Intercultural crew issues in long-duration spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kraft, Norbert O.; Lyons, Terence J.; Binder, Heidi

2003-01-01

Before long-duration flights with international crews can be safely undertaken, potential interpersonal difficulties will need to be addressed. Crew performance breakdown has been recognized by the American Institute of Medicine, in scientific literature, and in popular culture. However, few studies of human interaction and performance in confined, isolated environments exist, and the data pertaining to those studies are mostly anecdotal. Many incidents involving crew interpersonal dynamics, those among flight crews, as well as between flight crews and ground controllers, are reported only in non-peer reviewed books and newspapers. Consequently, due to this lack of concrete knowledge, the selection of astronauts and cosmonauts has focused on individual rather than group selection. Additional selection criteria such as interpersonal and communication competence, along with intercultural training, will have a decisive impact on future mission success. Furthermore, industrial psychological research has demonstrated the ability to select a group based on compatibility. With all this in mind, it is essential to conduct further research on heterogeneous, multi-national crews including selection and training for long-duration space missions.

Enroute flight-path planning - Cooperative performance of flight crews and knowledge-based systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Philip J.; Mccoy, Elaine; Layton, Chuck; Galdes, Deb

1989-01-01

Interface design issues associated with the introduction of knowledge-based systems into the cockpit are discussed. Such issues include not only questions about display and control design, they also include deeper system design issues such as questions about the alternative roles and responsibilities of the flight crew and the computer system. In addition, the feasibility of using enroute flight path planning as a context for exploring such research questions is considered. In particular, the development of a prototyping shell that allows rapid design and study of alternative interfaces and system designs is discussed.

Wireless Crew Communication Feasibility Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Archer, Ronald D.; Romero, Andy; Juge, David

2016-01-01

Ongoing discussions with crew currently onboard the ISS as well as the crew debriefs from completed ISS missions indicate that issues associated with the lack of wireless crew communication results in increased crew task completion times and lower productivity, creates cable management issues, and increases crew frustration.

Issues related to line-oriented flight training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lauber, J. K.

1981-01-01

The use of a training simulator along with carefully structured, detailed, line trip scenarios was envisioned by NASA as a means of providing a controllable, repeatable way to observe line crews in a highly realistic simulation of their working environment and obtain better understanding operationally significant human factors problems and issues. Relevant research done by the agency and the results of full-mission simulation scenarios revealed potential implications for flight training. Aspects to be considered in creating training programs closely related to the actual line environment with a total crew application in real world incident experiences include: (1) operational, environmental, equipment, and crew problems in scenario design; (2) real time line oriented flight training operation; (3) performance assessment and debriefing; (4) instructor qualification and training; and (5) other issues such as ub un initial, transition, and upgrade training; procedures developent and evaluation, and equipment evaluation.

Lessons from cross-fleet/cross-airline observations - Evaluating the impact of CRM/LOFT training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, Roy E.

1991-01-01

A review is presented of the crew resource management/line oriented flight training (CRM/LOFT) program to help determine the level of standardization across fleets and airlines in the critical area of evaluating crew behavior and performance. One of the goals of the project is to verify that check airmen and LOFT instructors within organizations are evaluating CRM issues consistently and that differences observed between fleets are not a function of idiosyncracies on the part of observers. Attention is given to the research tools for crew evaluation.

Design of a Threat-Based Gunnery Performance Test: Issues and Procedures for Crew and Platoon Tank Gunnery

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

Uses visual communication . _._Changes direction/formation __Crews transmit timely, accurate quickly. messages. NOTES. Figure 22. Sample engagement...and concise. The network control station (NCS) effectively maintains network discipline. Radio security equipment, visual communication , wire...net discipline, (c) clarity and brevity of radio messages, (d) use of transmission security equipment, (e) use of visual communication , (f) use of wire

Psychosocial issues in space: future challenges.

PubMed

Sandal, G M

2001-06-01

As the duration of space flights increases and crews become more heterogeneous, psychosocial factors are likely to play an increasingly important role in determining mission success. The operations of the International Space Station and planning of interplanetary missions represent important future challenges for how to select, train and monitor crews. So far, empirical evidence about psychological factors in space is based on simulations and personnel in analog environments (i.e. polar expeditions, submarines). It is apparent that attempts to transfer from these environments to space requires a thorough analysis of the human behavior specific to the fields. Recommendations for research include the effects of multi-nationality on crew interaction, development of tension within crews and between Mission Control, and prediction of critical phases in adaptation over time. Selection of interpersonally compatible crews, pre-mission team training and implementation of tools for self-monitoring of psychological parameters ensure that changes in mission requirements maximize crew performance.

Research opportunities in human behavior and performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, J. M. (Editor); Talbot, J. M. (Editor)

1985-01-01

Extant information on the subject of psychological aspects of manned space flight are reviewed; NASA's psychology research program is examined; significant gaps in knowledge are identified; and suggestions are offered for future research program planning. Issues of human behavior and performance related to the United States space station, to the space shuttle program, and to both near and long term problems of a generic nature in applicable disciplines of psychology are considered. Topics covered include: (1) human performance requirements for a 90 day mission; (2) human perceptual, cognitive, and motor capabilities and limitations in space; (3) crew composition, individual competencies, crew competencies, selection criteria, and special training; (4) environmental factors influencing behavior; (5) psychosocial aspects of multiperson space crews in long term missions; (6) career determinants in NASA; (7) investigational methodology and equipment; and (8) psychological support.

Space rescue system definition (system performance analysis and trades)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Housten, Sam; Elsner, Tim; Redler, Ken; Svendsen, Hal; Wenzel, Sheri

This paper addresses key technical issues involved in the system definition of the Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV). The perspective on these issues is that of a prospective ACRV contractor, performing system analysis and trade studies. The objective of these analyses and trade studies is to develop the recovery vehicle system concept and top level requirements. The starting point for this work is the definition of the set of design missions for the ACRV. This set of missions encompasses three classes of contingency/emergency (crew illness/injury, space station catastrophe/failure, transportation element catastrophe/failure). The need is to provide a system to return Space Station crew to Earth quickly (less than 24 hours) in response to randomly occurring contingency events over an extended period of time (30 years of planned Space Station life). The main topics addressed and characterized in this paper include the following: Key Recovery (Rescue) Site Access Considerations; Rescue Site Locations and Distribution; Vehicle Cross Range vs Site Access; On-orbit Loiter Capability and Vehicle Design; and Water vs. Land Recovery.

Li-Ion Pouch Cell Designs; Performance and Issues for Crewed Vehicle Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darcy, Eric

2011-01-01

The purpose of this work: Are there any performance show stoppers for spinning them into spacecraft applications? (1) Are the seals compatible with extended vacuum operations? (2) How uniformly and cleanly are they made? (3) How durable are they?

Flight Crew Survey Responses from the Interval Management (IM) Avionics Phase 2 Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Swieringa, Kurt A.; Wilson, Sara R.; Roper, Roy D.; Hubbs, Clay E.; Goess, Paul A.; Shay, Richard F.

2017-01-01

The Interval Management (IM) Avionics Phase 2 flight test used three aircraft over a nineteen day period to operationally evaluate a prototype IM avionics. Quantitative data were collected on aircraft state data and IM spacing algorithm performance, and qualitative data were collected through end-of-scenario and end-of-day flight crew surveys. The majority of the IM operations met the performance goals established for spacing accuracy at the Achieve-by Point and the Planned Termination Point, however there were operations that did not meet goals for a variety of reasons. While the positive spacing accuracy results demonstrate the prototype IM avionics can contribute to the overall air traffic goal, critical issues were also identified that need to be addressed to enhance IM performance. The first category was those issues that impacted the conduct and results of the flight test, but are not part of the IM concept or procedures. These included the design of arrival and approach procedures was not ideal to support speed as the primary control mechanism, the ground-side of the Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) integrated concept of operations was not part of the flight test, and the high workload to manually enter the information required to conduct an IM operation. The second category was issues associated with the IM spacing algorithm or flight crew procedures. These issues include the high frequency of IM speed changes and reversals (accelerations), a mismatch between the deceleration rate used by the spacing algorithm and the actual aircraft performance, and some spacing error calculations were sensitive to normal operational variations in aircraft airspeed or altitude which triggered additional IM speed changes. Once the issues in these two categories are addressed, the future IM avionics should have considerable promise supporting the goals of improving system throughput and aircraft efficiency.

Medical Training Issues and Skill Mix for Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janney, R. P.; Armstrong, C. W.; Stepaniak, P. C.; Billica, Roger (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The approach for treating in-flight medical events during exploration-class missions must reflect the need for an autonomous crew, and cannot be compared to current space flight therapeutic protocols. An exploration mission exposes the crew to periods of galactic cosmic radiation, isolation, confinement, and microgravity deconditioning far exceeding the low-Earth orbital missions performed to date. In addition, exploration crews will not be able to return to Earth at the onset of a medical event and will need to control the situation in-flight. Medical consultations with Earth-based physicians will be delayed as much as 40 minutes, dictating the need for a highly-trained medical team on board. This presentation will address the mix of crew medical skills and the training required for crew health care providers for missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Both low- and high-risk options for medical skill mix and preflight training will be compared.

What makes a good LOFT scenario? Issues in advancing current knowledge of scenario design. [Line Oriented Flight Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregorich, Steven E.

1991-01-01

An effort is made to ascertain which combinations of technical demands and crew coordination should be incorporated in training scenarios in order to maximize the effectiveness of training for crew members. Such high-fidelity simulation, which has come to be known as 'line-oriented flight training' or LOFT, involves the practice of both technical and crew coordination skills in a realistic setting, in conjunction with periodic reviews of performance via videotaped feedback. Attention is given to the integration of appropriate information, the measurement of objective task demands, the character of information from LOFT students, and the leeway allowed LOFT instructors.

Crew systems: integrating human and technical subsystems for the exploration of space.

PubMed

Connors, M M; Harrison, A A; Summit, J

1994-07-01

Space exploration missions will require combining human and technical subsystems into overall "crew systems" capable of performing under the rigorous conditions of outer space. This report describes substantive and conceptual relationships among humans, intelligent machines, and communication systems, and explores how these components may be combined to complement and strengthen one another. We identify key research issues in the combination of humans and technology and examine the role of individual differences, group processes, and environmental conditions. We conclude that a crew system is, in effect, a social cyborg, a living system consisting of multiple individuals whose capabilities are extended by advanced technology.

Crew systems: integrating human and technical subsystems for the exploration of space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connors, M. M.; Harrison, A. A.; Summit, J.

1994-01-01

Space exploration missions will require combining human and technical subsystems into overall "crew systems" capable of performing under the rigorous conditions of outer space. This report describes substantive and conceptual relationships among humans, intelligent machines, and communication systems, and explores how these components may be combined to complement and strengthen one another. We identify key research issues in the combination of humans and technology and examine the role of individual differences, group processes, and environmental conditions. We conclude that a crew system is, in effect, a social cyborg, a living system consisting of multiple individuals whose capabilities are extended by advanced technology.

Human Factor Studies on a Mars Analogue During Crew 100b International Lunar Exploration Working Group EuroMoonMars Crew: Proposed New Approaches for Future Human Space and Interplanetary Missions.

PubMed

Rai, Balwant; Kaur, Jasdeep

2012-11-01

Knowing the risks, costs, and complexities associated with human missions to Mars, analogue research can be a great (low-risk) tool for exploring the challenges associated with the preparation for living, operating, and undertaking research in interplanetary missions. Short-duration analogue studies, such as those being accomplished at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), offer the chance to study mission operations and human factors in a simulated environment, and therefore contribute to exploration of the Moon and Mars in planned future missions. This article is based upon previously published articles, abstracts, and presentations by a series of independent authors, human factor studies performed on mars analogue station by Crew 100B. The MDRS Crew 100B performed studies over 15 days providing a unique insight into human factor issues in simulated short-duration Mars mission. In this study, 15 human factors were evaluated and analyzed by subjective and objective means, and from the summary of results it was concluded that optimum health of an individual and the crew as a whole is a necessity in order to encourage and maintain high performance and the satisfaction of project goals.

Human Factor Studies on a Mars Analogue During Crew 100b International Lunar Exploration Working Group EuroMoonMars Crew: Proposed New Approaches for Future Human Space and Interplanetary Missions

PubMed Central

Rai, Balwant; Kaur, Jasdeep

2012-01-01

Knowing the risks, costs, and complexities associated with human missions to Mars, analogue research can be a great (low-risk) tool for exploring the challenges associated with the preparation for living, operating, and undertaking research in interplanetary missions. Short-duration analogue studies, such as those being accomplished at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), offer the chance to study mission operations and human factors in a simulated environment, and therefore contribute to exploration of the Moon and Mars in planned future missions. This article is based upon previously published articles, abstracts, and presentations by a series of independent authors, human factor studies performed on mars analogue station by Crew 100B. The MDRS Crew 100B performed studies over 15 days providing a unique insight into human factor issues in simulated short-duration Mars mission. In this study, 15 human factors were evaluated and analyzed by subjective and objective means, and from the summary of results it was concluded that optimum health of an individual and the crew as a whole is a necessity in order to encourage and maintain high performance and the satisfaction of project goals. PMID:23181225

Consideration for solar system exploration - A system to Mars. [biomedical, environmental, and psychological factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicogossian, Arnauld E.; Garshnek, Victoria

1989-01-01

Biomedical issues related to a manned mission to Mars are reviewed. Consideration is given to cardiovascular deconditioning, hematological and immunological changes, bone and muscle changes, nutritional issues, and the development of physiological countermeasures. Environmental issues are discussed, including radiation hazards, toxic chemical exposure, and the cabin environment. Also, human factors, performance and behavior, medical screening of the crew, disease prediction, and health maintenance are examined.

Team Dynamics. Essays in the Sociology and Social Psychology of Sport Including Methodological and Epistemological Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenk, Hans

This document contains nine essays on the sociology and social psychology of team dynamics, including methodological and epistemological issues involved in such study. Essay titles are: (1) Conflict and Achievement in Top Athletic Teams--Sociometric Structures of Racing Eight Oar Crews; (2) Top Performance Despite Internal Conflict--An Antithesis…

The Apollo Medical Operations Project: Recommendations to Improve Crew Health and Performance for Future Exploration Missions and Lunar Surface Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheuring, Richard A.; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Novak, Joseph D.; Polk, James D.; Gillis, David B.; Schmid, Josef; Duncan, James M.; Davis, Jeffrey R.

2007-01-01

Medical requirements for the future Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), advanced Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suits and Lunar habitat are currently being developed. Crews returning to the lunar surface will construct the lunar habitat and conduct scientific research. Inherent in aggressive surface activities is the potential risk of injury to crewmembers. Physiological responses and the operational environment for short forays during the Apollo lunar missions were studied and documented. Little is known about the operational environment in which crews will live and work and the hardware will be used for long-duration lunar surface operations. Additional information is needed regarding productivity and the events that affect crew function such as a compressed timeline. The Space Medicine Division at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) requested a study in December 2005 to identify Apollo mission issues relevant to medical operations that had impact to crew health and/or performance. The operationally oriented goals of this project were to develop or modify medical requirements for new exploration vehicles and habitats, create a centralized database for future access, and share relevant Apollo information with the multiple entities at NASA and abroad participating in the exploration effort.

The Apollo Medical Operations Project: Recommendations to Improve Crew Health and Performance for Future Exploration Missions and Lunar Surface Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheuring, Richard A.; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Polk, James D.; Gillis, David B.; Schmid, Joseph; Duncan, James M.; Davis, Jeffrey R.; Novak, Joseph D.

2007-01-01

Medical requirements for the future Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), advanced Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suits and Lunar habitat are currently being developed. Crews returning to the lunar surface will construct the lunar habitat and conduct scientific research. Inherent in aggressive surface activities is the potential risk of injury to crewmembers. Physiological responses to and the operational environment of short forays during the Apollo lunar missions were studied and documented. Little is known about the operational environment in which crews will live and work and the hardware that will be used for long-duration lunar surface operations.Additional information is needed regarding productivity and the events that affect crew function such as a compressed timeline. The Space Medicine Division at the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) requested a study in December 2005 to identify Apollo mission issues relevant to medical operations that had impact to crew health and/or performance. The operationally oriented goals of this project were to develop or modify medical requirements for new exploration vehicles and habitats, create a centralized database for future access, and share relevant Apollo information with the multiple entities at NASA and abroad participating in the exploration effort.

Plant Atrium System for Food Production in NASA's Deep Space Habitat Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia D.; Simpson, Morgan; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Newsham, Gary; Stutte, Gary W.

2013-01-01

Future human space exploration missions will need functional habitat systems. Possible concepts are assessed for integration issues, power requirements, crew operations, technology, and system performance. A food production system concept was analyzed at NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) in 2011, and at NASA JSC in 2012. System utilizes fresh foods (vegetables and small fruits) which are harvested on a continuous basis. Designed to improve crew's diet and quality of life without interfering with other components or operations.

A crew-centered flight deck design philosophy for High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, Michael T.; Rogers, William H.; Press, Hayes N.; Latorella, Kara A.; Abbott, Terence S.

1995-01-01

Past flight deck design practices used within the U.S. commercial transport aircraft industry have been highly successful in producing safe and efficient aircraft. However, recent advances in automation have changed the way pilots operate aircraft, and these changes make it necessary to reconsider overall flight deck design. The High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) mission will likely add new information requirements, such as those for sonic boom management and supersonic/subsonic speed management. Consequently, whether one is concerned with the design of the HSCT, or a next generation subsonic aircraft that will include technological leaps in automated systems, basic issues in human usability of complex systems will be magnified. These concerns must be addressed, in part, with an explicit, written design philosophy focusing on human performance and systems operability in the context of the overall flight crew/flight deck system (i.e., a crew-centered philosophy). This document provides such a philosophy, expressed as a set of guiding design principles, and accompanied by information that will help focus attention on flight crew issues earlier and iteratively within the design process. This document is part 1 of a two-part set.

Water Recovery System Design to Accommodate Dormant Periods for Manned Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabb, David; Carter, Layne

2015-01-01

Future manned missions beyond lower Earth orbit may include intermittent periods of extended dormancy. Under the NASA Advanced Exploration System (AES) project, NASA personnel evaluated the viability of the ISS Water Recovery System (WRS) to support such a mission. The mission requirement includes the capability for life support systems to support crew activity, followed by a dormant period of up to one year, and subsequently for the life support systems to come back online for additional crewed missions. Dormancy could be a critical issue due to concerns with microbial growth or chemical degradation that might prevent water systems from operating properly when the crewed mission began. As such, it is critical that the water systems be designed to accommodate this dormant period. This paper details the results of this evaluation, which include identification of dormancy issues, results of testing performed to assess microbial stability of pretreated urine during dormancy periods, and concepts for updating to the WRS architecture and operational concepts that will enable the ISS WRS to support the dormancy requirement.

Introduction of the Space Shuttle Columbia Accident, Investigation Details, Findings and Crew Survival Investigation Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandler, Michael

2010-01-01

As the Space Shuttle Program comes to an end, it is important that the lessons learned from the Columbia accident be captured and understood by those who will be developing future aerospace programs and supporting current programs. Aeromedical lessons learned from the Accident were presented at AsMA in 2005. This Panel will update that information, closeout the lessons learned, provide additional information on the accident and provide suggestions for the future. To set the stage, an overview of the accident is required. The Space Shuttle Columbia was returning to Earth with a crew of seven astronauts on 1Feb, 2003. It disintegrated along a track extending from California to Louisiana and observers along part of the track filmed the breakup of Columbia. Debris was recovered from Littlefield, Texas to Fort Polk, Louisiana, along a 567 statute mile track; the largest ever recorded debris field. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) concluded its investigation in August 2003, and released their findings in a report published in February 2004. NASA recognized the importance of capturing the lessons learned from the loss of Columbia and her crew and the Space Shuttle Program managers commissioned the Spacecraft Crew Survival Integrated Investigation Team (SCSIIT) to accomplish this. Their task was to perform a comprehensive analysis of the accident, focusing on factors and events affecting crew survival, and to develop recommendations for improving crew survival, including the design features, equipment, training and procedures intended to protect the crew. NASA released the Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Report in December 2008. Key personnel have been assembled to give you an overview of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident, the medical response, the medico-legal issues, the SCSIIT findings and recommendations and future NASA flight surgeon spacecraft accident response training. Educational Objectives: Set the stage for the Panel to address the investigation, medico-legal issues, the Spacecraft Crew Survival Integrated Investigation Team report and training for accident response.

The Challenge of Aviation Emergency and Abnormal Situations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burian, Barbara K.; Barshi, Immanuel; Dismukes, Key

2005-01-01

Emergency and abnormal situations occur on flights everyday around the world. They range from minor situations readily managed to extremely serious and highly time-critical situations that deeply challenge the skills of even the most effective crews. How well crews respond to these situations is a function of several interacting sets of issues: (1) the design of non-normal procedures and checklists, (2) design of aircraft systems and automation, (3) specific aspects of the non-normal situation, such as time criticality and complexity of the situation, (4) human performance capabilities and cognitive limitations under high workload and stress, (5) design of training for non-normal situations, (6) philosophies, policies and practices within the industry, and (7) economic and regulatory constraints. Researchers and pilots working on NASA's Emergency and Abnormal Situations project are addressing these issues in a long-range study. In this paper we discuss these issues and illustrate them with examples from recent incidents and accidents.

Psychosocial value of space simulation for extended spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanas, N.

