Dynamic Lighting For Space Habitats

Studies about sleep deprivation in Space suggest the desynchronization of astronauts' circadian rhythm during the mission. This alteration could be caused by the absence of natural light variation in Space, together with low illuminance levels existing within the habitat. The paper proposes a new dynamic lighting approach suited for Space habitats reproducing Earth daylight variation by means of electrical light sources. In a daily schedule, the artificial lighting variation from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. was planned according to previous studies about melatonin secretion and physiological parameters variation in human body. Variations of illuminance (E) level and Correlated Colour Temperature (CCT) are obtained using the new LED technology, a light source suitable for Space applications. Results obtained suggest that the proposed scheduled lighting scenarios produce the proper conditions for astronauts' circadian rhythm regulation and cognitive performance.