A landmark study published this week in the Journal of Applied Orbital Psychology appears to suggest that astronauts who travel to space may require mental preparation for the psychological implications of traveling to space. The study, which examined 23 astronauts over a period spanning four lunar missions, found that 100% of participants reported "feelings" upon returning to Earth's gravitational field.

"What we're seeing here is a consistent pattern of astronauts experiencing what we can only describe as emotions related to their recent spatial displacement," said Dr. Marina Voss, Professor of Existential Astronautics at the University of Heidelberg. "The data suggests that leaving one's home planet may be correlated with having thoughts about leaving one's home planet." The study noted that these feelings appeared to manifest regardless of mission duration, with some astronauts reporting the onset of what researchers termed "perspective-based mood fluctuations" within hours of lunar orbit.

What makes this finding particularly striking is the implications for future space exploration programs. According to Dr. Chen Wei-Ming, Chair of Atmospheric Melancholy Studies at Cambridge, who was not involved in the study, the psychological impact of space travel may actually require addressing the psychological impact of space travel. "We're looking at a scenario where astronauts who see Earth from space might develop opinions about having seen Earth from space," Chen told reporters. The European Space Agency has reportedly begun preliminary discussions about whether mission training should include preparation for the experience of completing the mission.

"The real question," Voss said in a follow-up interview, "is whether we're prepared to accept that leaving Earth might make astronauts think about Earth."