1997-01-01

There have been over 60 studies of Earth-bound activities that can be viewed as simulations of manned spaceflight. These analogs have involved Antarctic and Arctic expeditions, submarines and submersible simulators, land-based simulators, and hypodynamia environments. None of these analogs has accounted for all the variables related to extended spaceflight (e.g., microgravity, long-duration, heterogeneous crews), and some of the stimulation conditions have been found to be more representative of space conditions than others. A number of psychosocial factors have emerged from the simulation literature that correspond to important issues that have been reported from space. Psychological factors include sleep disorders, alterations in time sense, transcendent experiences, demographic issues, career motivation, homesickness, and increased perceptual sensitivities. Psychiatric factors include anxiety, depression, psychosis, psychosomatic symptoms, emotional reactions related to mission stage, asthenia, and postflight personality, and marital problems. Finally, interpersonal factors include tension resulting from crew heterogeneity, decreased cohesion over time, need for privacy, and issues involving leadership roles and lines of authority. Since future space missions will usually involve heterogeneous crews working on complicated objectives over long periods of time, these features require further study. Socio-cultural factors affecting confined crews (e.g., language and dialect, cultural differences, gender biases) should be explored in order to minimize tension and sustain performance. Career motivation also needs to be examined for the purpose of improving crew cohesion and preventing subgrouping, scapegoating, and territorial behavior. Periods of monotony and reduced activity should be addressed in order to maintain morale, provide meaningful use of leisure time, and prevent negative consequences of low stimulation, such as asthenia and crew member withdrawal. Leadership roles and lines of authority need to be studied further to understand the factors leading to status leveling, leadership competition, and role confusion. Finally, the relationship between crews and ground personnel should be characterized in order to minimize the displacement of anger and tension to the outside, to counter the effects of inter-group miscommunications, and to develop support strategies that can help to counter in-group/out-group conflicts. Ground-based space simulations still have a role to play in terms of understanding the impact of these factors and ways of dealing with them. In particular, issues involving language, cultural differences, gender biases, career motivation, monotonous conditions, use of free time, leadership, lines of authority, and the relationship between crews and outside monitoring personnel need to be further characterized and examined under controlled conditions. Until such time as these factors can be studied directly in space, simulations provide an opportunity to learn more about these psychosocial issues and to plan ways of minimizing their negative consequences during actual space missions.

Systems integration of lunar Campsite vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Capps, Stephen; Ruff, Theron

1992-01-01

This paper describes the configuration design and subsystems integration resolution for lunar Campsite vehicles and the crew vehicles (CVs) which support them. This concept allows early return to the moon while minimizing hardware development. Once in place, the Campsite can be revisited for extended periods. Configuration and operations issues are addressed, and explanations of the parametric subsystem analysis, as well as descriptions of the hardware concept and performance data, are provided. Within an assumed set of launch and mission constraints, a common vehicle stage design for both the Campsite and the CV landers was the chief design driver. Accommodation of a heat-shielded, ballistic crew transportation/return vehicle, scars for later system growth and upgrades, landing the crew in close proximity to the Campsite, and appropriate kinds of robotic systems were all secondary design drivers. Physical integration of the crew module and airlock, structural system, thermal radiators, power production and storage systems, external life support consumables, and payloads are covered. The vehicle performance data were derived using a Boeing lunar transportation sizing code to optimize vehicle stage sizes and commonality. Configuration trades were conducted and detailed sketches were produced.

The Role of Space Medicine in Management of Risk in Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Jonathan B.

2001-01-01

The purpose of Space Medicine is to ensure mission success by providing quality and comprehensive health care throughout all mission phases to optimize crew health and performance and to prevent negative long-term health consequences. Space flight presents additional hazards and associated risks to crew health, performance, and safety. With an extended human presence in space it is expected that illness and injury will occur on orbit, which may present a significant threat to crew health and performance and to mission success. Maintaining crew health, safety and performance and preventing illness and injury are high priorities necessary for mission success and agency goals. Space flight health care should meet the standards of practice of evidence based clinical medicine. The function of Space Medicine is expected to meet the agency goals as stated in the 1998 NASA Strategic Plan and the priorities established by the Critical Path Roadmap Project. The Critical Path Roadmap Project is an integrated NASA cross-disciplinary strategy to assess, understand, mitigate, and manage the risks associated with long-term exposure to the space flight environment. The evidence based approach to space medicine should be standardized, objective process yielding expected results and establishing clinical practice standards while balancing individual risk with mission (programmatic) risk. The ability to methodically apply available knowledge and expertise to individual and mission health issues will ensure appropriate priorities are assigned and resources are allocated. NASA Space Medicine risk management process is a combined clinical and engineering approach. Competition for weight, power, volume, cost, and crew time must be balanced in making decisions about the care of individual crew with competing agency resources.

Habitability and performance issues for long duration space flights.

PubMed

Whitmore, M; McQuilkin, M L; Woolford, B J

1998-09-01

Advancing technology, coupled with the desire to explore space has resulted in increasingly longer manned space missions. Although the Long Duration Space Flights (LDSF) have provided a considerable amount of scientific research on human ability to function in extreme environments, findings indicate long duration missions take a toll on the individual, both physiologically and psychologically. These physiological and psychological issues manifest themselves in performance decrements; and could lead to serious errors endangering the mission, spacecraft and crew. The purpose of this paper is threefold: 1) to document existing knowledge of the effects of LDSF on performance, habitability, and workload, 2) to identify and assess potential tools designed to address these decrements, and 3) to propose an implementation plan to address these habitability, performance and workload issues.

Habitability and Performance Issues for Long Duration Space Flights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban; McQuilkin, Meredith L.; Woolford, Barbara J.

1997-01-01

Advancing technology, coupled with the desire to explore space has resulted in increasingly longer manned space missions. Although the Long Duration Space Flights (LDSF) have provided a considerable amount of scientific research on human ability to function in extreme environments, findings indicate long duration missions take a toll on the individual, both physiologically and psychologically. These physiological and psychological issues manifest themselves in performance decrements; and could lead to serious errors endangering the mission, spacecraft and crew. The purpose of this paper is to document existing knowledge of the effects of LDSF on performance, habitability, and workload and to identify and assess potential tools designed to address these decrements as well as propose an implementation plan to address the habitability, performance and workload issues.

Unmanned Surface Combatant Considerations for Concept Exploration

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

counterparts who become fatigued. The USC systems could perform missions without having to consider the health and morale of the crew. 18 Arguably the...fourth objective was to evaluate the USC relevant technologies and identify potential design issues . The result was relevant technologies that...and issue mines. R MIW 8 (U) Conduct precise navigation. G MIW 9 (U) Conduct airborne mine countermeasures. R MIW 10 (U) Provide for air operations

Human Performance in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Patricia M.; Fiedler, Edna

2010-01-01

Human factors is a critical discipline for human spaceflight. Nearly every human factors research area is relevant to space exploration -- from the ergonomics of hand tools used by astronauts, to the displays and controls of a spacecraft cockpit or mission control workstation, to levels of automation designed into rovers on Mars, to organizational issues of communication between crew and ground. This chapter focuses more on the ways in which the space environment (especially altered gravity and the isolated and confined nature of long-duration spaceflight) affects crew performance, and thus has specific novel implications for human factors research and practice. We focus on four aspects of human performance: neurovestibular integration, motor control and musculo-skeletal effects, cognitive effects, and behavioral health. We also provide a sampler of recent human factors studies from NASA.

Cognition and procedure representational requirements for predictive human performance models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corker, K.

1992-01-01

Models and modeling environments for human performance are becoming significant contributors to early system design and analysis procedures. Issues of levels of automation, physical environment, informational environment, and manning requirements are being addressed by such man/machine analysis systems. The research reported here investigates the close interaction between models of human cognition and models that described procedural performance. We describe a methodology for the decomposition of aircrew procedures that supports interaction with models of cognition on the basis of procedures observed; that serves to identify cockpit/avionics information sources and crew information requirements; and that provides the structure to support methods for function allocation among crew and aiding systems. Our approach is to develop an object-oriented, modular, executable software representation of the aircrew, the aircraft, and the procedures necessary to satisfy flight-phase goals. We then encode in a time-based language, taxonomies of the conceptual, relational, and procedural constraints among the cockpit avionics and control system and the aircrew. We have designed and implemented a goals/procedures hierarchic representation sufficient to describe procedural flow in the cockpit. We then execute the procedural representation in simulation software and calculate the values of the flight instruments, aircraft state variables and crew resources using the constraints available from the relationship taxonomies. The system provides a flexible, extensible, manipulative and executable representation of aircrew and procedures that is generally applicable to crew/procedure task-analysis. The representation supports developed methods of intent inference, and is extensible to include issues of information requirements and functional allocation. We are attempting to link the procedural representation to models of cognitive functions to establish several intent inference methods including procedural backtracking with concurrent search, temporal reasoning, and constraint checking for partial ordering of procedures. Finally, the representation is being linked to models of human decision making processes that include heuristic, propositional and prescriptive judgement models that are sensitive to the procedural content in which the valuative functions are being performed.

Management of cosmic radiation exposure for aircraft crew in Japan.

PubMed

Yasuda, Hiroshi; Sato, Tatsuhiko; Yonehara, Hidenori; Kosako, Toshiso; Fujitaka, Kazunobu; Sasaki, Yasuhito

2011-07-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection has recommended that cosmic radiation exposure of crew in commercial jet aircraft be considered as occupational exposure. In Japan, the Radiation Council of the government has established a guideline that requests domestic airlines to voluntarily keep the effective dose of cosmic radiation for aircraft crew below 5 mSv y(-1). The guideline also gives some advice and policies regarding the method of cosmic radiation dosimetry, the necessity of explanation and education about this issue, a way to view and record dose data, and the necessity of medical examination for crew. The National Institute of Radiological Sciences helps the airlines to follow the guideline, particularly for the determination of aviation route doses by numerical simulation. The calculation is performed using an original, easy-to-use program package called 'JISCARD EX' coupled with a PHITS-based analytical model and a GEANT4-based particle tracing code. The new radiation weighting factors recommended in 2007 are employed for effective dose determination. The annual individual doses of aircraft crew were estimated using this program.

Determinants of individual and group performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.

1986-01-01

A broad exploration of individual and group/organizational factors that influence performance in demanding environments such as space and air transport was undertaken. Primary efforts were directed toward defining critical issues, developing new methodologies for the assessment of performance in such environments, and developing new measures of personality and attitudes as predictors of performance. Substantial clarification of relevant issues for research and validation was achieved. A reliable instrument to assess crewmembers' attitudes regarding crew coordination and flightdeck management was validated. Major efforts in data collection to validate concepts were initiated. The results suggest that substantial improvements can be made in the prediction of performance and in the selection of crewmembers for aviation and space.

Issues in Locomotive Crew Management and Scheduling

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-11-01

This study explores matters related to the scheduling and management of locomotive crews, particularly as they : might contribute to fatigue and stress. It describes how crews are scheduled currently, why there is so much : unpredictability in schedu...

Habitability and Behavioral Issues of Space Flight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, R. A., Jr.

1988-01-01

Reviews group behavioral issues from past space missions and simulations such as the Skylab Medical Experiments Altitude Test, Skylab missions, and Shuttle Spacelab I mission. Makes recommendations for future flights concerning commandership, crew selection, and ground-crew communications. Pre- and in-flight behavioral countermeasures are…

Living aloft: Human requirements for extended spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connors, M. M.; Harrison, A. A.; Akins, F. R.

1985-01-01

Human psychological and social adjustment to space is investigated. Studies and experiences bearing on human performance capability, psychological well being, and social organization, as they relate to space, were identified and assessed, and suggestions offered as to where further research could ease the Earth/space transition. Special emphasis was given to the variables of crew size, crew diversity, and mission duration, all of which can be expected to increase in future spaceflight. By providing a conceptual framework in which issues and related information can be integrated, the hope is to aid in discovering those conditions under which future space travelers can flourish.

Apollo Medical Operations Project: Recommendations for EVA and Lunar Surface Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheuring, R. A.; Davis, J. R.; Duncan, J. M.; Polk, J. D.; Jones, J. A.; Gillis, D. B.; Novak, J.

2013-01-01

The potential risk of injury to crewmembers is inherent in aggressive surface activities, whether they be Moon-, Mars-, or asteroid-based. In December 2005, the Space Medicine Division at JSC requested a study to identify Apollo mission issues that had an impact to crew health or performance or both. This talk focused on the Apollo EVA suit and lunar surface operations concerning crew health and performance. There were roughly 20 recommendations from this study of Apollo for improving these two areas for future exploration missions, a few of which were incorporated into the Human Systems Integration Requirements (HSIR). Dr. Richard Scheuring covered these topics along with some of the analog work that has been done regarding surface operations and medical contingencies.

Launch-Off-Need Shuttle Hubble Rescue Mission: Medical Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, Douglas; Gillis, David; Ilcus, Linda; Perchonok, Michele; Polk, James; Brandt, Keith; Powers, Edward; Stepaniak, Phillip

2008-01-01

The Space Shuttle Hubble repair mission (STS-125) is unique in that a rescue mission (STS-400) has to be ready to launch before STS-125 life support runs out should the vehicle become stranded. The shuttle uses electrical power derived from fuel cells that use cryogenic oxygen and hydrogen (CRYO) to run all subsystems including the Environmental Control System. If the STS-125 crew cannot return to Earth due to failure of a critical subsystem, they must power down all nonessential systems and wait to be rescued by STS-400. This power down will cause the cabin temperature to be 60 F or less and freeze the rest of the vehicle, preventing it from attempting a reentry. After an emergency has been declared, STS-125 must wait at least 7 days to power down since that is the earliest that STS-400 can be launched. Problem The delayed power down of STS-125 causes CYRO to be consumed at high rates and limits the survival time after STS-400 launches to 10 days or less. CRYO will run out sooner every day that the STS-400 launch is delayed (weather at launch, technical issues etc.). To preserve CRYO and lithium hydroxide (LiOH - carbon dioxide removal) the crew will perform no exercise to reduce their metabolic rates, yet each deconditioned STS-125 crewmember must perform an EVA to rescue himself. The cabin may be cold for 10 days, which may cause shivering, increasing the metabolic rate of the STS-125 crew. Solution To preserve LiOH, the STS-125 manifest includes nutrition bars with low carbohydrate content to maintain crew respiratory quotient (RQ) below 0.85 as opposed to the usual shuttle galley food which is rich in carbohydrates and keeps the RQ at approximately 0.95. To keep the crew more comfortable in the cold vehicle warm clothing also has been included. However, with no exercise and limited diet, the deconditioned STS-125 crew returning on STS-400 may not be able to egress the vehicle autonomously requiring a supplemented crash-and-rescue capability.

Evaluation of Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) and Multi-Purpose Crew Restraint Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban

2005-01-01

Within the scope of the Multi-purpose Crew Restraints for Long Duration Spaceflights project, funded by Code U, it was proposed to conduct a series of evaluations on the ground and on the KC-135 to investigate the human factors issues concerning confined/unique workstations, such as the design of crew restraints. The usability of multiple crew restraints was evaluated for use with the Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) and for performing general purpose tasks. The purpose of the KC-135 microgravity evaluation was to: (1) to investigate the usability and effectiveness of the concepts developed, (2) to gather recommendations for further development of the concepts, and (3) to verify the validity of the existing requirements. Some designs had already been tested during a March KC-135 evaluation, and testing revealed the need for modifications/enhancements. This flight was designed to test the new iterations, as well as some new concepts. This flight also involved higher fidelity tasks in the LSG, and the addition of load cells on the gloveports.

Effective Crew Operations: An Analysis of Technologies for Improving Crew Activities and Medical Procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harvey, Craig

2005-01-01

NASA's vision for space exploration (February 2004) calls for development of a new crew exploration vehicle, sustained lunar operations, and human exploration of Mars. To meet the challenges of planned sustained operations as well as the limited communications between Earth and the crew (e.g., Mars exploration), many systems will require crews to operate in an autonomous environment. It has been estimated that once every 2.4 years a major medical issue will occur while in space. NASA's future travels, especially to Mars, will begin to push this timeframe. Therefore, now is the time for investigating technologies and systems that will support crews in these environments. Therefore, this summer two studies were conducted to evaluate the technology and systems that may be used by crews in future missions. The first study evaluated three commercial Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) (Versus, Ekahau, and Radianse) that can track equipment and people within a facility. While similar to Global Positioning Systems (GPS), the specific technology used is different. Several conclusions can be drawn from the evaluation conducted, but in summary it is clear that none of the systems provides a complete solution in meeting the tracking and technology integration requirements of NASA. From a functional performance (e.g., system meets user needs) evaluation perspective, Versus performed fairly well on all performance measures as compared to Ekahau and Radianse. However, the system only provides tracking at the room level. Thus, Versus does not provide the level of fidelity required for tracking assets or people for NASA requirements. From an engineering implementation perspective, Ekahau is far simpler to implement that the other two systems because of its wi-fi design (e.g., no required runs of cable). By looking at these two perspectives, one finds there was no clear system that met NASA requirements. Thus it would be premature to suggest that any of these systems are ready for implementation and further study is required.

Women's Learning and Leadership Styles: Impact on Crew Resource Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turney, Mary Ann

With an increasing number of women becoming members of flight crews, the leadership styles of men and women are at issue. A study explored three basic questions: (1) How do male and female learning and leadership styles differ? (2) What barriers to gender integration and crew teamwork are perceived by pilot crew members? and (3) What…

International Space Station Medical Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jeffrey A.

2008-01-01

NASA is currently the leader, in conjunction with our Russian counterpart co-leads, of the Multilateral Medical Policy Board (MMPB), the Multilateral Medical Operations Panel (MMOP), which coordinates medical system support for International Space Station (ISS) crews, and the Multilateral Space Medicine Board (MSMB), which medically certifies all crewmembers for space flight on-board the ISS. These three organizations have representatives from NASA, RSA-IMBP (Russian Space Agency- Institute for Biomedical Problems), GCTC (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japanese Space Agency), and CSA (Canadian Space Agency). The policy and strategic coordination of ISS medical operations occurs at this level, and includes interactions with MMOP working groups in Radiation Health, Countermeasures, Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA), Informatics, Environmental Health, Behavioral Health and Performance, Nutrition, Clinical Medicine, Standards, Post-flight Activities and Rehabilitation, and Training. Each ISS Expedition has a lead Crew Surgeon from NASA and a Russian Crew Surgeon from GCTC assigned to the mission. Day-to-day issues are worked real-time by the flight surgeons and biomedical engineers (also called the Integrated Medical Group) on consoles at the MCC (Mission Control Center) in Houston and the TsUP (Center for Flight Control) in Moscow/Korolev. In the future, this may also include mission control centers in Europe and Japan, when their modules are added onto the ISS. Private medical conferences (PMCs) are conducted regularly and upon crew request with the ISS crew via private audio and video communication links from the biomedical MPSR (multipurpose support room) at MCC Houston. When issues arise in the day-to-day medical support of ISS crews, they are discussed and resolved at the SMOT (space medical operations team) meetings, which occur weekly among the International Partners. Any medical or life science issue that is not resolved at the SMOT can be taken to the Mission Management Team meeting, which occurs biweekly from MCC-Houston. This meeting includes the other International Partners and all flight support and console position representatives via teleconference. ISS Crew Surgeons have handled many medical conditions on orbit; including skin rashes, dental abscesses, lacerations, and STT segment EKG changes. Fortunately to date, there have not been any forced medical evacuations from the ISS. This speaks well for the implementation of the primary, secondary and even tertiary prevention strategies invoked by the Integrated Medical Group, as there were several medical evacuations during the previous Russian space stations.

Investigation of display issues relevant to the presentation of aircraft fault information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Donald M.

1989-01-01

This research, performed as a part of NASA Langley's Faultfinder project, investigated display implementation issues related to the introduction of real time fault diagnostic systems into next generation commercial aircraft. Three major issues were investigated: visual display styles for presenting fault related information to the crew, the form the output from the expert system should take, and methods for filtering fault related information for presentation to the crew. Twenty-four flight familiar male volunteers participated as subjects. Five subjects were NASA test pilots, six were Commercial Airline Pilots, seven were Air Force Lear Jet pilots, and six were NASA personnel familiar with flight (non-pilots). Subjects were presented with aircraft subsystem information on a CRT screen. They were required to identify the subsystems presented in a display and to remember the state (normal or abnormal) of subsystem parameter information contained in the display. The results of the study indicated that in the simpler experimental test cases (i.e., those involving single subsystem failures and composite hypothesis displays) subjects' performance did not differ across the different display formats. However, for the more complex cases (i.e., those involving multiple subsystem faults and multiple hypotheses displays), subjects' performance was superior in the text- and picture-based display formats compared to the symbol-based format. In addition, the findings suggest that a layered approached to information display is appropriate.

Flight Crew Integration (FCI) ISS Crew Comments Database & Products Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuh, Susan

2016-01-01

This Crew Debrief Data provides support for design and development of vehicles, hardware, requirements, procedures, processes, issue resolution, lessons learned, consolidation and trending for current Programs; and much of the data is also used to support development of future Programs.

[Psychological issues in manned spaceflight].

PubMed

Zhang, Q J; Bai, Y Q

1999-04-01

As the duration of manned spaceflight becomes longer and as crews become more heterogeneous, psychological and interpersonal factors will be more important in affecting the safety of crew and flight mission. In space environment there are four types of stressors: physical, physiological, psychological and interpersonal. Psychological issues include "Asthenia", alteration in time sense, transcendent experiences, sleep problem, career motivation, psychosomatic symptoms and psychiatric issues. Interpersonal issues include interpersonal tension, interpersonal relationships decreased cohesiveness and deprivation, displacement [correction of dispiacement] of anger to outside personnel over time.

Life Sciences Issues for a Mission to Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Session MP5 includes short reports on: (1) Cardiovascular Concerns for a Mars Mission: Autonomic and Biomechanical Effects; (2) Reducing the Risk of Space Radiation Induced Bioeffects: Vehicle Design and Protectant Molecules; (3) Musculoskeletal Issues for Long Duration Mission: Muscle Mass Preservation, Renal Stone Risk Factors, Countermeasures, and Contingency Treatment Planning; (4) Psychological Issues and Crew Selection for a Mars Mission: Maximizing the Mix for the Long Haul; and (5) Issues in Crew Health, Medical Selection and Medical Officer (CMO) Training for a Mission to Mars.

