From Aeromedical Evacuation to Planetary Habitation: A PubMed‐Based Historical Mapping Review of Aerospace Nursing (1946–2025)

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.