Space Sensory Lab

Space Sensory Lab (SSL) is the special-purpose R&D arm
of the
World Taste & Smell Association (WTSA)

We operate as the convener, integrator, and applied innovation agency—engaged to diagnose challenges, design sensory-driven solutions, and accelerate development in collaboration with astronauts, neuroscientists, sensory scientists, environmental psychologists, mission specialists, architects, and hospitality operators.

SSL integrates neuroscience, sensory science, human factors, nutrition, olfaction, materials science, environmental physiology, and behavioral science to optimize human performance and well-being in microgravity and other extreme environments.

As humanity steps toward orbital and lunar habitats—and prepares for Mars—the sensory environment becomes a vital extension of the life-support system. What we design for space strengthens mood, cognition, resilience, nutrition, appetite, belonging, and recovery in the most demanding conditions imaginable.

These discoveries are not limited to space.

Every insight developed for microgravity accelerates solutions for Earth-based hospitality, wellness, behavioral health, nutrition, long-stay environments, aging populations, sensory loss, and the built environments where people already struggle to thrive.

This dual-impact model creates high-leverage opportunities for forward-thinking partners: funding the future of human experience in space while unlocking scalable applications that improve life on Earth.

Person standing on a hill at night under a star-filled sky with the Milky Way galaxy visible.

Five Pillars of Engagement

1. The Sensory Frontier Report™ & Strategic Consulting

We create the codex every operator needs before building or launching anything:

  • The Sensory Frontier Report™ (Bespoke Operator Edition)

    – the foundational white paper + category-defining framework

  • Experience Architecture Roadmaps (F&B, wellness, sleep, hygiene, environmental programming)

  • Operator Playbooks for orbital hotels, long-stay habitats, and commercial space tourism

  • Risk maps for sensory, behavioral, and operational challenges

  • Cross-functional design briefs for engineers, architects, and mission leads

  • Brand positioning + cultural narrative guidance for space hospitality pioneers

    This is the McKinsey-style intelligence layer — with the advantage of decades of real sensory science behind it.

2. Sensory Science, Crew Profiling & Human Adaptation Research

We conduct the rigorous scientific groundwork operators rely on to design safe, joyful, high-performance living in orbit, on the Moon, or on Mars.

  • Pre-flight baseline sensory, behavioral, and emotional mapping

  • In-flight monitoring of hyposmia, taste suppression, mood shifts, appetite decline, etc.

  • Post-flight reintegration protocols for long-term quality of life

  • Longitudinal datasets that define how humans truly adapt to microgravity and off-world habitats

  • Sensory risk assessment and mitigation strategies

    This research becomes the factual backbone for every blueprint, framework, and operational roadmap we develop.

3. Daily Life Systems: Habitat Experience, Fitness, Rituals & Mental Wellbeing

We translate science into the architecture of daily life — the routines that sustain performance, identity, and joy.

Such as:

  • Environmental psychology: scent, light, acoustics, texture, spatial flow

  • Sleep, circadian systems, and alertness protocols

  • Movement/fitness designs for microgravity “gyms”

  • Recovery and stress-relief rituals

  • Emotional grounding practices that reinforce belonging and mitigate isolation

    We help people live well when everything familiar is stripped away.

4. F&B, Flavor, Cooking Systems, Nutrition & Functional Hydration

We can rebuild the entire culinary experience for suppressed-sense environments, where flavor, appetite, and mood behave differently.

Examples:

  • Flavor optimization under sensory suppression

  • Lunar/Mars cooking systems + kitchen protocols

  • Menu architecture for performance, comfort, and emotional resilience

  • Functional hydration kits (Calm, Focus, Adapt, Recover, etc.)

  • Cross-cultural rituals that restore identity far from Earth

    The Goal: Restore deliciousness, satisfaction, and pleasure — even when nothing tastes the way it should.

5. Hygiene, Personal Care & Mission-Ready Product Development

We design the personal systems that keep humans feeling human in extreme environments.

Such as:

  • Waterless, non-floataway product formulations

  • Zero-G packaging, ergonomics, and safety

  • Microgravity-safe skincare, grooming, and haircare

  • Laundry alternatives & garment care

  • Lifestyle routines for long-duration orbital/lunar/Mars residents

  • “Daily Life Amenities Kits” for guests and crew

    We ensure hygiene and self-care anchor identity, dignity, and well-being — the quiet essentials of civilization.

Prototype → Pilot → Orbit Deployment Pipeline

Collaborate with us to research and develop a turnkey pathway from concept to mission:

  • Ground simulations & testing

  • VR + scent + tactile pre-flight training

  • Microgravity-safety engineering

  • Commercial Space Station trial partnerships

  • Guest/crew refinement loops

  • Certification, compliance, and operator alignment

Global Leadership Team

  • Mindy Yang

    Human Experience, Sensory & Clinical Integration

    Mindy Yang is a global leader in multisensory innovation, known for bridging neuroscience, culture, data, and technology to shape how humans taste, smell, and feel. As CEO of the World Taste & Smell Association, she designs the invisible sensory systems and strategic frameworks that help companies predict trends, build new categories, and optimize human experience across food, beverage, wellness, fragrance, and hospitality.

    A visionary advisor and systems-level thinker, Mindy guides teams and organizations in translating frontier science into high-impact products, services, and sensory environments. Her work redefines flavor, unlocks emerging sensory markets, and expands the future of human perception—on Earth and into space.

  • Colleen McLeod Garner, MBA, EMGM, Ph.D. (in progress)

    Partnerships & F&B Innovation

    Colleen brings more than two decades of leadership across marketing, sales, and strategic brand development, shaping human-centered experiences that merge culinary craft, sensory science, and psychological wellness. She forges cross-sector partnerships that advance food and beverage innovation for emerging habitats and commercial space ecosystems, anchored in her guiding principle of Normalcy in the Extraordinary. As the only industry leader actively writing alcohol policy for space, Colleen blends business rigor with visionary thinking to help define responsible, future-ready frameworks that elevate comfort, connection, and quality of life wherever humanity chooses to explore.

  • Jarin Chu

    Feasibility, Operations

    Jarin Chu is a commercialization strategist and New Space advisor who supports space agencies and scales space startups across the US, EU, and Asia—including an ISS-flown space-food venture—by bridging big market-informed problems with innovation and operational readiness.

  • Caroline McMillan, Ph.D.

    Sensory Tech & Innovation

    An interdisciplinary Ph.D. in technology and human-computer interaction, Caroline works at the forefront of sensory design, research, technology, futures foresight, and measurable innovation in experience systems. With proven expertise in global manufacturing, she translates scientific insight into experiences, products, and spaces that enhance connection. Leading brands and institutions across the frontiers of human perception.

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World Taste & Smell Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York. All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Our Federal Tax ID number is 88-190-2767. No goods or services were provided in exchange for your generous donation. For your records, please retain this receipt as proof of your contribution. Consult with your tax advisor to determine the deductibility of your donation. Thanks for your support!