Critical Questions for Space Human Factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woolford, Barbara; Bagian, Tandi

2000-01-01

Traditional human factors contributions to NASA's crewed space programs have been rooted in the classic approaches to quantifying human physical and cognitive capabilities and limitations in the environment of interest, and producing recommendations and standards for the selection or design of mission equipment. Crews then evaluate the interfaces, displays, or equipment, and with the assistance of human factors experts, improvements are made as funds, time, control documentation, and weight allow. We have come a long way from the early spaceflight days, where men with the ' right stuff were the solution to operating whatever equipment was given to them. The large and diverse Shuttle astronaut corps has impacted mission designs to accommodate a wide range of human capabilities and preferences. Yet with existing long duration experience, we have seen the need to address a different set of dynamics when designing for optimal crew performance: critical equipment and mission situations degrade, and human function changes with mission environment, situation, and duration. Strategies for quantifying the critical nature of human factors requirements are being worked by NASA. Any exploration-class mission will place new responsibilities on mission designers to provide the crew with the information and resources to accomplish the mission. The current duties of a Mission Control Center to monitor system status, detect degradation or malfunction, and provide a proven solution, will need to be incorporated into on-board systems to allow the crew autonomous decision-making. The current option to resupply and replace mission systems and resources, including both vehicle equipment and human operators, will be removed, so considerations of maintenance, onboard training, and proficiency assessment are critical to providing a self-sufficient crew. As we 'move in' to the International Space Station, there are tremendous opportunities to investigate our ability to design for autonomous crews. Yet prioritizing the research that can and should be done by NASA will be based on the critical nature of the issues, and the impact of the individual research questions on mission design. The risks to crew health and safety associated with answering critical human factors issues must be properly included and communicated in order to support the Agency's decisions regarding future space programs.

75 FR 26784 - Certificate of Alternative Compliance for the Crew Boat CAPT PEYTON P

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

... Compliance for the Crew Boat CAPT PEYTON P AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces that a Certificate of Alternative Compliance was issued for the crew boat CAPT PEYTON P as... crew boat CAPT PEYTON P, O.N. 1224730. Full compliance with 72 COLREGS and the Inland Rules Act would...

Information Flow Model of Human Extravehicular Activity Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Matthew J.; McGuire, Kerry M.; Feigh, Karen M.

2014-01-01

Future human spaceflight missions will face the complex challenge of performing human extravehicular activity (EVA) beyond the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment. Astronauts will become increasingly isolated from Earth-based mission support and thus will rely heavily on their own decision-making capabilities and onboard tools to accomplish proposed EVA mission objectives. To better address time delay communication issues, EVA characters, e.g. flight controllers, astronauts, etc., and their respective work practices and roles need to be better characterized and understood. This paper presents the results of a study examining the EVA work domain and the personnel that operate within it. The goal is to characterize current and historical roles of ground support, intravehicular (IV) crew and EV crew, their communication patterns and information needs. This work provides a description of EVA operations and identifies issues to be used as a basis for future investigation.

International Space Station (ISS) Accommodation of a Single US Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazanek, Daniel D.; Garn, Michelle A.; Troutman, Patrick A.; Wang, Yuan; Kumar, Renjith; Heck, Michael L.

1997-01-01

The following report was generated to give the International Space Station (ISS) Program some additional insight into the operations and issues associated with accommodating a single U.S. developed Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV). During the generation of this report, changes in both the ISS and ACRV programs were factored into the analysis with the realization that most of the work performed will eventually need to be repeated once the two programs become more integrated. No significant issues associated with the ISS accommodating the ACRV were uncovered. Kinematic analysis of ACRV installation showed that there are viable methods of using Shuttle and Station robotic manipulators. Separation analysis demonstrated that the ACRV departure path clears the Station structure for all likely contingency scenarios. The payload bay packaging analysis identified trades that can be made between payload bay location, Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) reach and eventual designs of de-orbit stages and docking adapters.

Transcultural group performance in extreme environment: Issues, concepts and emerging theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapierre, Judith; Bouchard, Stéphane; Martin, Thibault; Perreault, Michel

2009-06-01

A simulation for flight of international crew on space station took place in Moscow from July 1999 to April 2000 (SFINCS) at the State Biomedical Institute of Russia (IBMP) isolation chambers. Objectives of this study were to identify concepts of psychosocial adaptation and of social interactions to develop an explanation of the transcultural group performance. Method: constructivist epistemology with grounded theory research and fourth generation evaluation were used. Data on processes and interactions were gathered during 110 days of confinement as a subject and extended to 240 days as an outside scientist. Results indicate that coping is influenced by usual coping strategies and coping behaviors inside. Several stresses and human factor issues were identified altering well being and performance inside the chambers. Enabling and limiting forces are discussed. A theory on transcultural group performance is proposed. Issues are raised that appear critical to selection, training and group performance.

Health and Fitness Evaluations for Long Duration Microgravity Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roden, Sean Kevin; Ewert, Patricia

2006-01-01

The current health maintenance program for ISS is adequate; however the future of medical care and research in space requires a change where crew time efficiency and autonomy are emphasized. NASA s medical personnel are currently refining their ability to monitor and provide remote health care in such a manner. The proposed plan would evaluate health and fitness of the on orbit crew to; perform on orbit operations, and readiness to return to a terrestrial environment. A two tiered approach will utilize exercise and medical equipment, as well as periodic medical conferences with the flight surgeon, to provide a quantitative and clinical picture of the crew s health and fitness. Any off nominal health and fitness issues that could arise will be evaluated by providing an "armamentarium" of devices both medical and exercise specific to the on orbit crew to use. The ability for the crew to provide autonomous health care, with decreasing earth support, will become increasingly more important for exploration missions. This new plan of health care and maintenance will allow us to, development such efforts while continuing to monitor and provide the best possible health, care and medical research through the microgravity environment on board ISS.

SHAPA: An interactive software tool for protocol analysis applied to aircrew communications and workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Jeffrey M.; Sanderson, Penelope M.; Seidler, Karen S.

1990-01-01

As modern transport environments become increasingly complex, issues such as crew communication, interaction with automation, and workload management have become crucial. Much research is being focused on holistic aspects of social and cognitive behavior, such as the strategies used to handle workload, the flow of information, the scheduling of tasks, the verbal and non-verbal interactions between crew members. Traditional laboratory performance measures no longer sufficiently meet the needs of researchers addressing these issues. However observational techniques are better equipped to capture the type of data needed and to build models of the requisite level of sophistication. Presented here is SHAPA, an interactive software tool for performing both verbal and non-verbal protocol analysis. It has been developed with the idea of affording the researchers the closest possible degree of engagement with protocol data. The researcher can configure SHAPA to encode protocols using any theoretical framework or encoding vocabulary that is desired. SHAPA allows protocol analysis to be performed at any level of analysis, and it supplies a wide variety of tools for data aggregation, manipulation. The output generated by SHAPA can be used alone or in combination with other performance variables to get a rich picture of the influences on sequences of verbal or nonverbal behavior.

Review of Significant Incidents and Close Calls in Human Spaceflight from a Human Factors Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silva-Martinez, Jackelynne; Ellenberger, Richard; Dory, Jonathan

2017-01-01

This project aims to identify poor human factors design decisions that led to error-prone systems, or did not facilitate the flight crew making the right choices; and to verify that NASA is effectively preventing similar incidents from occurring again. This analysis was performed by reviewing significant incidents and close calls in human spaceflight identified by the NASA Johnson Space Center Safety and Mission Assurance Flight Safety Office. The review of incidents shows whether the identified human errors were due to the operational phase (flight crew and ground control) or if they initiated at the design phase (includes manufacturing and test). This classification was performed with the aid of the NASA Human Systems Integration domains. This in-depth analysis resulted in a tool that helps with the human factors classification of significant incidents and close calls in human spaceflight, which can be used to identify human errors at the operational level, and how they were or should be minimized. Current governing documents on human systems integration for both government and commercial crew were reviewed to see if current requirements, processes, training, and standard operating procedures protect the crew and ground control against these issues occurring in the future. Based on the findings, recommendations to target those areas are provided.

Behavioral Health Support of NASA Astronauts for International Space Station Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sipes, Walter

2000-01-01

Two areas of focus for optimizing behavioral health and human performance during International Space Station missions are 1) sleep and circadian assessment and 2) behavioral medicine. The Mir experience provided the opportunity to examine the use and potential effectiveness of tools and procedures to support the behavioral health of the crew. The experience of NASA has shown that on-orbit performance can be better maintained if behavioral health, sleep, and circadian issues are effectively monitored and properly addressed. For example, schedules can be tailored based upon fatigue level of crews and other behavioral and cognitive indicators to maximize performance. Previous research and experience with long duration missions has resulted in the development and upgrade of tools used to monitor fatigue, stress, cognitive function, and behavioral health. Self-assessment and objective tools such as the Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool have been developed and refined to effectively address behavioral medicine countermeasures in space.

Man-Machine Interaction Design and Analysis System (MIDAS): Memory Representation and Procedural Implications for Airborne Communication Modalities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corker, Kevin M.; Pisanich, Gregory M.; Lebacqz, Victor (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

The Man-Machine Interaction Design and Analysis System (MIDAS) has been under development for the past ten years through a joint US Army and NASA cooperative agreement. MIDAS represents multiple human operators and selected perceptual, cognitive, and physical functions of those operators as they interact with simulated systems. MIDAS has been used as an integrated predictive framework for the investigation of human/machine systems, particularly in situations with high demands on the operators. Specific examples include: nuclear power plant crew simulation, military helicopter flight crew response, and police force emergency dispatch. In recent applications to airborne systems development, MIDAS has demonstrated an ability to predict flight crew decision-making and procedural behavior when interacting with automated flight management systems and Air Traffic Control. In this paper we describe two enhancements to MIDAS. The first involves the addition of working memory in the form of an articulatory buffer for verbal communication protocols and a visuo-spatial buffer for communications via digital datalink. The second enhancement is a representation of multiple operators working as a team. This enhanced model was used to predict the performance of human flight crews and their level of compliance with commercial aviation communication procedures. We show how the data produced by MIDAS compares with flight crew performance data from full mission simulations. Finally, we discuss the use of these features to study communications issues connected with aircraft-based separation assurance.

Evidence Report: Risk of Inadequate Human-Computer Interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holden, Kritina; Ezer, Neta; Vos, Gordon

2013-01-01

Human-computer interaction (HCI) encompasses all the methods by which humans and computer-based systems communicate, share information, and accomplish tasks. When HCI is poorly designed, crews have difficulty entering, navigating, accessing, and understanding information. HCI has rarely been studied in an operational spaceflight context, and detailed performance data that would support evaluation of HCI have not been collected; thus, we draw much of our evidence from post-spaceflight crew comments, and from other safety-critical domains like ground-based power plants, and aviation. Additionally, there is a concern that any potential or real issues to date may have been masked by the fact that crews have near constant access to ground controllers, who monitor for errors, correct mistakes, and provide additional information needed to complete tasks. We do not know what types of HCI issues might arise without this "safety net". Exploration missions will test this concern, as crews may be operating autonomously due to communication delays and blackouts. Crew survival will be heavily dependent on available electronic information for just-in-time training, procedure execution, and vehicle or system maintenance; hence, the criticality of the Risk of Inadequate HCI. Future work must focus on identifying the most important contributing risk factors, evaluating their contribution to the overall risk, and developing appropriate mitigations. The Risk of Inadequate HCI includes eight core contributing factors based on the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS): (1) Requirements, policies, and design processes, (2) Information resources and support, (3) Allocation of attention, (4) Cognitive overload, (5) Environmentally induced perceptual changes, (6) Misperception and misinterpretation of displayed information, (7) Spatial disorientation, and (8) Displays and controls.

Flammability on textile of flight crew professional clothing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva-Santos, M. C.; Oliveira, M. S.; Giacomin, A. M.; Laktim, M. C.; Baruque-Ramos, J.

2017-10-01

The issue about flammability of textile materials employed in passenger cabins of commercial aircrafts is an important part of safety routines planning. Once an in-flight emergency initiated with fire or smoke aboard, time becomes critical and the entire crew must be involved in the solution. It is part of the crew functions, notably the attendants, the in-flight firefighting. This study compares the values of textile material of flight attendant working cloths and galley curtain fabric with regard to flammability and Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI). Values to the professional clothing material indicate that they are flammable and the curtains, self-extinguishing. Thus, despite of the occurrences of fire outbreaks in aircrafts are unexceptional, the use of other materials and technologies for uniforms, such as alternative textile fibers and flame retardant finishes should be considered as well as the establishment of performance limits regarding flame and fire exposing.

Adaptation and readaptation medical concerns of a Mars trip

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Philip C.

1986-01-01

The ability of the human body to adapt to microgravity environments and to later readapt to a gravity environment was examined. Issues specifically relating to the effects of long duration space flight on the adaptation/readaptation process are discussed. The need for better health prediction techniques is stressed in order to be able to better anticipate crew health problems and to perform corrective actions. Several specific examples are discussed of latent diseases which could occur during a long duration space mission, even after having subjected the crew to thorough premission checkups. The need for learning how to prevent or ameliorate such problems as space adaptation syndrome, bone and muscle (and possibly tissue) atrophy, immune system atrophy, and heart arrythmias is also discussed. The implications of the age of the crew, the influence of an onboard low level gravity field, and drugs are briefly addressed as factors in the adaptation/readaptation process.

Challenges with Operating a Water Recovery System (WRS) in the Microgravity Environment of the International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Donald Layne

2017-01-01

The ISS WRS produces potable water from crew urine, crew latent, and Sabatier product water. This system has been operational on ISS since November 2008, producing over 30,000 L of water during that time. The WRS includes a Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) to produce a distillate from the crew urine. This distillate is combined with the crew latent and Sabatier product water and further processed by the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) to the potable water. The UPA and WPA use technologies commonly used on ISS for water purification, including filtration, distillation, adsorption, ion exchange, and catalytic oxidation. The primary challenge with the design and operation of the WRS has been with implementing these technologies in microgravity. The absence of gravity has created unique issues that impact the constituency of the waste streams, alter two-phase fluid dynamics, and increases the impact of particulates on system performance. NASA personnel continue to pursue upgrades to the existing design to improve reliability while also addressing their viability for missions beyond ISS.

Advanced missions safety. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

Three separate studies were performed under the general category of advanced missions safety. Each dealt with a separate issue, was a self-contained effort, and was independent of the other two studies. The studies are titled: (1) space shuttle rescue capability, (2) experiment safety, and (3) emergency crew transfer. A separate discussion of each study is presented.

76 FR 37251 - Airworthiness Directives; Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-27

... trim runaway during descent. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of control of the airplane. DATES... pitch trim runaway during descent. The crew succeeded in recovering a stable situation and performed an...) confirmed the event, but did not identify the cause of the pitch trim runaway. This condition, if not...

Strategies for crew selection for long duration missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.; Holland, Albert W.; Santy, Patricia A.; Rose, Robert M.; Mcfadden, Terry J.

1990-01-01

Issues surrounding psychological reactions to long duration spaceflight are discussed with respect to the definition of criteria for selecting crewmembers for such expeditions. Two broad dimensions of personality and behavior are defined - Instrumentality including achievement orientation, leadership, and ability to perform under pressure and Expressivity encompassing interpersonal sensitivity and competence. A strategy for validating techniques to select in candidates with the optimum psychological profile to perform successfully on long duration missions is described.

Cockpit design and cross-cultural issues underlying failures in crew resource management.

PubMed

Harris, Don; Li, Wen-Chin

2008-05-01

High power-distance has been implicated in many aircraft accidents involving Southeast Asian carriers where crew resource management (CRM) has been identified as a root cause. However, this commentary argues that the design of modern flight decks and their standard operating procedures have an inherent Western (low power-distance) bias within them which exacerbates these CRM issues.

Psychological and Behavioral Health Issues of Long-Duration Space Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eksuzian, Daniel J.

1998-01-01

It will be the responsibility of the long-duration space flight crew to take the actions necessary to maintain their health and well-being and to cope with medical emergencies without direct assistance from support personnel, including maintaining mental health and managing physiological and psychological changes that may impair decision making and performance. The Behavior and Performance Integrated Product Team at Johnson Space Center, working, within the Space Medicine, Monitoring, and Countermeasures Program, has identified critical questions pertaining to long-duration space crew behavioral health, psychological adaptation, human factors and habitability, and sleep and circadian rhythms. Among the projects addressing these questions are: the development of tools to assess cognitive functions during space missions; the development of a model of psychological adaptation in isolated and confined environments; tools and methods for selecting individuals and teams well-suited for long-duration missions; identification of mission-critical tasks and performance evaluation; and measures of sleep quality and correlation to mission performance.

Communication variations and aircrew performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Folk, Valerie G.; Irwin, Cheryl M.

1991-01-01

The relationship between communication variations and aircrew performance (high-error vs low-error performances) was investigated by analyzing the coded verbal transcripts derived from the videotape records of 18 two-person air transport crews who participated in a high-fidelity, full-mission flight simulation. The flight scenario included a task which involved abnormal operations and required the coordinated efforts of all crew members. It was found that the best-performing crews were characterized by nearly identical patterns of communication, whereas the midrange and poorer performing crews showed a great deal of heterogeneity in their speech patterns. Although some specific speech sequences can be interpreted as being more or less facilitative to the crew-coordination process, predictability appears to be the key ingredient for enhancing crew performance. Crews communicating in highly standard (hence predictable) ways were better able to coordinate their task, whereas crews characterized by multiple, nonstandard communication profiles were less effective in their performance.

A Full Mission Simulator Study of Aircrew Performances: the Measurement of Crew Coordination and Decisionmaking Factors and Their Relationships to Flight Task Performances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, M. R.; Randle, R. J.; Tanner, T. A.; Frankel, R. M.; Goguen, J. A.; Linde, C.

1984-01-01

Sixteen three man crews flew a full mission scenario in an airline flight simulator. A high level of verbal interaction during instances of critical decision making was located. Each crew flew the scenario only once, without prior knowledge of the scenario problem. Following a simulator run and in accord with formal instructions, each of the three crew members independently viewed and commented on a videotape of their performance. Two check pilot observers rated pilot performance across all crews and, following each run, also commented on the video tape of the crew's performance. A linguistic analysis of voice transcript is made to provide assessment of crew coordination and decision making qualities. Measures of crew coordination and decision making factors are correlated with flight task performance measures.

Crew decision making under stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, J.

1992-01-01

Flight crews must make decisions and take action when systems fail or emergencies arise during flight. These situations may involve high stress. Full-missiion flight simulation studies have shown that crews differ in how effectively they cope in these circumstances, judged by operational errors and crew coordination. The present study analyzed the problem solving and decision making strategies used by crews led by captains fitting three different personality profiles. Our goal was to identify more and less effective strategies that could serve as the basis for crew selection or training. Methods: Twelve 3-member B-727 crews flew a 5-leg mission simulated flight over 1 1/2 days. Two legs included 4 abnormal events that required decisions during high workload periods. Transcripts of videotapes were analyzed to describe decision making strategies. Crew performance (errors and coordination) was judged on-line and from videotapes by check airmen. Results: Based on a median split of crew performance errors, analyses to date indicate a difference in general strategy between crews who make more or less errors. Higher performance crews showed greater situational awareness - they responded quickly to cues and interpreted them appropriately. They requested more decision relevant information and took into account more constraints. Lower performing crews showed poorer situational awareness, planning, constraint sensitivity, and coordination. The major difference between higher and lower performing crews was that poorer crews made quick decisions and then collected information to confirm their decision. Conclusion: Differences in overall crew performance were associated with differences in situational awareness, information management, and decision strategy. Captain personality profiles were associated with these differences, a finding with implications for crew selection and training.

Human factors in aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiener, Earl L. (Editor); Nagel, David C. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The fundamental principles of human-factors (HF) analysis for aviation applications are examined in a collection of reviews by leading experts, with an emphasis on recent developments. The aim is to provide information and guidance to the aviation community outside the HF field itself. Topics addressed include the systems approach to HF, system safety considerations, the human senses in flight, information processing, aviation workloads, group interaction and crew performance, flight training and simulation, human error in aviation operations, and aircrew fatigue and circadian rhythms. Also discussed are pilot control; aviation displays; cockpit automation; HF aspects of software interfaces; the design and integration of cockpit-crew systems; and HF issues for airline pilots, general aviation, helicopters, and ATC.

Culture and error in space: implications from analog environments.

PubMed

Helmreich, R L

2000-09-01

An ongoing study investigating national, organizational, and professional cultures in aviation and medicine is described. Survey data from 26 nations on 5 continents show highly significant national differences regarding appropriate relationships between leaders and followers, in group vs. individual orientation, and in values regarding adherence to rules and procedures. These findings replicate earlier research on dimensions of national culture. Data collected also isolate significant operational issues in multi-national flight crews. While there are no better or worse cultures, these cultural differences have operational implications for the way crews function in an international space environment. The positive professional cultures of pilots and physicians exhibit a high enjoyment of the job and professional pride. However, a negative component was also identified characterized by a sense of personal invulnerability regarding the effects of stress and fatigue on performance. This misperception of personal invulnerability has operational implications such as failures in teamwork and increased probability of error. A second component of the research examines team error in operational environments. From observational data collected during normal flight operations, new models of threat and error and their management were developed that can be generalized to operations in space and other socio-technological domains. Five categories of crew error are defined and their relationship to training programs in team performance, known generically as Crew Resource Management, is described. The relevance of these data for future spaceflight is discussed.

Eastern Airlines LOFT program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beach, B. E.

1981-01-01

Beginning with scenario design and development issues, Eastern Airlines committed itself to the full four-hour LOFT training format without the additional time for specific maneuvers. Abnormals and emergency conditions, pacing, and quiet periods are included in the scenarios which are written for the instructor to follow verbatim. Simulator capabilities, performance assessment; training vs. checking; crew composition and scheduling; satisfactory completion; the use of video performance printouts; the number of instructors; instructor training and standardization; and initial, transition, and upgrade training are discussed.

JSC2001E21574

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-07-01

JSC2001-E-21574 (16 July 2001) --- ISS Orbit 1 flight director Sally Davis and Derek Hassman monitor International Space Station (ISS) issues at their consoles in the blue flight control room (BFCR) in Houston's Mission Control Center (MCC). At the time this photo was taken, the STS-104 and Expedition Two crews had joined efforts to perform a number of station-related tasks.

An on-orbit viewpoint of life sciences research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lichtenberg, Byron K.

