A Dedicated NASA Scientist Makes Human Spaceflight More Comfortable
Susan Schuh's work at NASA's Johnson Space Center has been instrumental in helping humans adapt to life beyond Earth. As team lead of the Flight Crew Integration Operational Habitability (OpsHab) team, she leads efforts to understand what living and working in space is really like – with a focus on documenting astronauts' feedback to improve current and future missions.
Her team's work not only supports crews on the International Space Station but also informs NASA's Artemis mission plans to explore more of the lunar surface. They manage the Crew Comments Database, which has over 115,000 entries spanning 25 years of ISS missions – a comprehensive record of crew feedback that helps NASA apply lessons learned.
Schuh credits her mentor, Dr. Gerald Gamache, for introducing her to human factors research during her studies in psychology and human factors at Flagler College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She began her internship at NASA in 2000 and has since become a leading expert on supporting humans in space.
Beyond her technical work, Schuh is known for building strong communities. In 2020, she founded the Johnson Parenting community, which now supports over 600 working parents across the center. This commitment to connecting people has made a significant impact on her own life and career.
Despite the demands of her job, Schuh prioritizes finding balance between work, family, and personal life. She recognizes that creating boundaries is essential but acknowledges that it's an ongoing struggle for her. The Johnson Parenting community has been a valuable resource in helping her navigate this challenge.
Outside of work, Schuh finds solace in nature and water activities. As an avid scuba diver, she shares fond memories with her father, who taught her to dive at the age of 11. Her passion for connecting people and fostering positive relationships is reflected in her words: "Make connections and nurture them. It's always cool to be kind... Stay true to yourself and your values. Tell the people you admire how and why they inspire you."
Susan Schuh's work at NASA's Johnson Space Center has been instrumental in helping humans adapt to life beyond Earth. As team lead of the Flight Crew Integration Operational Habitability (OpsHab) team, she leads efforts to understand what living and working in space is really like – with a focus on documenting astronauts' feedback to improve current and future missions.
Her team's work not only supports crews on the International Space Station but also informs NASA's Artemis mission plans to explore more of the lunar surface. They manage the Crew Comments Database, which has over 115,000 entries spanning 25 years of ISS missions – a comprehensive record of crew feedback that helps NASA apply lessons learned.
Schuh credits her mentor, Dr. Gerald Gamache, for introducing her to human factors research during her studies in psychology and human factors at Flagler College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She began her internship at NASA in 2000 and has since become a leading expert on supporting humans in space.
Beyond her technical work, Schuh is known for building strong communities. In 2020, she founded the Johnson Parenting community, which now supports over 600 working parents across the center. This commitment to connecting people has made a significant impact on her own life and career.
Despite the demands of her job, Schuh prioritizes finding balance between work, family, and personal life. She recognizes that creating boundaries is essential but acknowledges that it's an ongoing struggle for her. The Johnson Parenting community has been a valuable resource in helping her navigate this challenge.
Outside of work, Schuh finds solace in nature and water activities. As an avid scuba diver, she shares fond memories with her father, who taught her to dive at the age of 11. Her passion for connecting people and fostering positive relationships is reflected in her words: "Make connections and nurture them. It's always cool to be kind... Stay true to yourself and your values. Tell the people you admire how and why they inspire you."
I think its awesome that Susan Schuh is making human spaceflight more comfortable for us! Like, who wouldn't want to know what astronauts really experience in space? Her work with the Crew Comments Database is so cool - it's like a massive library of feedback from ISS crew members. I'm curious about how this will help NASA plan better missions on the lunar surface 
. It's also awesome that she prioritizes balance between work and family life, cos we all know its not easy to juggle multiple responsibilities 
. Building strong communities is really important too, especially for parents who need support at work - her Johnson Parenting community is doing great things! 
So she's this super important scientist at NASA who helps make human spaceflight more comfortable for astronauts? Like, I get it, space is harsh so we need people who can adapt and stuff 
What kind of things are they recording? Like, astronaut complaints about the food or something? 
And what does she think is the most important thing to learn from all that feedback? 
She must be doing something right, because her work is literally helping ppl live and work in space for longer periods. It's also really cool that she started this community thingy at NASA, I wish they had something like that back at my office 
.
. I mean, can you imagine having a better understanding of what it's like to live in space? It's like, we're not just talking about getting astronauts from point A to point B, we're talking about creating a whole new way of life up there 
. But Schuh's approach to creating healthy boundaries and nurturing relationships is super relatable.
. It just goes to show that taking care of yourself is essential, not just for your own well-being but also for being a positive influence on others 
.