Designing Digital Wellbeing for Space: Building a Human-First Digital Future
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As humanity prepares for life beyond Earth, one overlooked challenge stands out:
How do we design digital experiences that support well-being in extreme environments like Mars?
At the 2025 Mars Innovation Workshop hosted by Explore Mars, experts from the Sync Digital Wellbeing Program at Ithra joined space technologists, researchers, and innovators to explore this question. Workshop participants (who contributed their own insights, experiences, and questions to the session) came from a variety of backgrounds, including startups, nonprofits, academic research, public entities, investment, the arts, and the private sector.
Unlike Earth, where digital systems evolved reactively, Mars offers a unique opportunity to design digital life from the ground up—with well-being at the core. The discussion focused on how digital tools will shape the mental, social, and physical health of Mars settlers, and how these insights could also improve digital experiences here on Earth.
Defining Digital Wellbeing for a Mars Settlement
Image credits: Steven Cordes | Unsplash
Digital well-being is about more than screen time and notifications—it’s about fostering balance, security, and healthy interactions with technology. In space, where every interaction could impact mental resilience, mission success, and survival itself, digital design becomes a critical element of human sustainability.
Experts from Sync presented insights from their global research on digital habits and experiences, revealing widespread concerns about overuse, attention fragmentation, and work-life imbalance. Many of these problems stem from design choices, meaning that they’re not inevitable consequences of digital life. The question for Mars settlers, then, is how do we design a digital environment that avoids Earth’s mistakes?
Digital well-being for a Mars settlement isn’t necessarily about reducing screen time. It’s about ensuring that every digital interaction contributes to mission success, mental health, and community cohesion.
In deep-space environments, where stress, isolation, and survival pressures are constant, technology must be designed as a tool for resilience, not distraction.
One of the biggest shifts compared to Earth is the absence of real-time connectivity with Earth. Unlike astronauts aboard the International Space Station, who can participate in live calls with Earth, Mars settlers will face significant delays in communication—from 5 to 22 minutes one way. This means that social media, news updates, and even crisis response will function differently. Workshop participants noted that without instant feedback loops, Mars residents will need entirely new (or perhaps very old?) strategies for maintaining social bonds, receiving emotional support, and engaging with digital content from Earth.
Additionally, mental well-being in space depends on avoiding overstimulation while ensuring meaningful engagement. Unlike Earth, where endless content and notifications create constant noise, a Mars settlement offers the chance to intentionally design digital systems that prioritize deep focus, collaborative problem-solving and mental recovery. Participants discussed whether screen-free or mixed-reality interfaces could help Martians feel more connected to their environment, rather than being tethered to screens in an already enclosed, high-stress habitat.
Another critical question was who controls the digital environment. Do individuals have full autonomy over their digital spaces, or will AI and mission protocols dictate engagement?
Some participants argued that well-being-first design should ensure that individuals retain agency over how they use technology. Others noted that certain mission-critical tasks might require automated monitoring for mental health and cognitive function. Finding the right balance between autonomy, safety, and digital responsibility will be key.
Ultimately, digital well-being on Mars must be a proactive design feature, not an afterthought. The choices made now—about AI oversight, social platforms, and digital work-life balance—could determine whether Mars settlers thrive in a supportive digital ecosystem or struggle with the same digital burnout that challenges people on Earth today.
The Challenges of Digital Life in Space
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Mars settlers will experience a radically different digital reality—one where instant communication, endless content, and real-time interactions with Earth no longer exist. While this may reduce some of the digital distractions that overwhelm people on Earth, it also introduces new psychological and operational challenges that must be carefully managed.
One of the most profound shifts will be the psychological impact of delayed communication. On Earth, we take for granted the ability to reach out for emotional support, ask for clarification, or collaborate in real time.
Mars settlers will have no such luxury. Delays of up to 22 minutes one way mean that conversations with loved ones or mission control will be fragmented, requiring entirely new approaches to maintaining social and emotional connections. Without careful design, asynchronous messaging could feel cold, impersonal, or even lead to feelings of abandonment. Participants discussed whether AI-generated messages simulating loved ones’ responses could help bridge this emotional gap … or whether such an approach might create an even greater sense of artificiality and disconnection.
Another major challenge is balancing digital engagement and cognitive overload. In space, information is critical. Astronauts and Mars settlers will rely on data from AI, sensors, and mission updates to make life-or-death decisions. But how much is too much? On Earth, studies show that information overload leads to stress, decision fatigue, and decreased productivity—issues that could be even more dangerous on Mars, where misinterpretations or mental exhaustion could have severe consequences. Workshop participants raised concerns about whether astronauts should have full access to Earth’s news cycle, considering that exposure to geopolitical crises, economic instability, or personal tragedies could create emotional distress at a time when focus and stability are paramount.
Additionally, digital interactions will likely need to be engineered to prevent toxicity and group discord. In a small, isolated community, a single negative interaction (whether online or offline) could significantly impact social cohesion and morale. Unlike on Earth, where digital conflicts can be compartmentalized from real life, a Mars settler cannot simply “log off” or “ghost” someone indefinitely. This led to a discussion on how social platforms and communication tools could be designed to encourage trust, constructive dialogue, and emotional intelligence. Could AI moderation prevent conflict escalation? Should there be structured social hours or digital town halls? The consensus was clear: digital spaces on Mars must be designed with intentionality, ensuring that they promote psychological safety and community well-being.
