Overview

Automation and Astronauts: How the ISS Operates at the Edge of Human and Machine Limits, offers an unprecedented look at one of the most consequential yet overlooked moments in human spaceflight history. In early 2026, four astronauts departed the International Space Station, leaving behind only three crew members to maintain the orbiting laboratory. What seems like a routine crew rotation was, in fact, a bold experiment in risk, endurance, and innovation.This book explores the technical, scientific, and human dimensions of operating the ISS at the edge of its limits. Readers will discover: How the station's complex systems are maintained with a skeletal crew. The impact on scientific research and experiments when human hands are stretched thin. The psychological pressures of isolation, overwork, and life in confined quarters. Lessons from past space stations like Skylab and Mir, and what they reveal about risk and resilience. The growing role of automation, AI, and robotics in sustaining human presence in orbit. What reduced-crew operations mean for the future of lunar bases, Mars missions, and commercial space habitats. Combining rigorous technical analysis with compelling human narratives, Orbiting Under Pressure is essential reading for anyone fascinated by space exploration, human endurance, and the evolving relationship between humans and technology beyond Earth.

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