‘It’s not rocket science’: a day in the life of a Nasa behavioral health scientist

Dr Suzanne Bell, an organizational psychologist, leads the Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory at Nasa’s Johnson Space Center.

What’s your morning routine?

My morning time is very important to me. I get up without an alarm by 5am every day, and from 5 to 7.15 I sit and have my morning latte. It’s a focused time where I do work or some longer reading, or respond to personal emails and do paperwork. Two hours of completely uninterrupted time every morning is just wonderful.

What did work look like today?

I am the principal investigator for Artemis research, for crew health and readiness. It’s the first time a crew’s gone beyond low-Earth orbit in 50 years, and the first time they’ve flown in Orion.

We collected data from the Artemis II crew, and finished our pre-mission data collection about a month ago. The human research program that funds the work wanted a briefing on a really quick turnaround. We briefed them on what we need to do and what we need to address before Artemis III.

Suzanne Bell. Photograph: James Blair/Nasa

Right now, we’re working on sustained lunar presence and setting up a moon base. We have data that can already inform some of the ways that should be built.

When do you eat lunch?

I actually didn’t have time for a lunch break, so I grabbed a salad on the way into a meeting. I’m a very healthy eater – I follow the daily dozen, which is a healthy longevity diet. I don’t eat flour or sugar unless it’s a special occasion.

Was there anything especially challenging or exciting?

We know a lot about low-Earth orbit. We know a lot about what it’s like to work and live in the International Space Station. But we’re really focused on the moon, sustaining a presence there and going on to Mars. That research is so exciting because it is data from people who have gone into deep space, and that is the direction we’re heading.

What time did you leave the office, and what did you do with your evening?

I left at about 5. I tend not to work late. I have a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old, and they’re very busy in sports and activities, so in the evening I like to prioritize being available to them. My 15-year-old really likes to work out with me. So we go to the gym together and we lift weights. My other son is involved in a lot of sports, and we do indoor climbing. But I go to bed really early. I’m asleep by 9 or 9.30. I get my restorative time on a Saturday or Sunday – you need a break. It’s not rocket science.

This interview has been edited and condensed