1992-01-01

As a Payload Specialist and a life science researcher, I want to present several issues that impact life science research in space. During early space station operations, life science and other experiments will be conducted in a time-critical manner and there will be the added duties of both space shuttle and space station systems operation (and the concomittent training overhead). Life sciences research is different from other science research done in space because the crew is involved both as an operator and as a subject. There is a need for pre- and post-flight data collection as well as in flight data collection. It is imperative that the life science researcher incorporate the crew members into their team early enough in the training cycle to fully explain the science and to make the crew aware of the importance and sensitivities of the experiment. During the pre-flight phase, the crew is incredibly busy with a myriad of duties. Therefore, it is difficult to get 'pristine' subjects for the baseline data collection. There are also circadian shifts, travel, and late nights to confound the data. During this time it is imperative that the researcher develop, along with the crew, a realistic estimate of crew-time required for their experiment. In flight issues that affect the researcher are the additional activities of the crew, the stresses inherent in space flight, and the difficulty of getting early in-flight data. During SSF activities, the first day or two will be taken up with rendezvous and docking. Other issues are the small number of subjects on any given flight, the importance of complete and concise procedures, and the vagaries of on-board data collection. Post flight, the crew is tired and experiences a 'relaxation.' This along with circadian shifts and rapid re-adaptation to 1-g make immediate post-flight data collection difficult. Finally, the blending of operational medicine and research can result in either competition for resources (crew time, etc.) or influence on the physiological state of the crew. However, the unique opportunity to conduct research in an environment that cannot be duplicated on Earth outweighs the 'challenges' that exist for space life researchers.

Flight crew interface aspects of forward-looking airborne windshear detection systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Charles D.; Carbaugh, David C.

1993-01-01

The goal of this research effort was to conduct analyses and research which could provide guidelines for design of the crew interface of an integrated windshear system. Addressed were HF issues, crew/system requirements, candidate display formats, alerting criteria, and crew procedures. A survey identified five flight management issues as top priority: missed alert acceptability; avoidance distance needed; false alert acceptability; nuisance rate acceptability; and crew procedures. Results of a simulation study indicated that the warning time for a look-ahead alert needs to be between 11 and 36 seconds (target of 23 seconds) before the reactive system triggers in order to be effective. Pilots considered the standard go-around maneuver most appropriate for look-ahead alerts, and the escape maneuvers used did not require lateral turns. Prototype display formats were reviewed or developed for alerting the crew; providing guidance to avoid or escape windshear; and status displays to provide windshear situational awareness. The three alerting levels now in use were considered appropriate, with a fourth (time-critical) level as a possible addition, although many reviewers felt only two levels of alerting were needed. Another survey gathered expert opinion on what crew procedures and alerting criteria should be used for look-ahead, or integrated, windshear systems, with a wide diversity of opinion in these areas.

Advanced EVA system design requirements study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woods, T. G.

1988-01-01

The results are presented of a study to identify specific criteria regarding space station extravehicular activity system (EVAS) hardware requirements. Key EVA design issues include maintainability, technology readiness, LSS volume vs. EVA time available, suit pressure/cabin pressure relationship and productivity effects, crew autonomy, integration of EVA as a program resource, and standardization of task interfaces. A variety of DOD EVA systems issues were taken into consideration. Recommendations include: (1) crew limitations, not hardware limitations; (2) capability to perform all of 15 generic missions; (3) 90 days on-orbit maintainability with 50 percent duty cycle as minimum; and (4) use by payload sponsors of JSC document 10615A plus a Generic Tool Kit and Specialized Tool Kit description. EVA baseline design requirements and criteria, including requirements of various subsystems, are outlined. Space station/EVA system interface requirements and EVA accommodations are discussed in the areas of atmosphere composition and pressure, communications, data management, logistics, safe haven, SS exterior and interior requirements, and SS airlock.

Flight deck automation: Promises and realities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, Susan D. (Editor); Orlady, Harry W. (Editor)

1989-01-01

Issues of flight deck automation are multifaceted and complex. The rapid introduction of advanced computer-based technology onto the flight deck of transport category aircraft has had considerable impact both on aircraft operations and on the flight crew. As part of NASA's responsibility to facilitate an active exchange of ideas and information among members of the aviation community, a NASA/FAA/Industry workshop devoted to flight deck automation, organized by the Aerospace Human Factors Research Division of NASA Ames Research Center. Participants were invited from industry and from government organizations responsible for design, certification, operation, and accident investigation of transport category, automated aircraft. The goal of the workshop was to clarify the implications of automation, both positive and negative. Workshop panels and working groups identified issues regarding the design, training, and procedural aspects of flight deck automation, as well as the crew's ability to interact and perform effectively with the new technology. The proceedings include the invited papers and the panel and working group reports, as well as the summary and conclusions of the conference.

Coordinated crew performance in commercial aircraft operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, M. R.

1977-01-01

A specific methodology is proposed for an improved system of coding and analyzing crew member interaction. The complexity and lack of precision of many crew and task variables suggest the usefulness of fuzzy linguistic techniques for modeling and computer simulation of the crew performance process. Other research methodologies and concepts that have promise for increasing the effectiveness of research on crew performance are identified.

Human factors issues for interstellar spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Marc M.; Brody, Adam R.

1991-01-01

Developments in research on space human factors are reviewed in the context of a self-sustaining interstellar spacecraft based on the notion of traveling space settlements. Assumptions about interstellar travel are set forth addressing costs, mission durations, and the need for multigenerational space colonies. The model of human motivation by Maslow (1970) is examined and directly related to the design of space habitat architecture. Human-factors technology issues encompass the human-machine interface, crew selection and training, and the development of spaceship infrastructure during transtellar flight. A scenario for feasible instellar travel is based on a speed of 0.5c, a timeframe of about 100 yr, and an expandable multigenerational crew of about 100 members. Crew training is identified as a critical human-factors issue requiring the development of perceptual and cognitive aids such as expert systems and virtual reality.

Flight Crew Workload, Acceptability, and Performance When Using Data Comm in a High-Density Terminal Area Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, R. Michael; Baxley, Brian T.; Adams, Cathy A.; Ellis, Kyle K. E.; Latorella, Kara A.; Comstock, James R., Jr.

2013-01-01

This document describes a collaborative FAA/NASA experiment using 22 commercial airline pilots to determine the effect of using Data Comm to issue messages during busy, terminal area operations. Four conditions were defined that span current day to future flight deck equipage: Voice communication only, Data Comm only, Data Comm with Moving Map Display, and Data Comm with Moving Map displaying taxi route. Each condition was used in an arrival and a departure scenario at Boston Logan Airport. Of particular interest was the flight crew response to D-TAXI, the use of Data Comm by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to send taxi instructions. Quantitative data was collected on subject reaction time, flight technical error, operational errors, and eye tracking information. Questionnaires collected subjective feedback on workload, situation awareness, and acceptability to the flight crew for using Data Comm in a busy terminal area. Results showed that 95% of the Data Comm messages were responded to by the flight crew within one minute and 97% of the messages within two minutes. However, post experiment debrief comments revealed almost unanimous consensus that two minutes was a reasonable expectation for crew response. Flight crews reported that Expected D-TAXI messages were useful, and employment of these messages acceptable at all altitude bands evaluated during arrival scenarios. Results also indicate that the use of Data Comm for all evaluated message types in the terminal area was acceptable during surface operations, and during arrivals at any altitude above the Final Approach Fix, in terms of response time, workload, situation awareness, and flight technical performance. The flight crew reported the use of Data Comm as implemented in this experiment as unacceptable in two instances: in clearances to cross an active runway, and D-TAXI messages between the Final Approach Fix and 80 knots during landing roll. Critical cockpit tasks and the urgency of out-the window scan made the additional head down time to respond to Data Comm messages undesirable during these events. However, most crews also stated that Data Comm messages without an accompanying audio chime and no expectation of an immediate response could be acceptable even during these events.

Human habitation field study of the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litaker, Harry L.; Archer, Ronald D.; Szabo, Richard; Twyford, Evan S.; Conlee, Carl S.; Howard, Robert L.

2013-10-01

Landing and supporting a permanent outpost on a planetary surface represents humankind's capability to expand its own horizons and challenge current technology. With this in mind, habitability of these structures becomes more essential given the longer durations of the missions. The purpose of this evaluation was to obtain preliminary human-in-the-loop performance data on the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) in a Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) configuration during a 14-day simulated lunar exploration field trial and to apply this knowledge to further enhance the habitat's capabilities for forward designs. Human factors engineers at the NASA/Johnson Space Center's Habitability and Human Factors Branch recorded approximately 96 h of crew task performance with four work stations. Human factors measures used during this study included the NASA Task Load Index (TLX) and customized post questionnaires. Overall the volume for the PEM was considered acceptable by the crew; however; the habitat's individual work station volume was constrained when setting up the vehicle for operation, medical operations, and suit maintenance while general maintenance, logistical resupply, and geo science was considered acceptable. Crew workload for each station indicated resupply as being the lowest rated, with medical operations, general maintenance, and geo science tasks as being light, while suit maintenance was considered moderate and general vehicle setup being rated the highest. Stowage was an issue around the habitat with the Space Exploration Vehicle (SEV) resupply stowage located in the center of the habitat as interfering with some work station volumes and activities. Ergonomics of the geo science station was considered a major issue, especially with the overhead touch screens.

Crew system dynamics - Combining humans and automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Connors, Mary

1989-01-01

Some of the human factor issues involved in effectively combining human and automated systems are examined with particular reference to spaceflights. The concepts of the crew system and crew systems dynamics are defined, and the present status of crew systems is summarized. The possibilities and potential problems aasociated with the use of automated systems are discussed, as are unique capabilities and possible errors introduced by human participants. It is emphasized that the true integration of human and automated systems must allow for the characteristics of both.

Fault diagnosis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, Kathy

1990-01-01

The objective of the research in this area of fault management is to develop and implement a decision aiding concept for diagnosing faults, especially faults which are difficult for pilots to identify, and to develop methods for presenting the diagnosis information to the flight crew in a timely and comprehensible manner. The requirements for the diagnosis concept were identified by interviewing pilots, analyzing actual incident and accident cases, and examining psychology literature on how humans perform diagnosis. The diagnosis decision aiding concept developed based on those requirements takes abnormal sensor readings as input, as identified by a fault monitor. Based on these abnormal sensor readings, the diagnosis concept identifies the cause or source of the fault and all components affected by the fault. This concept was implemented for diagnosis of aircraft propulsion and hydraulic subsystems in a computer program called Draphys (Diagnostic Reasoning About Physical Systems). Draphys is unique in two important ways. First, it uses models of both functional and physical relationships in the subsystems. Using both models enables the diagnostic reasoning to identify the fault propagation as the faulted system continues to operate, and to diagnose physical damage. Draphys also reasons about behavior of the faulted system over time, to eliminate possibilities as more information becomes available, and to update the system status as more components are affected by the fault. The crew interface research is examining display issues associated with presenting diagnosis information to the flight crew. One study examined issues for presenting system status information. One lesson learned from that study was that pilots found fault situations to be more complex if they involved multiple subsystems. Another was pilots could identify the faulted systems more quickly if the system status was presented in pictorial or text format. Another study is currently under way to examine pilot mental models of the aircraft subsystems and their use in diagnosis tasks. Future research plans include piloted simulation evaluation of the diagnosis decision aiding concepts and crew interface issues. Information is given in viewgraph form.

Identification of Crew-Systems Interactions and Decision Related Trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Sharon Monica; Evans, Joni K.; Reveley, Mary S.; Withrow, Colleen A.; Ancel, Ersin; Barr, Lawrence

2013-01-01

NASA Vehicle System Safety Technology (VSST) project management uses systems analysis to identify key issues and maintain a portfolio of research leading to potential solutions to its three identified technical challenges. Statistical data and published safety priority lists from academic, industry and other government agencies were reviewed and analyzed by NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) systems analysis personnel to identify issues and future research needs related to one of VSST's technical challenges, Crew Decision Making (CDM). The data examined in the study were obtained from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident and Incident Data System, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Accident/Incident Data System and the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). In addition, this report contains the results of a review of safety priority lists, information databases and other documented references pertaining to aviation crew systems issues and future research needs. The specific sources examined were: Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Safety Enhancements Reserved for Future Implementation (SERFIs), Flight Deck Automation Issues (FDAI) and NTSB Most Wanted List and Open Recommendations. Various automation issues taxonomies and priority lists pertaining to human factors, automation and flight design were combined to create a list of automation issues related to CDM.

Medical Operational Challenges in the Expedition 16 Landing and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moynihan, S.; Johnston, S. L.; Ilcus, L. S.; Shevchenko, V.

2009-01-01

On April 19, 2008 the crew of Expedition 16 left the International Space Station and returned to earth via their Soyuz TMA-11 capsule after 192 days on orbit. Their capsule experienced the second consecutive and third ballistic reentry in the last 10 TMA recoveries and landed approximately 260 miles (420 km) from the prime landing site. Issues: The purpose of this presentation will be to describe, not only the typical medical operational challenges faced by Flight Surgeons recovering a long duration crew from space, but also address the unique challenges that existed with the Expedition 16 landing and crew recovery. Nominal Soyuz recovery challenges include remote recovery sites with crew exposures to sleep shifting and fatigue, dehydration, hypothermia and hyperthermia, and rotational, sustained, and impact g-forces. These environmental factors coupled with the patho-physiologic neuro-vestibular and orthostatic intolerance changes that occur secondary to the crews reintroduction into the earth s gravity field will be detailed. Additional challenges that were unique to this expedition included a ballistic reentry with higher g-loads, the presence of fire outside of the capsule on landing, a contingency medical event of a ground support personnel, and loss of communications with the crew just prior to landing and during recovery operations. Conclusions: In spite of these unique challenges the Russian Search and Rescue Forces and Medical Support personnel along with U.S. Medical Support performed well together. Possible improvements in training and coordination will be discussed.

Situational Awareness Issues in the Implementation of Datalink: Shared Situational Awareness in the Joint Flight Deck-ATC Aviation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansman, Robert John, Jr.

1999-01-01

MIT has investigated Situational Awareness issues relating to the implementation of Datalink in the Air Traffic Control environment for a number of years under this grant activity. This work has investigated: 1) The Effect of "Party Line" Information. 2) The Effect of Datalink-Enabled Automated Flight Management Systems (FMS) on Flight Crew Situational Awareness. 3) The Effect of Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) on Situational Awareness During Close Parallel Approaches. 4) Analysis of Flight Path Management Functions in Current and Future ATM Environments. 5) Human Performance Models in Advanced ATC Automation: Flight Crew and Air Traffic Controllers. 6) CDTI of Datalink-Based Intent Information in Advanced ATC Environments. 7) Shared Situational Awareness between the Flight Deck and ATC in Datalink-Enabled Environments. 8) Analysis of Pilot and Controller Shared SA Requirements & Issues. 9) Development of Robust Scenario Generation and Distributed Simulation Techniques for Flight Deck ATC Simulation. 10) Methods of Testing Situation Awareness Using Testable Response Techniques. The work is detailed in specific technical reports that are listed in the following bibliography, and are attached as an appendix to the master final technical report.

Effects of checklist interface on non-verbal crew communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Segal, Leon D.

1994-01-01

The investigation looked at the effects of the spatial layout and functionality of cockpit displays and controls on crew communication. Specifically, the study focused on the intra-cockpit crew interaction, and subsequent task performance, of airline pilots flying different configurations of a new electronic checklist, designed and tested in a high-fidelity simulator at NASA Ames Research Center. The first part of this proposal establishes the theoretical background for the assumptions underlying the research, suggesting that in the context of the interaction between a multi-operator crew and a machine, the design and configuration of the interface will affect interactions between individual operators and the machine, and subsequently, the interaction between operators. In view of the latest trends in cockpit interface design and flight-deck technology, in particular, the centralization of displays and controls, the introduction identifies certain problems associated with these modern designs and suggests specific design issues to which the expected results could be applied. A detailed research program and methodology is outlined and the results are described and discussed. Overall, differences in cockpit design were shown to impact the activity within the cockpit, including interactions between pilots and aircraft and the cooperative interactions between pilots.

Battery/Ultracapacitor Evaluation for X-38 Crew Return Vehicle (CRV)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darcy, Eric; Strangways, Bradley

1999-01-01

This presentation reported on the evaluation of the battery/ultracapacitor for the crew return vehicle (CRV). The CRV, as part of the international space station (ISS) planning, will be available to return to earth an ill or injured crew person, or if the ISS becomes unsafe, and the shuttle is not available. The requirements of the X-38 CRV are reviewed, and in light of the power requirements, the battery's required performance is reviewed. The ultracapacitor bank, and its test method is described. The test results are reviewed. A picture of the test set up is displayed showing the ultracapacitor bank and the NiMH battery. The presentation continues by reviewing tests of 5 available trade high power cell designs: (1) Hawker lead acid, (2) Bolder lead acid, (3) Energizer NiMH, (4) Sanyo NiCd, and (5) Energizer NiCd. The test methods and results are reviewed. There is also a review of the issues concerning lead acid batteries and conclusions.

Space Station Initial Operational Concept (IOC) operations and safety view - Automation and robotics for Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bates, William V., Jr.

1989-01-01

The automation and robotics requirements for the Space Station Initial Operational Concept (IOC) are discussed. The amount of tasks to be performed by an eight-person crew, the need for an automated or directed fault analysis capability, and ground support requirements are considered. Issues important in determining the role of automation for the IOC are listed.

Effects of incentives on psychosocial performances in simulated space-dwelling groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hienz, Robert D.; Brady, Joseph V.; Hursh, Steven R.; Gasior, Eric D.; Spence, Kevin R.; Emurian, Henry H.

Prior research with individually isolated 3-person crews in a distributed, interactive, planetary exploration simulation examined the effects of communication constraints and crew configuration changes on crew performance and psychosocial self-report measures. The present report extends these findings to a model of performance maintenance that operationalizes conditions under which disruptive affective responses by crew participants might be anticipated to emerge. Experiments evaluated the effects of changes in incentive conditions on crew performance and self-report measures in simulated space-dwelling groups. Crews participated in a simulated planetary exploration mission that required identification, collection, and analysis of geologic samples. Results showed that crew performance effectiveness was unaffected by either positive or negative incentive conditions, while self-report measures were differentially affected—negative incentive conditions produced pronounced increases in negative self-report ratings and decreases in positive self-report ratings, while positive incentive conditions produced increased positive self-report ratings only. Thus, incentive conditions associated with simulated spaceflight missions can significantly affect psychosocial adaptation without compromising task performance effectiveness in trained and experienced crews.

Application of virtual reality for crew mental health in extended-duration space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salamon, Nick; Grimm, Jonathan M.; Horack, John M.; Newton, Elizabeth K.

2018-05-01

Human exploration of the solar system brings a host of environmental and engineering challenges. Among the most important factors in crew health and human performance is the preservation of mental health. The mental well-being of astronaut crews is a significant issue affecting the success of long-duration space missions, such as habitation on or around the Moon, Mars exploration, and eventual colonization of the solar system. If mental health is not properly addressed, these missions will be at risk. Upkeep of mental health will be especially difficult on long duration missions because many of the support systems available to crews on shorter missions will not be available. In this paper, we examine the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) simulations to maintain healthy mental states in astronaut crews who are removed from the essential comforts typically associated with terrestrial life. Various methods of simulations and their administration are analyzed in the context of current research and knowledge in the fields of psychology, medicine, and space sciences, with a specific focus on the environment faced by astronauts on long-term missions. The results of this investigation show that virtual reality should be considered a plausible measure in preventing mental state deterioration in astronauts, though more work is needed to provide a comprehensive view of the effectiveness and administration of VR methods.

Coordination strategies of crew management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conley, Sharon; Cano, Yvonne; Bryant, Don

1991-01-01

An exploratory study that describes and contrasts two three-person flight crews performing in a B-727 simulator is presented. This study specifically attempts to delineate crew communication patterns accounting for measured differences in performance across routine and nonroutine flight patterns. The communication patterns in the two crews evaluated indicated different modes of coordination, i.e., standardization in the less effective crew and planning/mutual adjustment in the more effective crew.

Joint Cockpit Office: history and role in defense-wide issues regarding avionics displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, John C.; Kraemer, William A.

2000-08-01

The charter of the Joint Cockpit Office (JCO) is to plan, coordinate and accelerate the transition of advanced development cockpit/crew station technologies critical to crew effectiveness in current and future air vehicles. The JCO helps assure a single, coordinated, and highly integrated cockpit/crew station Science and Technology (S&T) program within and between the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy. It serves as the primary interface and focal point for issues involving these technologies for organizations within and external to the Services. The Services are at the advent of fielding new technologies such as helmet-mounted displays as a primary flight reference. They will most certainly evaluate the use of windowless cockpits to counter the laser threat and allow for less constraining aerodynamic conditions in future vehicle design. The transition to multi-spectral displays in future military and commercial aircraft is imminent. The JCO is well positioned to assess and focus the research needed to safely exploit these new technologies and meet customer requirements. Presently, the JCO is undertaking three initiatives: creation of a joint-service, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) with Lockheed Martin to study the thresholds of virtual helmet-mounted display attributes and effects on pilot performance; management of the Spatial Disorientation Countermeasures program, and facilitation of the actions determined by the DoD Executive Agent for Flat Panel Displays.

Ground controlled robotic assembly operations for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, Joseph C.

1991-01-01

A number of dextrous robotic systems and associated positioning and transportation devices are available on Space Station Freedom (SSF) to perform assembly tasks that would otherwise need to be performed by extravehicular activity (EVA) crewmembers. The currently planned operating mode for these robotic systems during the assembly phase is teleoperation by intravehicular activity (IVA) crewmembers. While this operating mode is less hazardous and expensive than manned EVA operations, and has insignificant control loop time delays, the amount of IVA time available to support telerobotic operations is much less than the anticipated requirements. Some alternative is needed to allow the robotic systems to perform useful tasks without exhausting the available IVA resources; ground control is one such alternative. The issues associated with ground control of SSF robotic systems to alleviate onboard crew time availability constraints are investigated. Key technical issues include the effect of communication time delays, the need for safe, reliable execution of remote operations, and required modifications to the SSF ground and flight system architecture. Time delay compensation techniques such as predictive displays and world model-based force reflection are addressed and collision detection and avoidance strategies to ensure the safety of the on-orbit crew, Orbiter, and SSF are described. Although more time consuming and difficult than IVA controlled teleoperations or manned EVA, ground controlled telerobotic operations offer significant benefits during the SSF assembly phase, and should be considered in assembly planning activities.

Analysis of communication in the standard versus automated aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veinott, Elizabeth S.; Irwin, Cheryl M.

