COSMIC: Emotionally Intelligent Agents to Support Mental and Emotional Well-being in Extreme Isolation: Lessons from Analog Astronaut Training Missions

TL;DR

This paper introduces COSMIC, an emotionally intelligent AI companion using LLMs and digital avatars, designed to support mental health during long-duration space missions in isolated environments.

Contribution

It presents the first deployment of a high-fidelity, affective AI system with a digital avatar for psychological support in analog astronaut settings.

Findings

COSMIC integrates LLMs with a digital avatar for emotional support.

The system architecture includes short- and long-term memory modules.

Evaluation framework established for assessing psychological resilience.

Abstract

As humanity pivots toward long-duration interplanetary travel, the psychological constraints of Isolated and Confined Environments (ICE) emerge as a primary mission risk. This paper presents COSMIC (COmpanion System for Mission Interaction and Communication) representing the inaugural investigation into the deployment of a high-fidelity, emotionally intelligent AI companion in an analog astronaut setting. By integrating a Large Language Model (LLM) architecture with a diffusion-based digital avatar interface, COSMIC transcends traditional task-oriented automation to provide longitudinal affective support. We detail a modular system architecture designed for temporal continuity through short- and long-term memory systems and outline a robust naturalistic observational framework for evaluating psychological resilience at the LunAres Research Station. This work constitutes the first formal submission in the field to evaluate the efficacy of state-of-the-art generative AI and synthesized visual empathy in mitigating the effects of extreme isolation.