From Aeromedical Evacuation to Planetary Habitation: A PubMed-Based Historical Mapping Review of Aerospace Nursing (1946-2025).
Kubota K, Tsuda S, Kubota A
Abstract
Civilian spaceflight and long-duration missions are expanding, creating a need for nursing frameworks that extend beyond survival-focused transport care toward habitation-oriented support. This PubMed-based historical mapping review traced the evolution of aerospace nursing across 1946-2025 and examined how clinical priorities, target populations, and theoretical lenses have shifted over time. A focused PubMed search retrieved 208 records (last searched December 30, 2025). Title and abstract screening excluded clearly non-relevant records (n = 12); no full-text records were excluded. The remaining 196 records were synthesized using thematic and chronological mapping and summarized in an evolutionary matrix. Four phases were identified: Origins (1946-1970s), centered on aeromedical evacuation and survival during transport; Professionalization (1980s-1990s), emphasizing provider well-being and the emergence of nursing theory in space contexts; Clinical Adaptation (2000s-2010s), focusing on procedural adaptation, training, and safety practices in altered gravity; and the New Frontier (2020s-2025), addressing civilian participation and competencies for long-duration missions. Across eight decades, the field shifted from guarding survival to facilitating habitation. Persistent gaps include everyday living support, life-course and reproductive care, and chronic disease management in altered gravity, with implications for workforce development and policy.