Studies have shown that cultural factors pose additional risk to the success of long-duration spaceflight (LDSF). This research examines the role of intercultural communication in the interactions of crewmembers of LDSF. The goal is to suggest possible ways of reducing the risks and uncertainties associated with cultural and language factors. The study employs a mixed research design and applies qualitative and quantitative methods. The first being personal interviews and the second a quantitative content analysis of Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) videos. The study hypothesized that inadequate language competence will manifest itself in miscommunication during crew interactions. Results of the interview analysis indicate that intercultural differences should be taken into account to enable effective crew interactions. The differences may be caused by varying levels of language competence, cultural awareness and orientations, as well as professional cultures.
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