1993-01-01

Past research has shown crew communication patterns to be associated with overall crew performance, recent flight experience together, low-and high-error crew performance and personality variables. However, differences in communication patterns as a function of aircraft type and level of aircraft automation have not been fully addressed. Crew communications from ten MD-88 and twelve DC-9 crews were obtained during a full-mission simulation. In addition to large differences in overall amount of communication during the normal and abnormal phases of flight (DC-9 crews generating less speech than MD-88 crews), differences in specific speech categories were also found. Log-linear analyses also generated speaker-response patterns related to each aircraft type, although in future analyses these patterns will need to account for variations due to crew performance.

Development and validation of the crew-station system-integration research facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nedell, B.; Hardy, G.; Lichtenstein, T.; Leong, G.; Thompson, D.

1986-01-01

The various issues associated with the use of integrated flight management systems in aircraft were discussed. To address these issues a fixed base integrated flight research (IFR) simulation of a helicopter was developed to support experiments that contribute to the understanding of design criteria for rotorcraft cockpits incorporating advanced integrated flight management systems. A validation experiment was conducted that demonstrates the main features of the facility and the capability to conduct crew/system integration research.

Activity Tracking for Pilot Error Detection from Flight Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callantine, Todd J.; Ashford, Rose (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This report presents an application of activity tracking for pilot error detection from flight data, and describes issues surrounding such an application. It first describes the Crew Activity Tracking System (CATS), in-flight data collected from the NASA Langley Boeing 757 Airborne Research Integrated Experiment System aircraft, and a model of B757 flight crew activities. It then presents an example of CATS detecting actual in-flight crew errors.

Assessing Group Dynamics in a Mars Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, S. L.

2007-10-01

International interest in psychosocial functioning generally and issues of group and inter-group function for space crews has increased as focus has shifted towards longer duration spaceflight and, particularly, the issues involved in sending a human crew to Mars (Kanas, et al., 2001; Dawson, 2002). Planning documents for a human mission to Mars such as the NASA Design Reference Mission (DRM 1.0) emphasize the need for adaptability of crewmembers and autonomy in the crew as a whole (Hoffman and Kaplan, 1997). Similarly a major study by the International Space University (ISU, 1991) emphasized the need for autonomy and initiative for a Mars crew given that many of the scenarios that will be encountered on Mars cannot be rehearsed on earth and given the lack of any realistic possibility for rescue of the crew. This research project was only one subset of data collected during the larger AustroMars Expedition at the Mars Desert Research Facility (MDRS) in 2006. The participating crew comprises part of a multi-year investigation on teams utilizing the MDRS facility. The program of research has included numerous researchers since 2002 with a progressive evolution of key foci addressing stress, personality, coping, adaptation, cognitive functioning, and group identity assessed across the duration period of the individual missions.

Reactions of Air Transport Flight Crews to Displays of Weather During Simulated Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bliss, James P.; Fallon, Corey; Bustamante, Ernesto; Bailey, William R., III; Anderson, Brittany

2005-01-01

Display of information in the cockpit has long been a challenge for aircraft designers. Given the limited space in which to present information, designers have had to be extremely selective about the types and amount of flight related information to present to pilots. The general goal of cockpit display design and implementation is to ensure that displays present information that is timely, useful, and helpful. This suggests that displays should facilitate the management of perceived workload, and should allow maximal situation awareness. The formatting of current and projected weather displays represents a unique challenge. As technologies have been developed to increase the variety and capabilities of weather information available to flight crews, factors such as conflicting weather representations and increased decision importance have increased the likelihood for errors. However, if formatted optimally, it is possible that next generation weather displays could allow for clearer indications of weather trends such as developing or decaying weather patterns. Important issues to address include the integration of weather information sources, flight crew trust of displayed weather information, and the teamed reactivity of flight crews to displays of weather. Past studies of weather display reactivity and formatting have not adequately addressed these issues; in part because experimental stimuli have not approximated the complexity of modern weather displays, and in part because they have not used realistic experimental tasks or participants. The goal of the research reported here was to investigate the influence of onboard and NEXRAD agreement, range to the simulated potential weather event, and the pilot flying on flight crew deviation decisions, perceived workload, and perceived situation awareness. Fifteen pilot-copilot teams were required to fly a simulated route while reacting to weather events presented in two graphical formats on a separate visual display. Measures of flight crew reactions included performance-based measures such as deviation decision accuracy, and judgment-based measures such as perceived decision confidence, workload, situation awareness, and display trust. Results demonstrated that pilots adopted a conservative reaction strategy, often choosing to deviate from weather rather than ride through it. When onboard and NEXRAD displays did not agree, flight crews reacted in a complex manner, trusting the onboard system more but using the NEXRAD system to augment their situation awareness. Distance to weather reduced situation awareness and heightened workload levels. Overall, flight crews tended to adopt a participative leadership style marked by open communication. These results suggest that future weather displays should exploit the existing benefits of NEXRAD presentation for situation awareness while retaining the display structure and logic inherent in the onboard system.

Health Maintenance System (HMS) CMO - Fundoscope

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-04-09

ISS043E099306 (04/09/2015) --- NASA astronauts Terry Virts (bottom) and Scott Kelly (top) are seen here inside the Destiny Laboratory performing eye exams as part of ongoing studies into crew vision health. Vision changes in astronauts spending long periods of time in microgravity is a critical health issue that scientists are looking to solve as humanity prepares to travel to destinations far outside our planet like an asteroid and Mars.

Code of conduct for the International Space Station Crew. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Interim final rule.

PubMed

2000-12-21

NASA is issuing new regulations entitled "International Space Station Crew," to implement certain provisions of the International Space Station (ISS) Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) regarding ISS crewmembers' observance of an ISS Code of Conduct.

Crew factors in flight operations. Part 3: The operational significance of exposure to short-haul air transport operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foushee, H. C.; Lauber, J. K.; Baetge, M. M.; Acomb, D. B.

1986-01-01

Excessive flightcrew fatigue has potentially serious safety consequences. Laboratory studies have implicated fatigue as a causal factor associated with varying levels of performance deterioration depending on the amount of fatigue and the type of measure utilized in assessing performance. These studies have been of limited utility because of the difficulty of relating laboratory task performance to the demands associated with the operation of a complex aircraft. The performance of 20 volunteer twin-jet transport crews is examined in a full-mission simulator scenario that included most aspects of an actual line operation. The scenario included both routine flight operations and an unexpected mechanical abnormality which resulted in a high level of crew workload. Half of the crews flew the simulation within two to three hours after completing a three-day, high-density, short-haul duty cycle (Post-Duty condition). The other half flew the scenario after a minimum of three days off duty (Pre-Duty) condition). The results revealed that, not surprisingly, Post-Duty crews were significantly more fatigued than Pre-Duty crews. However, a somewhat counter-intuitive pattern of results emerged on the crew performancemeasures. In general, the performance of Post-Duty crews was significantly better than that of Pre-Duty crews, as rated by an expert observer on a number of dimensions relevant to flight safety. Analyses of the flightcrew communication patterns revealed that Post-Duty crews communicated significantly more overall, suggesting, as has previous research, that communication is a good predictor of overall crew performance.

A Quantitative Human Spacecraft Design Evaluation Model for Assessing Crew Accommodation and Utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanchiang, Christine

Crew performance, including both accommodation and utilization factors, is an integral part of every human spaceflight mission from commercial space tourism, to the demanding journey to Mars and beyond. Spacecraft were historically built by engineers and technologists trying to adapt the vehicle into cutting edge rocketry with the assumption that the astronauts could be trained and will adapt to the design. By and large, that is still the current state of the art. It is recognized, however, that poor human-machine design integration can lead to catastrophic and deadly mishaps. The premise of this work relies on the idea that if an accurate predictive model exists to forecast crew performance issues as a result of spacecraft design and operations, it can help designers and managers make better decisions throughout the design process, and ensure that the crewmembers are well-integrated with the system from the very start. The result should be a high-quality, user-friendly spacecraft that optimizes the utilization of the crew while keeping them alive, healthy, and happy during the course of the mission. Therefore, the goal of this work was to develop an integrative framework to quantitatively evaluate a spacecraft design from the crew performance perspective. The approach presented here is done at a very fundamental level starting with identifying and defining basic terminology, and then builds up important axioms of human spaceflight that lay the foundation for how such a framework can be developed. With the framework established, a methodology for characterizing the outcome using a mathematical model was developed by pulling from existing metrics and data collected on human performance in space. Representative test scenarios were run to show what information could be garnered and how it could be applied as a useful, understandable metric for future spacecraft design. While the model is the primary tangible product from this research, the more interesting outcome of this work is the structure of the framework and what it tells future researchers in terms of where the gaps and limitations exist for developing a better framework. It also identifies metrics that can now be collected as part of future validation efforts for the model.

An Alternative Approach to Human Servicing of Crewed Earth Orbiting Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mularski, John R.; Alpert, Brian K.

2017-01-01

As crewed spacecraft have grown larger and more complex, they have come to rely on spacewalks, or Extravehicular Activities (EVA), for assembly and to assure mission success. Typically, these spacecraft maintain all of the hardware and trained personnel needed to perform an EVA on-board at all times. Maintaining this capability requires up-mass, volume for storage of EVA hardware, crew time for ground and on-orbit training, and on-orbit maintenance of EVA hardware. This paper proposes an alternative methodology, utilizing either launch-on-need hardware and crew or regularly scheduled missions to provide EVA capability for space stations in low Earth orbit after assembly complete. Much the same way that one would call a repairman to fix something at their home these EVAs are dedicated to maintenance and upgrades of the orbiting station. For crew safety contingencies it is assumed the station would be designed such the crew could either solve those issues from inside the spacecraft or use the docked Earth to Orbit vehicles as a return lifeboat, in the same manner as the International Space Station (ISS) which does not rely on EVA for crew safety related contingencies. This approach would reduce ground training requirements for long duration crews, save Intravehicular Activity (IVA) crew time in the form of EVA hardware maintenance and on-orbit training, and lead to more efficient EVAs because they would be performed by specialists with detailed knowledge and training stemming from their direct involvement in the development of the EVA. The on-orbit crew would then be available to focus on the immediate response to any failures such as IVA systems reconfiguration or jumper installation as well as the day-to-day operations of the spacecraft and payloads. This paper will look at how current unplanned EVAs are conducted on ISS, including the time required for preparation, and offer an alternative for future spacecraft. As this methodology relies on the on-time and on-need launch of spacecraft, any space station that utilized this approach would need a robust transportation system, possibly including more than one launch vehicle capable of carrying crew. In addition, the fault tolerance of the future space station would be an important consideration in how much time was available for EVA preparation after the failure. Ideally the fault tolerance of the station would allow for the maintenance tasks to be grouped such that they could be handled by regularly scheduled maintenance visits and not contingency launches. Each future program would have to weigh the risk of on-time launch against the increase in available crew time for the main objective of the spacecraft. This is only one of several ideas that could be used to reduce or eliminate a station's reliance on rapid turnaround EVAs using on-board crew. Others could include having shirt-sleeve access to critical systems or utilizing low pressure temporarily pressurized equipment bays.

Telerobotics for Human Exploration: Enhancing Crew Capabilities in Deep Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fong, Terrence

2013-01-01

Future space missions in Earth orbit, to the Moon, and to other distant destinations offer many new opportunities for exploration. But, astronaut time will always be limited and some work will not be feasible or efficient for humans to perform manually. Telerobots, however, can complement human explorers, performing work under remote control from Earth, orbit or nearby habitats. A central challenge, therefore, is to understand how humans and remotely operated robots can be jointly employed to maximize mission performance and success. This presentation provides an overview of the key issues with using telerobots for human exploration.

Checklist interruption and resumption: A linguistic study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linde, Charlotte; Goguen, Joseph

1987-01-01

This study forms part of a project investigating the relationships among the formal structure of aviation procedures, the ways in which the crew members are taught to execute them, and the ways in which thet are actually performed in flight. Specifically, this report examines the interactions between the performance of checklists and interruptions, considering both interruptions by radio communications and by other crew members. The data consists of 14 crews' performance of a full mission simulation of a higher ratio of checklist speech acts to all speech acts within the span of the performance of the checklist. Further, it is not number of interruptions but length of interruptions which is associated with crew performance quality. Use of explicit holds is also associated with crew performance.

Parametric Modeling of the Safety Effects of NextGen Terminal Maneuvering Area Conflict Scenarios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, William H.; Waldron, Timothy P.; Stroiney, Steven R.

2011-01-01

The goal of this work was to analytically identify and quantify the issues, challenges, technical hurdles, and pilot-vehicle interface issues associated with conflict detection and resolution (CD&R)in emerging operational concepts for a NextGen terminal aneuvering area, including surface operations. To this end, the work entailed analytical and trade studies focused on modeling the achievable safety benefits of different CD&R strategies and concepts in the current and future airport environment. In addition, crew-vehicle interface and pilot performance enhancements and potential issues were analyzed based on review of envisioned NextGen operations, expected equipage advances, and human factors expertise. The results of perturbation analysis, which quantify the high-level performance impact of changes to key parameters such as median response time and surveillance position error, show that the analytical model developed could be useful in making technology investment decisions.

An Onboard ISS Virtual Reality Trainer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miralles, Evelyn

2013-01-01

Prior to the retirement of the Space Shuttle, many exterior repairs on the International Space Station (ISS) were carried out by shuttle astronauts, trained on the ground and flown to the Station to perform these specific repairs. With the retirement of the shuttle, this is no longer an available option. As such, the need for ISS crew members to review scenarios while on flight, either for tasks they already trained for on the ground or for contingency operations has become a very critical issue. NASA astronauts prepare for Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) or Spacewalks through numerous training media, such as: self-study, part task training, underwater training in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL), hands-on hardware reviews and training at the Virtual Reality Laboratory (VRLab). In many situations, the time between the last session of a training and an EVA task might be 6 to 8 months. EVA tasks are critical for a mission and as time passes the crew members may lose proficiency on previously trained tasks and their options to refresh or learn a new skill while on flight are limited to reading training materials and watching videos. In addition, there is an increased need for unplanned contingency repairs to fix problems arising as the Station ages. In order to help the ISS crew members maintain EVA proficiency or train for contingency repairs during their mission, the Johnson Space Center's VRLab designed an immersive ISS Virtual Reality Trainer (VRT). The VRT incorporates a unique optical system that makes use of the already successful Dynamic On-board Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) software to assist crew members with procedure reviews and contingency EVAs while on board the Station. The need to train and re-train crew members for EVAs and contingency scenarios is crucial and extremely demanding. ISS crew members are now asked to perform EVA tasks for which they have not been trained and potentially have never seen before. The Virtual Reality Trainer (VRT) provides an immersive 3D environment similar to the one experienced at the VRLab crew training facility at the NASA Johnson Space Center. VRT bridges the gap by allowing crew members to experience an interactive, 3D environment to reinforce skills already learned and to explore new work sites and repair procedures outside the Station.

Behavioral Issues Associated With Long Duration Space Expeditions: Review and Analysis of Astronaut Journals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Struster, Jack

2010-01-01

Personal journals maintained by NASA astronauts during six-month expeditions onboard the International Space Station were analyzed to obtain information concerning a wide range of behavioral and human factors issues. Astronauts wrote most about their work, followed by outside communications (with mission control, family, and friends), adjustment to the conditions, interactions with crew mates, recreation/leisure, equipment (installation, maintenance), events (launches, docking, hurricanes, etc.), organization/management, sleep, and food. The study found evidence of a decline in morale during the third quarters of the missions and identified key factors that contribute to sustained adjustment and optimal performance during long-duration space expeditions. Astronauts reported that they benefited personally from writing in their journals because it helped maintain perspective on their work and relations with others. Responses to questions asked before, during, and after the expeditions show that living and working onboard the ISS is not as difficult as the astronauts anticipate before starting their six-month tours of duty. Recommendations include application of study results and continuation of the experiment to obtain additional data as crew size increases and operations evolve.

The Traffic-Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) in the glass cockpit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chappell, Sheryl L.

1988-01-01

This volume contains the contributions of the participants in the NASA Ames Research Center workshop on the traffic-alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) implementation for aircraft with cathode ray tube (CRT) or flat panel displays. To take advantage of the display capability of the advanced-technology aircraft, NASA sponsored this workshop with the intent of bringing together industry personnel, pilots, and researchers so that pertinent issues in the area could be identified. During the 2-day workshop participants addressed a number of issues including: What is the optimum format for TCAS advisories. Where and how should maneuver advisories be presented to the crew. Should the maneuver advisories be presented on the primary flight display. Is it appropriate to have the autopilot perform the avoidance maneuver. Where and how should traffic information be presented to the crew. Should traffic information be combined with weather and navigation information. How much traffic should be shown and what ranges should be used. Contained in the document are the concepts and suggestions produced by the workshop participants.

Considerations for the retrofit of data link

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corwin, William H.; Mccauley, Hugo W.

1990-01-01

Human factors issues related to the retrofit of data link in commercial transport aircraft are discussed. Topics that must be considered for data link implementation include, the loss of the party line, (i.e., the availability to all aircraft of information transmitted on a common voice frequency), and the scheduling of information to the flight crew. This paper focuses primarily on the human factors issues related to retrofit of Mode S. Retrofits is a difficult task because panel space accessible to flight crew members is limited. As with all cockpit equipment, data link implementation will have to comply with Federal Aviation Regulation 25.1523, which requires the manufacturer to address the conspicuity and ease of use of the data link device, and to assess the impact on crew workload. Operational sequence diagrams are provided to illustrate a methodology that can be used to decompose the flight crew body channel utilization of candidate avionics configurations in order to optimize the pilot-vehicle interface.

Human health and performance considerations for near earth asteroids (NEA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, Susan; Kundrot, Craig; Charles, John

2013-11-01

Humans are considered as a system in the design of any deep space exploration mission. The addition of many potential near asteroid (NEA) destinations to the existing multiple mission architecture for Lunar and Mars missions increases the complexity of human health and performance issues that are anticipated for exploration of space. We suggest that risks to human health and performance be analyzed in terms of the 4 major parameters related to multiple mission architecture: destination, duration, distance and vehicle design. Geological properties of the NEA will influence design of exploration tasks related to sample handling and containment, and extravehicular activity (EVA) capabilities including suit ports and tools. A robotic precursor mission that collects basic information on NEA surface properties would reduce uncertainty about these aspects of the mission as well as aid in mission architecture and exploration task design. Key mission parameters are strongly impacted by duration and distance. The most critical of these is deep-space radiation exposure without even the temporary shielding of a nearby large planetary body. The current space radiation permissible exposure limits (PEL) limits mission duration to 3-10 months depending on age, gender and stage of the solar cycle. Duration also impacts mission architectures including countermeasures for bone, muscle, and cardiovascular atrophy during continuous weightlessness; and behavioral and psychological issues resulting from isolation and confinement. Distance affects communications and limits abort and return options for a NEA mission. These factors are anticipated to have important effects on crew function and autonomous operations, as well as influence medical capability, supplies and training requirements of the crew. The design of a habitat volume that can maintain the physical and psychological health of the crew and support mission operations with limited intervention from earth will require an integrated research and development effort between NASA's Human Research Program (HRP), engineering and human factors groups. Packaging food to extend shelf life and waste management will be important components of vehicle subsystem design.

KSC-2012-1952

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-03

DELAMAR DRY LAKE BED, Nev. -- The Boeing Company's CST-100 boilerplate crew capsule floats toward a smooth landing beneath three main parachutes after being released from an Erickson Sky Crane helicopter at about 11,000 feet above Delamar Dry Lake Bed near Alamo, Nev. This is one of two tests that Boeing will perform for NASA's Commercial Crew Program CCP in order to validate the spacecraft's parachute system architecture and deployment scheme, characterize pyrotechnic shock loads, confirm parachute sizing and design, and identify potential forward compartment packaging and deployment issues. In 2011, NASA selected Boeing during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 CCDev2) activities to mature the design and development of a crew transportation system with the overall goal of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station. The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industry’s own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience. Six other aerospace companies also are maturing launch vehicle and spacecraft designs under CCDev2, including Alliant Techsystems Inc. ATK, Excalibur Almaz Inc., Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance ULA. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Image credit: Boeing

Human Mars Ascent Vehicle Configuration and Performance Sensitivities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polsgrove, Tara P.; Thomas, Herbert D.; Stephens, Walter; Collins, Tim; Rucker, Michelle; Gernhardt, Mike; Zwack, Matthew R.; Dees, Patrick D.

2017-01-01

The total ascent vehicle mass drives performance requirements for the Mars descent systems and the Earth to Mars transportation elements. Minimizing Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) mass is a priority and minimizing the crew cabin size and mass is one way to do that. Human missions to Mars may utilize several small cabins where crew members could live for days up to a couple of weeks. A common crew cabin design that can perform in each of these applications is desired and could reduce the overall mission cost. However, for the MAV, the crew cabin size and mass can have a large impact on vehicle design and performance. This paper explores the sensitivities to trajectory, propulsion, crew cabin size and the benefits and impacts of using a common crew cabin design for the MAV. Results of these trades will be presented along with mass and performance estimates for the selected design.

Crew/Automation Interaction in Space Transportation Systems: Lessons Learned from the Glass Cockpit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudisill, Marianne

2000-01-01

The progressive integration of automation technologies in commercial transport aircraft flight decks - the 'glass cockpit' - has had a major, and generally positive, impact on flight crew operations. Flight deck automation has provided significant benefits, such as economic efficiency, increased precision and safety, and enhanced functionality within the crew interface. These enhancements, however, may have been accrued at a price, such as complexity added to crew/automation interaction that has been implicated in a number of aircraft incidents and accidents. This report briefly describes 'glass cockpit' evolution. Some relevant aircraft accidents and incidents are described, followed by a more detailed description of human/automation issues and problems (e.g., crew error, monitoring, modes, command authority, crew coordination, workload, and training). This paper concludes with example principles and guidelines for considering 'glass cockpit' human/automation integration within space transportation systems.

Auditory and Vestibular Issues Related to Human Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danielson, Richard W.; Wood, Scott J.

2009-01-01

Human spaceflight provides unique opportunities to study human vestibular and auditory systems. This session will discuss 1) vestibular adaptive processes reflected by pronounced perceptual and motor coordination problems during, and after, space missions; 2) vestibular diagnostic and rehabilitative techniques (used to promote recovery after living in altered gravity environments) that may be relevant to treatment of vestibular disorders on earth; and 3) unique acoustical challenges to hearing loss prevention and crew performance during spaceflight missions.

