, but also been looking into things

that for me is all about adventure, becoming the pilot instead of the passanger.

Staying in control.

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In space, without gravity, there´s no “up”

and “down”. When designing the inside of

the product, I played with fields and zones.

I think that magnetism is a bit magical,

and by visualizing the magnetic field i had

a pattern i found interresting, creating

direction. Visually and physically.

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76








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CYCLES Therapeutic sauna requires cycles of both hot and cold, in a predetermined

manner to bring about therapeutic change. The therapeutic sauna with hot

cycle followed by a cold cycle forces all the blood to flow gently and evenly

outwards to the skin to cool off through perspiration..

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CYCLES Therapeutic sauna requires cycles of both hot and cold, in a predetermined

manner to bring about therapeutic change. The therapeutic sauna with hot

cycle followed by a cold cycle forces all the blood to flow gently and evenly

outwards to the skin to cool off through perspiration.. and then forces it to

flow evenly inwards to protect and heat the vital organs of the body when

suddenly cooled. This increases the blood circulation and the breathing, and is

similar to mild exercise. It burns about 300 calories per average session.

80

When using the SaunaShower for thermal therphy and

cleansing, there has to be a flow of warm steam and

cold moisture. Between the change of temperature,

there will be a cool and brief shower which will rinse the

sweat of the skin.

This will then be blown off your skin with pressurized air,

starting at your head, and zone by zone dry you com-

pletely. (just like a carwash).

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Light emitting material

creates ambience

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seal around the door connects the

lower “hull” to the door

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steam and pressurized air can move

throughout the construction

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the nozzle above head will give

extra attention to the hair / head while the excess water and steam will be

flowing through the circulation-zones

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double glass in the back of the visir

will create a slipstream between the door

splitlines

if the door is opened before the cycle

is completed, all steam will be vented

through the doors edge

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this is the hub which is connected

to the plumbing of the space station.

steam generator and pump.

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alternative material rendering

“macho-racing”

EXTRA GALLERY

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earlier build

no extension off visor

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on of the first builds

ceramic body, and stainless steel.

“steam punk”

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document

Documents

space race

space age

johnson space center

public view of space

entire space effort

marshall space flight

project x

development of technology