A final but critical concern is digital security and autonomy. On Mars, digital systems will control life-support functions, airlocks, navigation, and even medical diagnostics—raising the stakes for cybersecurity risks.
Workshop participants explored how much autonomy settlers should have over these systems versus how much control should remain centralized. While strict cybersecurity protocols will be necessary to prevent hacking, data corruption, or malfunctions, there is also the risk that overly centralized control could lead to frustration, lack of trust, or even ethical concerns over digital governance. How do we ensure that individuals feel empowered in their digital environments while still maintaining safety and operational integrity?
As this discussion highlighted, digital life in space presents challenges far beyond managing screen time or notification fatigue. Mars offers a rare opportunity to rethink digital interactions from the ground up, ensuring that they support well-being, trust, and mission resilience rather than creating new stressors and risks.
Crucially, these challenges don’t just apply to Mars. They’re already emerging in Earth’s most extreme environments, from Antarctic research stations to deep-sea expeditions. Understanding how digital design affects people in high-stress, isolated environments can provide valuable lessons for both space and Earth, starting today.
Building a Digital Future that Prioritizes Well-Being
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While digital technologies have long been designed to maximize efficiency, engagement (including advertising revenue), and data collection, a Mars settlement provides the opportunity to flip the script—placing well-being, intentionality, and human-centered design at the forefront. Instead of retrofitting existing systems to mitigate harm, we have the chance to proactively design a digital ecosystem that enhances human flourishing in extreme environments.
One of the central ideas that emerged from the workshop was the importance of designing digital tools that facilitate human connection rather than replace it. In Earth’s hyperconnected world, many people experience a paradox: being constantly online yet feeling increasingly isolated. Mars settlers will likely have the opposite challenge: physical isolation with far fewer digital distractions. The group discussed how digital interfaces could be designed to encourage rich, meaningful interactions rather than passive scrolling or transactional communication. Could AI assist in creating personalized, long-form asynchronous conversations with Earth, rather than just quick text-based exchanges? Could virtual reality or augmented reality enable immersive storytelling experiences, allowing settlers to “visit” Earth in emotionally fulfilling ways?
Additionally, there was a strong emphasis on ensuring a balance between digital and analog life. Because bandwidth and power on Mars will likely be limited (at least at the beginning of human habitation), digital engagement will need to be deliberate rather than constant. This could encourage a shift toward deeper, more mindful interactions rather than the rapid-fire, notification-driven digital behaviors common today. Workshop participants debated whether Mars should experiment with designated "offline hours," similar to screen-free policies in some schools and workplaces. Instead of creating an “always-on” culture, Mars could set a new standard for tech-life balance, ensuring that digital engagement enhances rather than dominates daily life.
Another key consideration is transparency and user autonomy in digital decision-making. One of the biggest frustrations many people experience with technology today is a lack of control over how platforms operate, from algorithm-driven content curation to invasive data collection. On Mars, digital systems could be designed to give users clear, understandable control over their settings, AI interactions, and data privacy. This extends to AI-powered well-being tools. If AI is monitoring stress levels, mental health, or fatigue, users should have full transparency into what data is being collected, how it’s being used, and the ability to opt in or out.
Finally, the group emphasized that digital governance must be considered from day one. On Earth, governments and tech companies have struggled to regulate digital spaces effectively, often reacting to crises rather than proactively shaping digital environments. Mars offers a chance to do things differently. What guiding principles should be in place to ensure that digital spaces remain ethical, inclusive, and aligned with well-being-first values? Should governance be handled by a local Mars-based authority, an Earth-based regulatory body, or a decentralized system? These questions should be addressed early to prevent the mistakes of Earth’s digital landscape from taking root in space.
The session concluded with a sense of urgency: the principles we apply to Mars' digital future should not be limited to space. If we can design digital tools and systems that support well-being in one of the most extreme environments imaginable, why not implement these ideas on Earth today?
Whether through rethinking social media, AI-driven work environments, or digital governance, the Mars experiment offers a blueprint for building a healthier, more intentional relationship with technology—no matter where we call home.
What Can We Do Today?
This workshop session closed with a discussion on how today’s technologists, researchers, and policymakers can integrate these well-being-first principles now, rather than waiting for Mars. Major ideas included suggestions to:
💡Redesign social media and workspaces to encourage platforms to prioritize balance and trust over engagement and profit-driven addiction.
💡 Develop AI-driven well-being tools by creating systems that support mental and physical health without overstepping privacy boundaries.
💡 Test digital design principles and governance in extreme Earth environments. By applying these ideas in remote research stations, deep-sea missions, and isolated communities on Earth before implementing them in space, we have the chance to learn more about the lived experience and carry out design-build-test-learn cycles for new approaches. (Got a place for one of these experiments? DM me!)
💡 Encourage industry responsibility by holding tech companies and regulators accountable for how tech design impacts human well-being. Mars is an opportunity to start fresh … but Earth doesn’t have to wait.
As the conversation wrapped up, one thing became clear: solving digital well-being for Mars isn’t just about space—it’s about fixing what’s broken in today’s digital world.
If we can build digital ecosystems that enhance mental health, social trust, and personal autonomy in the harshest environment imaginable, then we can apply those same principles to create healthier, more human-centered digital spaces right here on Earth.
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
For a full list of topics and collaboration opportunities, visit Tiffany’s Work Together webpage.
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