Orion Emergency Mask Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuan, George C.; Graf, John C.

2008-01-01

Emergency mask approach on Orion poses a challenge to the traditional Shuttle or Station approaches. Currently, in the case of a fire or toxic spill event, the crew utilizes open loop oxygen masks that provide the crew with oxygen to breath, but also dumps the exhaled oxygen into the cabin. For Orion, with a small cabin volume, the extra oxygen will exceed the flammability limit within a short period of time, unless a nitrogen purge is also provided. Another approach to a fire or toxic spill event is the use of a filtering emergency masks. These masks utilize some form of chemical beds to scrub the air clean of toxic providing the crew safe breathing air for a period without elevating the oxygen level in the cabin. Using the masks and a form of smoke-eater filter, it may be possible to clean the cabin completely or to a level for safe transition to a space suit to perform a cabin purge. Issues with filters in the past have been the reaction temperature and high breathing resistance. Development in a new form of chemical filters has shown promise to make the filtering approach feasible.

Orion Emergency Mask Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuan, George C.; Graf, John C.

2009-01-01

Emergency mask approach on Orion poses a challenge to the traditional Shuttle or Station approaches. Currently, in the case of a fire or toxic spill event, the crew utilizes open loop oxygen masks that provide the crew with oxygen to breath, but also dumps the exhaled oxygen into the cabin. For Orion, with a small cabin volume, the extra oxygen will exceed the flammability limit within a short period of time, unless a nitrogen purge is also provided. Another approach to a fire or toxic spill event is the use of a filtering emergency masks. These masks utilize some form of chemical beds to scrub the air clean of toxic providing the crew safe breathing air for a period without elevating the oxygen level in the cabin. Using the masks and a form of smoke-eater filter, it may be possible to clean the cabin completely or to a level for safe transition to a space suit to perform a cabin purge. Issues with filters in the past have been the reaction time, breakthroughs, and high breathing resistance. Development in a new form of chemical filters has shown promise to make the filtering approach feasible.

Personality factors in flight operations. Volume 1: Leader characteristics and crew performance in a full-mission air transport simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chidester, Thomas R.; Kanki, Barbara G.; Foushee, H. Clayton; Dickinson, Cortlandt L.; Bowles, Stephen V.

1990-01-01

Crew effectiveness is a joint product of the piloting skills, attitudes, and personality characteristics of team members. As obvious as this point might seem, both traditional approaches to optimizing crew performance and more recent training development highlighting crew coordination have emphasized only the skill and attitudinal dimensions. This volume is the first in a series of papers on this simulation. A subsequent volume will focus on patterns of communication within crews. The results of a full-mission simulation research study assessing the impact of individual personality on crew performance is reported. Using a selection algorithm described in previous research, captains were classified as fitting one of three profiles along a battery of personality assessment scales. The performances of 23 crews led by captains fitting each profile were contrasted over a one-and-one-half-day simulated trip. Crews led by captains fitting a positive Instrumental-Expressive profile (high achievement motivation and interpersonal skill) were consistently effective and made fewer errors. Crews led by captains fitting a Negative Expressive profile (below average achievement motivation, negative expressive style, such as complaining) were consistently less effective and made more errors. Crews led by captains fitting a Negative Instrumental profile (high levels of competitiveness, verbal aggressiveness, and impatience and irritability) were less effective on the first day but equal to the best on the second day. These results underscore the importance of stable personality variables as predictors of team coordination and performance.

Understanding the International Space Station Crew Perspective following Long-Duration Missions through Data Analytics & Visualization of Crew Feedback

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bryant, Cody; Meza, David; Schoenstein, Nicole; Schuh, Susan

2017-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) first became a home and research laboratory for NASA and International Partner crewmembers over 16 years ago. Each ISS mission lasts approximately 6 months and consists of three to six crewmembers. After returning to Earth, most crewmembers participate in an extensive series of 30+ debriefs intended to further understand life onboard ISS and allow crews to reflect on their experiences. Examples of debrief data collected include ISS crew feedback about sleep, dining, payload science, scheduling and time planning, health & safety, and maintenance. The Flight Crew Integration (FCI) Operational Habitability (OpsHab) team, based at Johnson Space Center (JSC), is a small group of Human Factors engineers and one stenographer that has worked collaboratively with the NASA Astronaut office and ISS Program to collect, maintain, disseminate and analyze this data. The database provides an exceptional and unique resource for understanding the "crew perspective" on long duration space missions. Data is formatted and categorized to allow for ease of search, reporting, and ultimately trending, in order to understand lessons learned, recurring issues and efficiencies gained over time. Recently, the FCI OpsHab team began collaborating with the NASA JSC Knowledge Management team to provide analytical analysis and visualization of these over 75,000 crew comments in order to better ascertain the crew's perspective on long duration spaceflight and gain insight on changes over time. In this initial phase of study, a text mining framework was used to cluster similar comments and develop measures of similarity useful for identifying relevant topics affecting crew health or performance, locating similar comments when a particular issue or item of operational interest is identified, and providing search capabilities to identify information pertinent to future spaceflight systems and processes for things like procedure development and training. In addition, the comments were scored for sentiment using a polarity scoring algorithm to identify both positive and negative comments for particular groups and clusters, allowing the team to make analytically informed decisions regarding future hardware and operating procedures. The use of polarity scoring with time series analysis was used to provide insight into how crew health and habitability is changing throughout various spaceflight increments or the station lifecycle as a whole. Finally, a visualization framework was developed to address the needs of the end users to search for and analyze comments by user, category or mission. This paper will discuss how the use of an analytical framework in conjunction with the current human interface, improved the understanding of crew perspective and shortened the time for analysis allowing for more informed decisions and rapid development of improvements. These methods are significantly optimizing the way that this valuable data can be assessed and applied to current and future spaceflight design and development. This collaboration allows the FCI OpsHab team to effectively analyze and share data in a more automated and timely fashion. Trends are no longer derived manually and can be illustrated effectively and accurately with these evolving techniques to an ever growing group of human spaceflight end users.

Communication constraints, indexical countermeasures, and crew configuration effects in simulated space-dwelling groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hienz, Robert D.; Brady, Joseph V.; Hursh, Steven R.; Banner, Michele J.; Gasior, Eric D.; Spence, Kevin R.

2007-02-01

Previous research with groups of individually isolated crews communicating and problem-solving in a distributed interactive simulation environment has shown that the functional interchangeability of available communication channels can serve as an effective countermeasure to communication constraints. The present report extends these findings by investigating crew performance effects and psychosocial adaptation following: (1) the loss of all communication channels, and (2) changes in crew configuration. Three-person crews participated in a simulated planetary exploration mission that required identification, collection, and analysis of geologic samples. Results showed that crews developed and employed discrete navigation system operations that served as functionally effective communication signals (i.e., “indexical” or “deictic” cues) in generating appropriate crewmember responses and maintaining performance effectiveness in the absence of normal communication channels. Additionally, changes in crew configuration impacted both performance effectiveness and psychosocial adaptation.

29 CFR 825.800 - Special rules for airline flight crew employees, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OTHER LAWS THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993 Special Rules Applicable to Airline..., the calculation of leave for those employees, and the recordkeeping requirements for employers of those employees, and are issued pursuant to the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act (AFCTCA...

29 CFR 825.800 - Special rules for airline flight crew employees, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OTHER LAWS THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OF 1993 Special Rules Applicable to Airline..., the calculation of leave for those employees, and the recordkeeping requirements for employers of those employees, and are issued pursuant to the Airline Flight Crew Technical Corrections Act (AFCTCA...

Behavioral and biological effects of autonomous versus scheduled mission management in simulated space-dwelling groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roma, Peter G.; Hursh, Steven R.; Hienz, Robert D.; Emurian, Henry H.; Gasior, Eric D.; Brinson, Zabecca S.; Brady, Joseph V.

2011-05-01

Logistical constraints during long-duration space expeditions will limit the ability of Earth-based mission control personnel to manage their astronaut crews and will thus increase the prevalence of autonomous operations. Despite this inevitability, little research exists regarding crew performance and psychosocial adaptation under such autonomous conditions. To this end, a newly-initiated study on crew management systems was conducted to assess crew performance effectiveness under rigid schedule-based management of crew activities by Mission Control versus more flexible, autonomous management of activities by the crews themselves. Nine volunteers formed three long-term crews and were extensively trained in a simulated planetary geological exploration task over the course of several months. Each crew then embarked on two separate 3-4 h missions in a counterbalanced sequence: Scheduled, in which the crews were directed by Mission Control according to a strict topographic and temporal region-searching sequence, and Autonomous, in which the well-trained crews received equivalent baseline support from Mission Control but were free to explore the planetary surface as they saw fit. Under the autonomous missions, performance in all three crews improved (more high-valued geologic samples were retrieved), subjective self-reports of negative emotional states decreased, unstructured debriefing logs contained fewer references to negative emotions and greater use of socially-referent language, and salivary cortisol output across the missions was attenuated. The present study provides evidence that crew autonomy may improve performance and help sustain if not enhance psychosocial adaptation and biobehavioral health. These controlled experimental data contribute to an emerging empirical database on crew autonomy which the international astronautics community may build upon for future research and ultimately draw upon when designing and managing missions.

Space Station Application of Simulator-Developed Aircrew Coordination and Performance Measures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Miles

1985-01-01

This paper summarizes a study in progress at NASA/Ames Research Center to develop measures of aircrew coordination and decision-making factors and to relate them to flight task performance, that is, to crew and system performance measures. The existence of some similar interpersonal process and task performance requirements suggests a potential application of these methods in space station crew research -- particularly research conducted in ground-based mock-ups. The secondary objective of this study should also be of interest: to develop information on crew process and performance for application in developing crew training programs.

Modeling and Quantification of Team Performance in Human Reliability Analysis for Probabilistic Risk Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jeffrey C. JOe; Ronald L. Boring

Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) and Human Reliability Assessment (HRA) are important technical contributors to the United States (U.S.) Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) risk-informed and performance based approach to regulating U.S. commercial nuclear activities. Furthermore, all currently operating commercial NPPs in the U.S. are required by federal regulation to be staffed with crews of operators. Yet, aspects of team performance are underspecified in most HRA methods that are widely used in the nuclear industry. There are a variety of "emergent" team cognition and teamwork errors (e.g., communication errors) that are 1) distinct from individual human errors, and 2) important to understandmore » from a PRA perspective. The lack of robust models or quantification of team performance is an issue that affects the accuracy and validity of HRA methods and models, leading to significant uncertainty in estimating HEPs. This paper describes research that has the objective to model and quantify team dynamics and teamwork within NPP control room crews for risk informed applications, thereby improving the technical basis of HRA, which improves the risk-informed approach the NRC uses to regulate the U.S. commercial nuclear industry.« less

Aircrew perceived stress: examining crew performance, crew position and captains personality.

PubMed

Bowles, S; Ursin, H; Picano, J

2000-11-01

This study was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center as a part of a larger research project assessing the impact of captain's personality on crew performance and perceived stress in 24 air transport crews (5). Three different personality types for captains were classified based on a previous cluster analysis (3). Crews were comprised of three crewmembers: captain, first officer, and second officer/flight engineer. A total of 72 pilots completed a 1.5-d full-mission simulation of airline operations including emergency situations in the Ames Manned Vehicle System Research Facility B-727 simulator. Crewmembers were tested for perceived stress on four dimensions of the NASA Task Load Index after each of five flight legs. Crews were divided into three groups based on rankings from combined error and rating scores. High performance crews (who committed the least errors in flight) reported experiencing less stress in simulated flight than either low or medium crews. When comparing crew positions for perceived stress over all the simulated flights no significant differences were found. However, the crews led by the "Right Stuff" (e.g., active, warm, confident, competitive, and preferring excellence and challenges) personality type captains typically reported less stress than crewmembers led by other personality types.

Human factors research as part of a Mars exploration analogue mission on Devon Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binsted, Kim; Kobrick, Ryan L.; Griofa, Marc Ó.; Bishop, Sheryl; Lapierre, Judith

2010-06-01

Human factors research is a critical element of space exploration as it provides insight into a crew's performance, psychology and interpersonal relationships. Understanding the way humans work in space-exploration analogue environments permits the development and testing of countermeasures for and responses to potential hazardous situations, and can thus help improve mission efficiency and safety. Analogue missions, such as the one described here, have plausible mission constraints and operational scenarios, similar to those that a real Mars crew would experience. Long duration analogue studies, such as those being conducted at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island, Canada, offer an opportunity to study mission operations and human factors in a semi-realistic environment, and contribute to the design of missions to explore the Moon and Mars. The FMARS XI Long Duration Mission (F-XI LDM) was, at four months, the longest designed analogue Mars mission conducted to date, and thus provides a unique insight into human factors issues for long-duration space exploration. Here, we describe the six human factors studies that took place during F-XI LDM, and give a summary of their results, where available. We also present a meta-study, which examined the impact of the human-factors research itself on crew schedule and workload. Based on this experience, we offer some lessons learnt: some aspects (perceived risk and crew motivation, for example) of analogue missions must be realistic for study results to be valid; human factors studies are time-consuming, and should be fully integrated into crew schedules; and crew-ground communication and collaboration under long-term exploration conditions can present serious challenges.

Manned geosynchronous mission requirements and systems analysis study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyland, R. E.; Sherman, S. W.; Morfin, H. W.

1979-01-01

The crew capsule of the MOTV was studied with emphasis on crew accommodations, crew capsule functional requirements, subsystem interface definition between crew module and propulsion module, and man rating requirements. Competing mission modes were studied covering a wide range of propulsion concepts. These included one stage, one and one half stage, and two stage concepts using either the standard STS or an augmented STS. Several deorbit concepts were considered, including all propulsive modes, direct re-entry, and aeromaneuvering skip in skip out in the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere. A five year plan covering costs, schedules, and critical technology issues is discussed.

Crew health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Billica, Roger D.

1992-01-01

Crew health concerns for Space Station Freedom are numerous due to medical hazards from isolation and confinement, internal and external environments, zero gravity effects, occupational exposures, and possible endogenous medical events. The operational crew health program will evolve from existing programs and from life sciences investigations aboard Space Station Freedom to include medical monitoring and certification, medical intervention, health maintenance and countermeasures, psychosocial support, and environmental health monitoring. The knowledge and experience gained regarding crew health issues and needs aboard Space Station Freedom will be used not only to verify requirements and programs for long duration space flight, but also in planning and preparation for Lunar and Mars exploration and colonization.

Conceptualization and design of a variable-gravity research facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The goal is to provide facilities for the study of the effects of variable-gravity levels in reducing the physiological stresses upon the humans of long-term stay time in zero-g. The designs studied include: twin-tethered two module system with a central despun module with docking port and winch gear; and rigid arm tube facility using shuttle external tanks. Topics examined included: despun central capsule configuration, docking clearances, EVA requirements, crew selection, crew scheduling, food supply and preparation, waste handling, leisure use, biomedical issues, and psycho-social issues.

Comparative issues in aviation and surgical crew resource management: (1) are we too solution focused?

PubMed

Hunt, Graham J F; Callaghan, Kathleen S N

2008-08-01

Although the published work in health care increasingly promotes aviation as a high-reliability industry to be emulated, there is little empirical research to justify equating the dynamics of health care's operating environment with that of aviation. This article examines some of the potential key areas of difference between the two professional groups with respect to crew resource management. The risks of implementing crew resource management training in health care without an evidential basis are discussed.

LOFT Debriefings: An Analysis of Instructor Techniques and Crew Participation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dismukes, R. Key; Jobe, Kimberly K.; McDonnell, Lori K.

1997-01-01

This study analyzes techniques instructors use to facilitate crew analysis and evaluation of their Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) performance. A rating instrument called the Debriefing Assessment Battery (DAB) was developed which enables raters to reliably assess instructor facilitation techniques and characterize crew participation. Thirty-six debriefing sessions conducted at five U.S. airlines were analyzed to determine the nature of instructor facilitation and crew participation. Ratings obtained using the DAB corresponded closely with descriptive measures of instructor and crew performance. The data provide empirical evidence that facilitation can be an effective tool for increasing the depth of crew participation and self-analysis of CRM performance. Instructor facilitation skill varied dramatically, suggesting a need for more concrete hands-on training in facilitation techniques. Crews were responsive but fell short of actively leading their own debriefings. Ways to improve debriefing effectiveness are suggested.

Handbook of Human Performance Measures and Crew Requirements for Flight Deck Research

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-12-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Center envisions that their : studies will require standard measure of pilot/crew performance. Therefore, : the FAA commissioned the Crew System Ergonomics Information Analysis Center : (CSERIAC) to...

Contamination control of the space shuttle Orbiter crew compartment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartelson, Donald W.

1986-01-01

Effective contamination control as applied to manned space flight environments is a discipline characterized and controlled by many parameters. An introduction is given to issues involving Orbiter crew compartment contamination control. An effective ground processing contamination control program is an essential building block to a successful shuttle mission. Personnel are required to don cleanroom-grade clothing ensembles before entering the crew compartment and follow cleanroom rules and regulations. Prior to crew compartment entry, materials and equipment must be checked by an orbiter integrity clerk stationed outside the white-room entrance for compliance to program requirements. Analysis and source identification of crew compartment debris studies have been going on for two years. The objective of these studies is to determine and identify particulate generating materials and activities in the crew compartment. Results show a wide spectrum of many different types of materials. When source identification is made, corrective action is implemented to minimize or curtail further contaminate generation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walters, Jill L.

The journal Microbial Ecology will be publishing a special issue dedicated to microbes in outer space. This tribute will be included in the issue, in memory of the shuttle crew who gave their lives earlier this year.

A Flight Deck Perspective of Self-Separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lozito, Sandra; Rosekind, Mark (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

I will be participating on a Free Flight Human Factors Panel at the Ninth International Symposium on Aviation Psychology in Columbus, Ohio. My representation is related to the work that our group has conducted on flight deck issues associate with free flight. Our group completed a full-mission simulation study investigating procedural issues associated with airborne self-separation. Ten crews flew eight scenarios each in the B747-400 simulator at Ames. Each scenario had a representation of different conflict geometries with intruder aircraft. New alerting logic was created and integrated into the simulator to enable self-separation. In addition, new display features were created to help provide for enhanced information to the flight crew about relevant aircraft, The participants were asked to coordinate maneuvers for self-separation with the intruder aircraft. Data analyses for the many of the crew procedures have been completed.

Crew behavior and performance in space analog environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.

1992-01-01

The objectives and the current status of the Crew Factors research program conducted at NASA-Ames Research Center are reviewed. The principal objectives of the program are to determine the effects of a broad class of input variables on crew performance and to provide guidance with respect to the design and management of crews assigned to future space missions. A wide range of research environments are utilized, including controlled experimental settings, high fidelity full mission simulator facilities, and fully operational field environments. Key group processes are identified, and preliminary data are presented on the effect of crew size, type, and structure on team performance.

Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race: Performance, Pacing and Tactics Between 1890 and 2014.

PubMed

Edwards, Andrew M; Guy, Joshua H; Hettinga, Florentina J

2016-10-01

Currently no studies have examined the historical performances of Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race crews in the context of performance, pacing and tactics which is surprising as the event has routinely taken place annually for over 150 years on the same course. The purpose of this study was twofold, to firstly examine the historical development of performances and physical characteristics of crews over 124 years of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race between 1890 and 2014 and secondly to investigate the pacing and tactics employed by crews over that period. Linear regression modelling was applied to investigate the development of performance and body size for crews of eight male individuals over time from Boat Race archive data. Performance change over time was further assessed in 10-year clusters while four intra-race checkpoints were used to examine pacing and tactics. Significant correlations were observed between performance and time (1890-2014) for both Oxford (r = -0.67; p < 0.01) and Cambridge (r = -0.64; p < 0.01). There was no difference in mean performance times for Oxford (1170 ± 88 s) and Cambridge (1168 ± 89.8 s) during 1890-2014. Crew performance times improved over time with significant gains from baseline achieved in the 1950s (Cambridge) and the 1960s (Oxford), which coincided with significant change in the physicality of the competing crews (p < 0.01). There was no tactical advantage from commencing on either the Surrey or Middlesex station beyond chance alone; however, all crews (n = 228) adopted a fast-start strategy, with 81 % of victories achieved by the crew leading the race at the first intra-race checkpoint (24 % of total distance). Crews leading the race at the final checkpoint (83 % of total distance; 1143 m) achieved victory on 94 % of occasions. Performances and physical characteristics of the crews have changed markedly since 1890, with faster heavier crews now common. Tactically, gaining the early lead position with a fast-start strategy seems particularly meaningful to success in the Boat Race throughout the years, and has been of greater importance to race outcome than factors such as the starting station.

Tanker avionics and aircrew complement evaluation.

PubMed

Moss, R W; Barbato, G J

1982-11-01

This paper describes an effort to determine control and display criteria for operating SAC's KC-135 tanker with a reduced crew complement. The Tanker Avionics and Aircrew Complement Evaluation (TAACE) Program was a four-phase effort addressing the control and display design issues associated with operating the tanker without the navigator position. Discussed are: the mission analysis phase, during which the tanker's operational responsibilities were defined and documented; the design phase, during which alternative crew station design concepts were developed; the mockup evaluation phase, which accomplished initial SAC crew member assessment of cockpit designs; and the simulation phase, which validated the useability of the crew system redesign. The paper also describes a recommended crew station configuration and discusses some of the philosophy underlying the selection of cockpit hardware and systems.

Crew Exploration Vehicle Ascent Abort Trajectory Analysis and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Falck, Robert D.; Gefert, Leon P.

2007-01-01

The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle is the first crewed capsule design to be developed by NASA since Project Apollo. Unlike Apollo, however, the CEV is being designed for service in both Lunar and International Space Station missions. Ascent aborts pose some issues that were not present for Apollo, due to its launch azimuth, nor Space Shuttle, due to its cross range capability. The requirement that a North Atlantic splashdown following an abort be avoidable, in conjunction with the requirement for overlapping abort modes to maximize crew survivability, drives the thrust level of the service module main engine. This paper summarizes 3DOF analysis conducted by NASA to aid in the determination of the appropriate propulsion system for the service module, and the appropriate propellant loading for ISS missions such that crew survivability is maximized.

Apollo-Soyuz test project. Operations handbook command/service/docking modules (CSM 119/DM 1): Operational procedures reference issue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

Operational and configuration checks for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project are presented. The checks include: backup crew prelaunch, prime crew prelaunch, boost and insertion, G and C reference data, G and N reference modes, rendezvous, navigation, Apollo-Soyuz operations, abort procedures, and emergency procedures.

Design of Two RadWorks Storm Shelters for Solar Particle Event Shielding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, Matthew; Cerro, Jeffery; Latorella, Kara; Clowdsley, Martha; Watson, Judith; Albertson, Cindy; Norman, Ryan; Le Boffe, Vincent; Walker, Steven

2014-01-01

In order to enable long-duration human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit, the risks associated with exposure of astronaut crews to space radiation must be mitigated with practical and affordable solutions. The space radiation environment beyond the magnetosphere is primarily a combination of two types of radiation: galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and solar particle events (SPE). While mitigating GCR exposure remains an open issue, reducing astronaut exposure to SPEs is achievable through material shielding because they are made up primarily of medium-energy protons. In order to ensure astronaut safety for long durations beyond low-Earth orbit, SPE radiation exposure must be mitigated. However, the increasingly demanding spacecraft propulsive performance for these ambitious missions requires minimal mass and volume radiation shielding solutions which leverage available multi-functional habitat structures and logistics as much as possible. This paper describes the efforts of NASA's RadWorks Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Project to design two minimal mass SPE radiation shelter concepts leveraging available resources: one based upon reconfiguring habitat interiors to create a centralized protection area and one based upon augmenting individual crew quarters with waterwalls and logistics. Discussion items include the design features of the concepts, a radiation analysis of their implementations, an assessment of the parasitic mass of each concept, and the result of a human in the loop evaluation performed to drive out design and operational issues.

La Chalupa-30: Lessons learned from a 30-day subsea mission analogue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderark, Steve; Wood, Joanna; Holland, Albert W.

1994-01-01

The Behavior and Performance Laboratory (BPL) utilizes space mission analogs to study issues such as the psychological health and well-being, team characteristics, and task performance of crew members on long-duration missions. The analog used in this investigation was an underwater habitat named La Chalupa, which was selected for its similar features to a space station environment. The primary objectives of the La Chalupa-30 investigation were to evaluate the efficiency of several methods for collecting data in remote environments and to assess aspects of living and working under isolated and confined conditions.

NASA Johnson Space Center Biomedical Research Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paloski, W. H.

1999-01-01

Johnson Space Center (JSC) medical sciences laboratories constitute a national resource for support of medical operations and life sciences research enabling a human presence in space. They play a critical role in evaluating, defining, and mitigation the untoward effect of human adaption to space flight. Over the years they have developed the unique facilities and expertise required to perform: biomedical sample analysis and physiological performance tests supporting medical evaluations of space flight crew members and scientific investigations of the operationally relevant medical, physiological, cellular, and biochemical issues associated with human space flight. A general overview of these laboratories is presented in viewgraph form.

Human Mars Ascent Configuration and Design Sensitivities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polsgrove, Tara P.; Gernhardt, Mike; Collins, Tim; Martin, John

2017-01-01

Human missions to Mars may utilize several small cabins where crew members could live for days up to a couple of weeks. At the end of a Mars surface mission the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) crew cabin would carry the crew to their destination in orbit in a matter of hours or days. Other small cabins in support of a Mars mission would include pressurized rovers that allow crew members to travel great distances from their primary habitat on Mars while unconstrained by time limits of typical EVAs. An orbital crew taxi could allow for exploration of the moons of Mars with minimum impact to the primary Earth-Mars transportation systems. A common crew cabin design that can perform in each of these applications is desired and could reduce the overall mission cost. However, for the MAV, the crew cabin size and mass can have a large impact on vehicle design and performance. The total ascent vehicle mass drives performance requirements for the Mars descent systems and the Earth to Mars transportation elements. Minimizing MAV mass is a priority and minimizing the crew cabin size and mass is one way to do that. This paper explores the benefits and impacts of using a common crew cabin design for the MAV. Results of a MAV configuration trade study will be presented along with mass and performance estimates for the selected design.

Simulation-based driver and vehicle crew training: applications, efficacy and future directions.

PubMed

Goode, Natassia; Salmon, Paul M; Lenné, Michael G

2013-05-01

Simulation is widely used as a training tool in many domains, and more recently the use of vehicle simulation as a tool for driver and vehicle crew training has become popular (de Winter et al., 2009; Pradhan et al., 2009). This paper presents an overview of how vehicle simulations are currently used to train driving-related procedural and higher-order cognitive skills, and team-based procedural and non-technical teamwork skills for vehicle crews, and evaluates whether there is evidence these training programs are effective. Efficacy was evaluated in terms of whether training achieves learning objectives and whether the attainment of those objectives enhances real world performance on target tasks. It was concluded that while some higher-order cognitive skills training programs have been shown to be effective, in general the adoption of simulation technology has far outstripped the pace of empirical research in this area. The paper concludes with a discussion of the issues that require consideration when developing and evaluating vehicle simulations for training purposes - based not only on what is known from the vehicle domain, but what can be inferred from other domains in which simulation is an established training approach, such as aviation (e.g. Jentsch et al., 2011) and medicine (e.g. McGaghie et al., 2010). STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Simulation has become a popular tool for driver and vehicle crew training in civilian and military settings. This review considers whether there is evidence that this training method leads to learning and the transfer of skills to real world performance. Evidence from other domains, such as aviation and medicine, is drawn upon to inform the design and evaluation of future vehicle simulation training systems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Human Health and Performance Considerations for Exploration of Near-Earth Asteroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kundrot, Craig; Steinberg, Susan; Charles, John

2010-01-01

This presentation will describe the human health and performance issues that are anticipated for the human exploration of near-Earth asteroids (NEA). Humans are considered a system in the design of any such deep-space exploration mission, and exploration of NEA presents unique challenges for the human system. Key factors that define the mission are those that are strongly affected by distance and duration. The most critical of these is deep-space radiation exposure without even the temporary shielding of a nearby large planetary body. The current space radiation permissible exposure limits (PEL) restrict mission duration to 3-10 months depending on age and gender of crewmembers and stage of the solar cycle. Factors that affect mission architecture include medical capability; countermeasures for bone, muscle, and cardiovascular atrophy during continuous weightlessness; restricted food supplies; and limited habitable volume. The design of a habitat that can maintain the physical and psychological health of the crew and support mission operations with limited intervention from Earth will require an integrated research and development effort by NASA s Human Research Program, engineering, and human factors groups. Limited abort and return options for an NEA mission are anticipated to have important effects on crew psychology as well as influence medical supplies and training requirements of the crew. Other important factors are those related to isolation, confinement, communication delays, autonomous operations, task design, small crew size, and even the unchanging view outside the windows for most of the mission. Geological properties of the NEA will influence design of sample handling and containment, and extravehicular activity capabilities including suit ports and tools. A robotic precursor mission that collects basic information on NEA surface properties would reduce uncertainty about these aspects of the mission as well as aid in design of mission architecture and exploration tasks.

STS-31 Crew Training: Firefighting, Food Tasting, EVA Prep and Post

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

The Space Shuttle crew is shown lighting a pond of gasoline and then performing firefighting tasks. The crew is also shown tasting food including lemonade, chicken casserole, and tortillas, and performing extravehicular activity (EVA) equipment checkouts in the CCT middeck and airlock.

STS-31 crew training: firefighting, food tasting, EVA prep and post

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1990-03-01

The Space Shuttle crew is shown lighting a pond of gasoline and then performing firefighting tasks. The crew is also shown tasting food including lemonade, chicken casserole, and tortillas, and performing extravehicular activity (EVA) equipment checkouts in the CCT middeck and airlock.

Critical soft landing technology issues for future US space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macha, J. M.; Johnson, D. W.; Mcbride, D. D.

1992-01-01

A programmatic need for research and development to support parachute-based landing systems has not existed since the end of the Apollo missions in the mid-1970s. Now, a number of planned space programs require advanced landing capabilities for which the experience and technology base does not currently exist. New requirements for landing on land with controllable, gliding decelerators and for more effective impact attenuation devices justify a renewal of the landing technology development effort that existed during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. A study was performed to evaluate the current and projected national capability in landing systems and to identify critical deficiencies in the technology base required to support the Assured Crew Return Vehicle and the Two-Way Manned Transportation System. A technology development program covering eight landing system performance issues is recommended.

Shared Problem Models and Crew Decision Making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The importance of crew decision making to aviation safety has been well established through NTSB accident analyses: Crew judgment and decision making have been cited as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents in commercial air transport, general aviation, and military aviation. Yet the bulk of research on decision making has not proven helpful in improving the quality of decisions in the cockpit. One reason is that traditional analytic decision models are inappropriate to the dynamic complex nature of cockpit decision making and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions. A new model of dynamic naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove more useful for training or aiding cockpit decision making. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulation and National Transportation Safety Board accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation and reflect the crew's metacognitive skill. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication contributes to performance because it assures that all crew members have essential information, but it also regulates and coordinates crew actions and is the medium of collective thinking in response to a problem. This presentation will examine the relation between communication that serves to build performance. Implications of these findings for crew training will be discussed.

Crew interface analysis: Selected articles on space human factors research, 1987 - 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagian, Tandi (Compiler)

1993-01-01

As part of the Flight Crew Support Division at NASA, the Crew Interface Analysis Section is dedicated to the study of human factors in the manned space program. It assumes a specialized role that focuses on answering operational questions pertaining to NASA's Space Shuttle and Space Station Freedom Programs. One of the section's key contributions is to provide knowledge and information about human capabilities and limitations that promote optimal spacecraft and habitat design and use to enhance crew safety and productivity. The section provides human factors engineering for the ongoing missions as well as proposed missions that aim to put human settlements on the Moon and Mars. Research providing solutions to operational issues is the primary objective of the Crew Interface Analysis Section. The studies represent such subdisciplines as ergonomics, space habitability, man-computer interaction, and remote operator interaction.

Water Recovery System Architecture and Operational Concepts to Accommodate Dormancy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Tabb, David; Anderson, Molly

2017-01-01

Future manned missions beyond low Earth orbit will include intermittent periods of extended dormancy. The mission requirement includes the capability for life support systems to support crew activity, followed by a dormant period of up to one year, and subsequently for the life support systems to come back online for additional crewed missions. NASA personnel are evaluating the architecture and operational concepts that will allow the Water Recovery System (WRS) to support such a mission. Dormancy could be a critical issue due to concerns with microbial growth or chemical degradation that might prevent water systems from operating properly when the crewed mission began. As such, it is critical that the water systems be designed to accommodate this dormant period. This paper identifies dormancy issues, concepts for updating the WRS architecture and operational concepts that will enable the WRS to support the dormancy requirement.

A Numerical Analysis of the Air Distribution System for the Ventilation of the Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bode, Florin; Nastase, Ilinca; Croitoru, Cristiana Verona; Sandu, Mihnea; Dogeanu, Angel

2018-02-01

Quality of life on the International Space Station (ISS) has become more and more important, since the time spent by astronauts outside the terrestrial atmosphere has increased in the last years. The actual concept for the Crew Quarters (CQ) have demonstrated the possibility of a personal space for sleep and free time activities in which the noise levels are lower, but not enough, compared to the noisy ISS isle way. However, there are several issues that needs to be improved to increase the performance of CQ. Our project QUEST is intended to propose a new concept of CQ in which we will correct these issues, like the noise levels will be lower, more space for astronaut, increased thermal comfort, reduce the CQ total weight, higher efficiency for the air distribution, personalized ventilation system in CQ for the crew members in order to remove CO2 from the breathing zone. This paper presents a CFD study in which we are comparing the actual and a proposed ventilation solution for introducing the air in CQ. A preliminary numerical model of the present configuration of the air distribution system of the Crew Quarters on board of the ISS, shows the need for an improved air distribution inside these enclosures. Lower velocity values at the inlet diffuser, distributed over a larger surface, as well as diffusers with improved induction would appear to be a better choice. This was confirmed through the development of a new model including linear diffusers with a larger discharge surface. In this new configuration, the regions of possible draught are dramatically reduced. The overall distributions of the velocity magnitudes displaying more uniform, lower values, in the same time with more uniform temperatures. All these observations allow us to consider a better mixing of the air inside the enclosure.

Behavioral Health Program Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveton, Lauren B.

2006-01-01

The project goal is to develop behavioral health prevention and maintenance system for continued crew health, safety, and performance for exploration missions. The basic scope includes a) Operationally-relevant research related to clinical cognitive and behavioral health of crewmembers; b) Ground-based studies using analog environments (Antarctic, NEEMO, simulations, and other testbeds; c) ISS studies (ISSMP) focusing on operational issues related to behavioral health outcomes and standards; d) Technology development activities for monitoring and diagnostic tools; and e) Cross-disciplinary research (e.g., human factors and habitability research, skeletal muscle, radiation).

U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-15

NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS...SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM( S ) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER( S ) 12. DISTRIBUTION...fighter collided with a U.S. Navy EP-3 reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea.6 Upon surviving the collision, the EP-3’ s crew made an emergency

Stressors, stress and stress consequences during long-duration manned space missions: a descriptive model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geuna, Stefano; Brunelli, Francesco; Perino, Maria A.

Keeping crew members in good health is a major factor in the success or failure of long-duration manned space missions. Among the many possible agents that can affect the crew's general well-being, stress is certainly one of the most critical because of its implications on human health and performance, both physical and mental. Nevertheless, very few studies have been performed on this fundamental issue and none of them has addressed it in its entirity, considering its diverse physical and psychological aspects. In this work, a descriptive model is proposed to expound the mechanism and sequence of events which mediate stress. A critical analysis of the information provided by past manned spaceflights and by dedicated research performed in analogous environments is presented, and an extrapolation of the available data on human stress in such extreme conditions is proposed. Both internal and external stressors have been identified, at physical and psychosocial levels, thus providing the basis for their early detection and preventive reduction. The possible negative consequences of stress that may lead to disease in crewmembers are described. Finally, the most effective instruments which may be of help in reducing space-related human stress and treating its negative consequences are suggested.

Crew Factors in Flight Operations XIV: Alertness Management in Regional Flight Operations Education Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosekind, Mark R.; Co, Elizabeth L.; Neri, David F.; Oyung, Raymond L.; Mallis, Melissa M.

2002-01-01

Regional operations encompass a broad range of pilots and equipment. This module is intended to help all those involved in regional aviation, including pilots, schedulers, dispatchers, maintenance technicians, policy makers, and others, to understand the physiological factors underlying fatigue, how flight operations affect fatigue, and what can be done to counteract fatigue and maximize alertness and performance in their operations. The overall purpose of this module is to promote aviation safety, performance, and productivity. It is intended to meet three specific objectives: (1) to explain the current state of knowledge about the physiological mechanisms underlying fatigue; (2) to demonstrate how this knowledge can be applied to improving flight crew sleep, performance, and alertness; and (3) to offer strategies for alertness management. Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) and National Transportation Safety Board (NISH) reports are used throughout this module to demonstrate that fatigue is a safety issue in the regional operations community. The appendices at the end of this module include the ASRS reports used for the examples contained in this publication, brief introductions to sleep disorders and relaxation techniques, summaries of relevant NASA publications, and a list of general readings on sleep, sleep disorders, and circadian rhythms.

Crew Factors in Flight Operations XV: Alertness Management in General Aviation Education Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosekind, Mark R.; Co, Elizabeth L.; Neri, David F.; Oyung, Raymond L.; Mallis, Melissa M.; Cannon, Mary M. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Regional operations encompass a broad range of pilots and equipment. This module is intended to help all those involved in regional aviation, including pilots, schedulers, dispatchers, maintenance technicians, policy makers, and others, to understand the physiological factors underlying fatigue, how flight operations affect fatigue, and what can be done to counteract fatigue and maximize alertness and performance in their operations. The overall purpose of this module is to promote aviation safety, performance, and productivity. It is intended to meet three specific objectives: (1) to explain the current state of knowledge about the physiological mechanisms underlying fatigue; (2) to demonstrate how this knowledge can be applied to improving flight crew sleep, performance, and alertness; and (3) to offer strategies for alertness management. Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) and National Transportation Safety Board (NISH) reports are used throughout this module to demonstrate that fatigue is a safety issue in the regional operations community. The appendices at the end of this module include the ASRS reports used for the examples contained in this publication, brief introductions to sleep disorders and relaxation techniques, summaries of relevant NASA publications, and a list of general readings on sleep, sleep disorders, and circadian rhythms.

Individual differences in airline captains' personalities, communication strategies, and crew performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith

1991-01-01

Aircrew effectiveness in coping with emergencies has been linked to captain's personality profile. The present study analyzed cockpit communication during simulated flight to examine the relation between captains' discourse strategies, personality profiles, and crew performance. Positive Instrumental/Expressive captains and Instrumental-Negative captains used very similar communication strategies and their crews made few errors. Their talk was distinguished by high levels of planning and strategizing, gathering information, predicting/alerting, and explaining, especially during the emergency flight phase. Negative-Expressive captains talked less overall, and engaged in little problem solving talk, even during emergencies. Their crews made many errors. Findings support the theory that high crew performance results when captains use language to build shared mental models for problem situations.

[Enhancement of the medical care system for crews on space missions].

PubMed

Bogomolov, V V; Egorov, A D

2013-01-01

An overview of structural, operational and research aspects of the Russian system of medical support to health and performance of cosmonauts on the International space station (ISS) is presented. The backbone of the current tactics of cosmonauts' health maintenance is the original Russian medical care system developed for long-term piloted space fights. Over 12 years of its existence, the ISS has been operated by 33 main crews. The ISS program entrusted the established multilateral medical boards and panels with laying down the health standards as well as the generic and specific medical and engineering requirements mandatory to all international partners. Due to the program international nature, MedOps planning and implementation are coordinated within the network of working level groups with members designated by each IP. The article sums up the experiences and outlines future trends of the Russian medical care system for ISS cosmonauts. The authors pay tribute to academician Anatoli I. Grigoriev for his contribution to creation of the national system of medical safety in long-term piloted space missions, setting the ISS health and environmental standards and uniform principles of integrated crew health management, and gaining consensus on medical policy and operational issues equally during the ISS construction and utilization.

Cognitive Functioning in Space Exploration Missions: A Human Requirement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiedler, Edan; Woolford, Barbara

2005-01-01

Solving cognitive issues in the exploration missions will require implementing results from both Human Behavior and Performance, and Space Human Factors Engineering. Operational and research cognitive requirements need to reflect a coordinated management approach with appropriate oversight and guidance from NASA headquarters. First, this paper will discuss one proposed management method that would combine the resources of Space Medicine and Space Human Factors Engineering at JSC, other NASA agencies, the National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Wyle Labs, and other academic or industrial partners. The proposed management is based on a Human Centered Design that advocates full acceptance of the human as a system equal to other systems. Like other systems, the human is a system with many subsystems, each of which has strengths and limitations. Second, this paper will suggest ways to inform exploration policy about what is needed for optimal cognitive functioning of the astronaut crew, as well as requirements to ensure necessary assessment and intervention strategies for the human system if human limitations are reached. Assessment strategies will include clinical evaluation and fitness-to-perform evaluations. Clinical intervention tools and procedures will be available to the astronaut and space flight physician. Cognitive performance will be supported through systematic function allocation, task design, training, and scheduling. Human factors requirements and guidelines will lead to well-designed information displays and retrieval systems that reduce crew time and errors. Means of capturing process, design, and operational requirements to ensure crew performance will be discussed. Third, this paper will describe the current plan of action, and future challenges to be resolved before a lunar or Mars expedition. The presentation will include a proposed management plan for research, involvement of various organizations, and a timetable of deliverables.

24 CFR 3286.407 - Supervising work of crew.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Supervising work of crew. 3286.407... HUD-Administered States § 3286.407 Supervising work of crew. The installer will be responsible for the work performed by each person engaged to perform installation tasks on a manufactured home, in...

A principled approach to the measurement of situation awareness in commercial aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tenney, Yvette J.; Adams, Marilyn Jager; Pew, Richard W.; Huggins, A. W. F.; Rogers, William H.

1992-01-01

The issue of how to support situation awareness among crews of modern commercial aircraft is becoming especially important with the introduction of automation in the form of sophisticated flight management computers and expert systems designed to assist the crew. In this paper, cognitive theories are discussed that have relevance for the definition and measurement of situation awareness. These theories suggest that comprehension of the flow of events is an active process that is limited by the modularity of attention and memory constraints, but can be enhanced by expert knowledge and strategies. Three implications of this perspective for assessing and improving situation awareness are considered: (1) Scenario variations are proposed that tax awareness by placing demands on attention; (2) Experimental tasks and probes are described for assessing the cognitive processes that underlie situation awareness; and (3) The use of computer-based human performance models to augment the measures of situation awareness derived from performance data is explored. Finally, two potential example applications of the proposed assessment techniques are described, one concerning spatial awareness using wide field of view displays and the other emphasizing fault management in aircraft systems.

Apollo experience report: Crew station integration. Volume 4: Stowage and the support team concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hix, M. W.

1973-01-01

Crew equipment stowage and stowage arrangement in spacecraft are discussed. Configuration control in order to maximize crew equipment operational performance, stowage density, and available stowage volume are analyzed. The NASA crew equipment stowage control process requires a support team concept to coordinate the integration of crew equipment into the spacecraft.

Civilian helicopter accidents into water: analysis of 46 cases, 1979-2006.

PubMed

Brooks, Christopher James; MacDonald, Conor Vaughan; Donati, Leo; Taber, Michael John

2008-10-01

When a helicopter crashes or ditches into water the crew and passengers must often make an escape from underwater and a number of the occupants do not survive. This paper examined fatality rates, human factors problems with escape, and causes of death in Canadian civilian registered helicopter accidents in water (1979-2006). Data obtained from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada was reviewed. Key issues such as fatalities, injuries, warning time, sinking, and inversion were examined. There were 46 helicopters that ditched into water. There were 124 crew and passengers involved. Of those, 27 (23%) crew and passengers died. Lack of warning time (55%), rapid sinking (72%), and inversion (35%) were the most common issues in the accidents. Survival rates for Canadian registered helicopter accidents into water (78%) show little change from previously reported worldwide data. Lack of warning time, rapid sinking, and inversion were the significant factors in the survival rate. The practical implication is that crew and passengers involved in planned flights over water must wear all the life support equipment on strap-in and not have it stowed on the back of the seat or in the cabin.

Generic extravehicular (EVA) and telerobot task primitives for analysis, design, and integration. Version 1.0: Reference compilation for the EVA and telerobotics communities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jeffrey H.; Drews, Michael

1990-01-01

The results are described of an effort to establish commonality and standardization of generic crew extravehicular (crew-EVA) and telerobotic task analysis primitives used for the study of spaceborne operations. Although direct crew-EVA plans are the most visible output of spaceborne operations, significant ongoing efforts by a wide variety of projects and organizations also require tools for estimation of crew-EVA and telerobotic times. Task analysis tools provide estimates for input to technical and cost tradeoff studies. A workshop was convened to identify the issues and needs to establish a common language and syntax for task analysis primitives. In addition, the importance of such a syntax was shown to have precedence over the level to which such a syntax is applied. The syntax, lists of crew-EVA and telerobotic primitives, and the data base in diskette form are presented.

Evaluation of Crew-Centric Onboard Mission Operations Planning and Execution Tool: Year 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillenius, S.; Marquez, J.; Korth, D.; Rosenbaum, M.; Deliz, Ivy; Kanefsky, Bob; Zheng, Jimin

2018-01-01

Currently, mission planning for the International Space Station (ISS) is largely affected by ground operators in mission control. The task of creating a week-long mission plan for ISS crew takes dozens of people multiple days to complete, and is often created far in advance of its execution. As such, re-planning or adapting to changing real-time constraints or emergent issues is similarly taxing. As we design for future mission operations concepts to other planets or areas with limited connectivity to Earth, more of these ground-based tasks will need to be handled autonomously by the crew onboard.There is a need for a highly usable (including low training time) tool that enables efficient self-scheduling and execution within a single package. The ISS Program has identified Playbook as a potential option. It already has high crew acceptance as a plan viewer from previous analogs and can now support a crew self-scheduling assessment on ISS or on another mission. The goals of this work, a collaboration between the Human Research Program and the ISS Program, are to inform the design of systems for more autonomous crew operations and provide a platform for research on crew autonomy for future deep space missions. Our second year of the research effort have included new insights on the crew self-scheduling sessions performed by the crew through use on the HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) and NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) analogs. Use on the NEEMO analog involved two self-scheduling strategies where the crew planned and executed two days of EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activities). On HERA year two represented the first HERA campaign where we were able to perform research tasks. This involved selected flexible activities that the crew could schedule, mock timelines where the crew completed more complex planning exercises, usability evaluation of the crew self-scheduling features, and more insights into the limit of plan complexity that the crew could effectively self-schedule. In parallel we have added in new features and functionality in the Playbook tool based off of our insights from crew self-scheduling in the NASA analogs. In particular this year we have added in the ability for the crew to add, edit, and remove their own activities in the Playbook tool, expanding the type of planning and re-planning possible in the tool and opening up the ability for more free form plan creation. The ability to group and manipulate groups of activities from the plan task list was also added, allowing crew members to add predefined sets of activities onto their mission timeline. In addition we also added a way for crew members to roll back changes in their plan, in order to allow an undo like capability. These features expand and complement the initial self-scheduling features added in year one with the goal of making crew autonomous planning more efficient. As part of this work we have also finished developing the first version of our Playbook Data Analysis Tool, a research tool built to interpret and analyze the unobtrusively collected data obtained during the NASA analog missions through Playbook. This data which includes user click interaction as well as plan change information, through the Playbook Data Analysis Tool, allows us to playback this information as if a video camera was mounted over the crewmember's tablet. While the primary purpose of this tool is to allow usability analysis of crew self-scheduling sessions used on the NASA analog, since the data collected is structured, the tool can automatically derive metrics that would be traditionally tedious to achieve without manual analysis of video playback. We will demonstrate and discuss the ability for future derived metrics to be added to the tool. In addition to the current data and results gathered in year two we will also discuss the preparation and goals of our International Space Station (ISS) onboard technology demonstration with Playbook. This technology demonstration will be preformed as part of the CAST payload starting in late 2016.

Integrating Human Factors into Crew Exploration Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban; Baggerman, Susan; Campbell, paul

2007-01-01

With NASA's new Vision for Exploration to send humans beyond Earth orbit, it is critical to consider the human as a system that demands early and continuous user involvement, and an iterative prototype/test/redesign process. Addressing human-system interface issues early on can be very cost effective even cost reducing when performed early in the design and development cycle. To achieve this goal within Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Project Office, human engineering (HE) team is formed. Key tasks are to apply HE requirements and guidelines to hardware/software, and provide HE design, analysis and evaluation of crew interfaces. Initial activities included many practice-orientated evaluations using low-fidelity CEV mock-ups. What follows is a description of such evaluations that focused on a HE requirement regarding Net Habitable Volume (NHV). NHV is defined as the total remaining pressurized volume available to on-orbit crew after accounting for the loss of volume due to deployed hardware and structural inefficiencies which decrease functional volume. The goal of the NHV evaluations was to develop requirements providing sufficient CEV NHV for crewmembers to live and perform tasks in support of mission goals. Efforts included development of a standard NHV calculation method using computer models and physical mockups, and crew/ stakeholder evaluations. Nine stakeholders and ten crewmembers participated in the unsuited evaluations. Six crewmembers also participated in a suited evaluation. The mock-up was outfitted with volumetric representation of sub-systems such as seats, and stowage bags. Thirteen scenarios were developed to represent mission/crew tasks and considered to be primary volume drivers (e.g., suit donning) for the CEV. Unsuited evaluations included a structured walkthrough of these tasks. Suited evaluations included timed donning of the existing launch and entry suit to simulate a contingency scenario followed by doffing/ stowing of the suits. All mockup evaluations were videotaped. Structured questionnaires were used to document user interface issues and volume impacts of layout configuration. Computer model and physical measures of the NHV agreed within 1 percent. This included measurement of the gross habitable volume, subtraction of intrusive volumes, and other non-habitable spaces. Calculation method developed was validated as a standard means of measuring NHV, and was recommended as a verification method for the NHV requirements. Evaluations confirmed that there was adequate volume for unsuited scenarios and suit donning/ doffing activity. Seats, suit design stowage and waste hygiene system noted to be critical volume drivers. The low-fidelity mock-up evaluations along with human modeling analysis generated discussions that will lead to high-level systems requirements and human-centered design decisions. This approach allowed HE requirements and operational concepts to evolve in parallel with engineering system concepts and design requirements. As the CEV design matures, these evaluations will continue and help with design decisions, and assessment, verification and validation of HE requirements.

Does CRM training work?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, R. L.

1991-01-01

Formal cockpit resource management training in crew coordination concepts increases the percentage of crews rated as above average in performance and decreases the percentage of crews rated as below average.

Human Factors Issues for Controlling Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles: Preliminary Findings in Support of the Canadian Forces Joint Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Surveillance Target Acquisition System Project (Incidence des Facteurs Humains sur le Pilotage des Vehicules Aeriens Telepilotes: Constatations Preliminaires a L’Appui du Projet de Systeme Interarmees D’Acquisition D’Objectif au Moyen de Vehicules Aeriens Telepilotes de Surveillance des Forces Canadiennes)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

Misinterpreted communications, crew coordination, rank imbalance or pilot in command and co-pilot syndrome , crew composition, intra-cockpit communication...of sustained operations. They found that MQ-1 Predator crews experienced higher levels of fatigue, emotional exhaustion and burnout relative to 20

Nutrition Issues for Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Scott; Zwart, Sara R.

2006-01-01

Optimal nutrition will be critical for crew members who embark on space exploration missions. Nutritional assessment provides an opportunity to ensure that crew members begin their missions in optimal nutritional status, to document changes in status during a mission, and to assess changes after landing to facilitate return of the crew to their normal status as soon as possible after landing. Nutritional assessment provides the basis for intervention, if it is necessary, to maintain optimal status throughout the mission. We report here our nutritional assessment of the US astronauts who participated in the first twelve International Space Station missions.

Cleanser, Detergent, Personal Care Product, and Pretreatment Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adam, Niklas; Carrier, Chris; Vega, Leticia; Casteel, Michael; Verostko, chuck; Pickering, Karen

2011-01-01

The purpose of the Cleanser, Detergent, Personal Care Product, and Pretreatment Evaluation & Selection task is to identify the optimal combination of personal hygiene products, crew activities, and pretreatment strategies to provide the crew with sustainable life support practices and a comfortable habitat. Minimal energy, mass, and crew time inputs are desired to recycle wastewater during long duration missions. This document will provide a brief background on the work this past year supporting the ELS Distillation Comparison Test, issues regarding use of the hygiene products originally chosen for the test, methods and results used to select alternative products, and lessons learned from testing.

Cleanser, Detergent, Personal Care Product Pretreatment Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adam, Niklas

2010-01-01

The purpose of the Cleanser, Detergent, Personal Care Product, and Pretreatment Evaluation & Selection task is to identify the optimal combination of personal hygiene products, crew activities, and pretreatment strategies to provide the crew with sustainable life support practices and a comfortable habitat. Minimal energy, mass, and crew time inputs are desired to recycle wastewater during long duration missions. This document will provide a brief background on the work this past year supporting the ELS Distillation Comparison Test, issues regarding use of the hygiene products originally chosen for the test, methods and results used to select alternative products, and lessons learned from testing.

The Use of Water During the Crew 144, Mars Desert Research Station, Utah Desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Morais Mendonca Teles, Antonio

2016-07-01

Well. from November 29th to December 14th, 2014, the author conducted astrobiological and geological surveys, as analog astronaut member of the international Crew 144, at the site of the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station, located at a remote location in the Utah desert, United States. The use of water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, etc., in the crew was a major issue for consideration for a human expedition to the planet Mars in the future. The author would like to tell about the factors of the rationalized use of water.

Issues and Design Drivers for Deep Space Habitats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rucker, Michelle A.; Anderson, Molly

2012-01-01

A cross-disciplinary team of scientists and engineers applied expertise gained in Lunar Lander development to the conceptual design of a long-duration, deep space habitat for Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) missions. The design reference mission involved two launches to assemble 5-modules for a 380-day round trip mission carrying 4 crew members. The conceptual design process yielded a number of interesting debates, some of which could be significant design drivers in a detailed Deep Space Habitat (DSH) design. These issues included: Design to minimize crew radiation exposure, launch loads, communications challenges, docking system and hatch commonality, pointing and visibility, consumables, and design for contingency operations.

Identifying Human Factors Issues in Aircraft Maintenance Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veinott, Elizabeth S.; Kanki, Barbara G.; Shafto, Michael G. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

Maintenance operations incidents submitted to the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) between 1986-1992 were systematically analyzed in order to identify issues relevant to human factors and crew coordination. This exploratory analysis involved 95 ASRS reports which represented a wide range of maintenance incidents. The reports were coded and analyzed according to the type of error (e.g, wrong part, procedural error, non-procedural error), contributing factors (e.g., individual, within-team, cross-team, procedure, tools), result of the error (e.g., aircraft damage or not) as well as the operational impact (e.g., aircraft flown to destination, air return, delay at gate). The main findings indicate that procedural errors were most common (48.4%) and that individual and team actions contributed to the errors in more than 50% of the cases. As for operational results, most errors were either corrected after landing at the destination (51.6%) or required the flight crew to stop enroute (29.5%). Interactions among these variables are also discussed. This analysis is a first step toward developing a taxonomy of crew coordination problems in maintenance. By understanding what variables are important and how they are interrelated, we may develop intervention strategies that are better tailored to the human factor issues involved.

Overview of the Development of the Temporary Sleep Station Hygiene Liner Aboard the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Ethan A.

2010-01-01

Since the beginning of manned operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the crew had performed hygiene activities within the aisle way (the habitable volume, not including the sleep areas) of the ISS. The Crew used wet towels, re-hydrated body soap, and "no-rinse" shampoo to cleanse themselves amongst the stowage and systems hardware, referred to as "racks", even without a designated area to dry the wet items. Performing hygiene in this manner became an accepted method; no isolated location was available to the Crew. After several years of hygiene operations, some of the fabric-covered racks began to grow biological material (generically described as mold) and soon became a Crew health concern. Hygiene has one of the strongest impacts on Crew morale, and mandating changes to the Crew routine would have been met with strong resistance. The answer to the conundrum was to develop a liner to be placed within the Temporary Sleep Station (TeSS), one of the Crew s sleeping racks. This liner provided the Crew a means to perform hygiene activities within a private, enclosed area that also significantly decreased the potential to grow mold. This paper will describe the development of the TeSS Hygiene Liner, its impacts on the ISS and Crew, as well as its contribution to hygiene activities used in space today.

Human Factors and ISS Medical Systems: Highlights of Procedures and Equipment Findings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byrne, V. E.; Hudy, C.; Smith, D.; Whitmore, M.

2005-01-01

As part of the Space Human Factors Engineering Critical Questions Roadmap, a three year Technology Development Project (TDP) was funded by NASA Headquarters to examine emergency medical procedures on ISS. The overall aim of the emergency medical procedures project was to determine the human factors issues in the procedures, training, communications and equipment, and to recommend solutions that will improve the survival rate of crewmembers in the event of a medical emergency. Currently, each ISS crew remains on orbit for six month intervals. As there is not standing requirement for a physician crewmember, during such time, the maintenance of crew health is dependant on individual crewmembers. Further, in the event of an emergency, crew will need to provide prolonged maintenance care, as well as emergency treatment, to an injured crewmember while awaiting transport to Earth. In addition to the isolation of the crew, medical procedures must be carried out within the further limitations imposed by the physical environment of the space station. For example, in order to administer care on ISS without the benefit of gravity, the Crew Medical Officers (CMOs) must restrain the equipment required to perform the task, restrain the injured crewmember, and finally, restrain themselves. Both the physical environment and the physical space available further limit the technology that can be used onboard. Equipment must be compact, yet able to withstand high levels of radiation and function without gravity. The focus here is to highlight the human factors impacts from our three year project involving the procedures and equipment areas that have been investigated and provided valuable to ISS and provide groundwork for human factors requirements for medical applications for exploration missions.

Plant Atrium System for Food Production in NASA's Deep Space Habitat Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia D.; Simpson, Morgan; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Newsham, Gerald; Stutte, Gary W.

2013-01-01

In preparation for future human exploration missions to space, NASA evaluates habitat concepts to assess integration issues, power requirements, crew operations, technology, and system performance. The concept of a Food Production System utilizes fresh foods, such as vegetables and small fruits, harvested on a continuous basis, to improve the crew's diet and quality of life. The system would need to fit conveniently into the habitat and not interfere with other components or operations. To test this concept, a plant growing "atrium" was designed to surround the lift between the lower and upper modules of the Deep Space Habitat and deployed at NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) test site in 2011 and at NASA Johnson Space Center in 2012. With this approach, no-utilized volume provided an area for vegetable growth. For the 2011 test, mizuna, lettuce, basil, radish and sweetpotato plants were grown in trays using commercially available red I blue LED light fixtures. Seedlings were transplanted into the atrium and cared for by the. crew. Plants were then harvested two weeks later following completion of the test. In 2012, mizuna, lettuce, and radish plants were grown similarly but under flat panel banks of white LEDs. In 2012, the crew went through plant harvesting, including sanitizing tlie leafy greens and radishes, which were then consumed. Each test demonstrated successful production of vegetables within a functional hab module. The round red I blue LEDs for the 2011 test lighting cast a purple light in the hab, and were less uniformly distributed over the plant trays. The white LED panels provided broad spectrum light with more uniform distribution. Post-test questionnaires showed that the crew enjoyed tending and consuming the plants and that the white LED light in 2012 provided welcome extra light for the main HAB AREA.

Computational Models of Human Performance: Validation of Memory and Procedural Representation in Advanced Air/Ground Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corker, Kevin M.; Labacqz, J. Victor (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

The Man-Machine Interaction Design and Analysis System (MIDAS) under joint U.S. Army and NASA cooperative is intended to assist designers of complex human/automation systems in successfully incorporating human performance capabilities and limitations into decision and action support systems. MIDAS is a computational representation of multiple human operators, selected perceptual, cognitive, and physical functions of those operators, and the physical/functional representation of the equipment with which they operate. MIDAS has been used as an integrated predictive framework for the investigation of human/machine systems, particularly in situations with high demands on the operators. We have extended the human performance models to include representation of both human operators and intelligent aiding systems in flight management, and air traffic service. The focus of this development is to predict human performance in response to aiding system developed to identify aircraft conflict and to assist in the shared authority for resolution. The demands of this application requires representation of many intelligent agents sharing world-models, coordinating action/intention, and cooperative scheduling of goals and action in an somewhat unpredictable world of operations. In recent applications to airborne systems development, MIDAS has demonstrated an ability to predict flight crew decision-making and procedural behavior when interacting with automated flight management systems and Air Traffic Control. In this paper, we describe two enhancements to MIDAS. The first involves the addition of working memory in the form of an articulatory buffer for verbal communication protocols and a visuo-spatial buffer for communications via digital datalink. The second enhancement is a representation of multiple operators working as a team. This enhanced model was used to predict the performance of human flight crews and their level of compliance with commercial aviation communication procedures. We show how the data produced by MIDAS compares with flight crew performance data from full mission simulations. Finally, we discuss the use of these features to study communication issues connected with aircraft-based separation assurance.

Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) Synthetic Instrument Capabilities Assessment and Test Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oeftering, Richard C.; Bradish, Martin A.

2011-01-01

The role of synthetic instruments (SIs) for Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) is to provide an external lower-level diagnostic and functional test capability beyond the built-in-test capabilities of spacecraft electronics. Built-in diagnostics can report faults and symptoms, but isolating the root cause and performing corrective action requires specialized instruments. Often a fault can be revealed by emulating the operation of external hardware. This implies complex hardware that is too massive to be accommodated in spacecraft. The SI strategy is aimed at minimizing complexity and mass by employing highly reconfigurable instruments that perform diagnostics and emulate external functions. In effect, SI can synthesize an instrument on demand. The SI architecture section of this document summarizes the result of a recent program diagnostic and test needs assessment based on the International Space Station. The SI architecture addresses operational issues such as minimizing crew time and crew skill level, and the SI data transactions between the crew and supporting ground engineering searching for the root cause and formulating corrective actions. SI technology is described within a teleoperations framework. The remaining sections describe a lab demonstration intended to show that a single SI circuit could synthesize an instrument in hardware and subsequently clear the hardware and synthesize a completely different instrument on demand. An analysis of the capabilities and limitations of commercially available SI hardware and programming tools is included. Future work in SI technology is also described.

Team Composition Issues for Future Space Exploration: A Review and Directions for Future Research.

PubMed

Bell, Suzanne T; Brown, Shanique G; Abben, Daniel R; Outland, Neal B

2015-06-01

Future space exploration, such as a mission to Mars, will require space crews to live and work in extreme environments unlike those of previous space missions. Extreme conditions such as prolonged confinement, isolation, and expected communication time delays will require that crews have a higher level of interpersonal compatibility and be able to work autonomously, adapting to unforeseen challenges in order to ensure mission success. Team composition, or the configuration of member attributes, is an important consideration for maximizing crewmember well-being and team performance. We conducted an extensive search to find articles about team composition in long-distance space exploration (LDSE)-analogue environments, including a search of databases, specific relevant journals, and by contacting authors who publish in the area. We review the team composition research conducted in analogue environments in terms of two paths through which team composition is likely to be related to LDSE mission success, namely by 1) affecting social integration, and 2) the team processes and emergent states related to team task completion. Suggestions for future research are summarized as: 1) the need to identify ways to foster unit-level social integration within diverse crews; 2) the missed opportunity to use team composition variables as a way to improve team processes, emergent states, and task completion; and 3) the importance of disentangling the effect of specific team composition variables to determine the traits (e.g., personality, values) that are associated with particular risks (e.g., subgrouping) to performance.

Leader personality and crew effectiveness - A full-mission simulation experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chidester, Thomas R.; Foushee, H. Clayton

1989-01-01

A full-mission simulation research study was completed to assess the impact of individual personality on crew performance. Using a selection algorithm described by Chidester (1987), captains were classified as fitting one of three profiles along a battery of personality assessment scales. The performances of 23 crews led by captains fitting each profile were contrasted over a one and one-half day simulated trip. Crews led by captains fitting a positive Instrumental-Expressive profile (high achievement motivation and interpersonal skill) were consistently effective and made fewer errors. Crews led by captains fitting a Negative Expressive profile (below average achievement motivation, negative expressive style, such as complaining) were consistently less effective and made more errors. Crews led by captains fitting a Negative Instrumental profile (high levels of competitiveness, Verbal Aggressiveness, and Impatience and Irritability) were less effective on the first day but equal to the best on the second day. These results underscore the importance of stable personality variables as predictors of team coordination and performance.

Analysis of crew functions as an aid in Space Station interior layout

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, A. L.; Tullis, Thomas S.; Bied, Barbra

1986-01-01

The Space Station must be designed to facilitate all of the functions that its crew will perform, both on-duty and off-duty, as efficiently and comfortably as possible. This paper examines the functions to be performed by the Space Station crew in order to make inferences about the design of an interior layout that optimizes crew productivity. Twenty-seven crew functions were defined, as well as five criteria for assessing relationships among all pairs of those functions. Hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling techniques were used to visually summarize the relationships. A key result was the identification of two dimensions for describing the configuration of crew functions: 'Private-Public' and 'Group-Individual'. Seven specific recommendations for Space Station interior layout were derived from the analyses.

Exploring flight crew behaviour

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, R. L.

1987-01-01

A programme of research into the determinants of flight crew performance in commercial and military aviation is described, along with limitations and advantages associated with the conduct of research in such settings. Preliminary results indicate significant relationships among personality factors, attitudes regarding flight operations, and crew performance. The potential theoretical and applied utility of the research and directions for further research are discussed.

International Space Station (ISS) Crew Quarters On-Orbit Performance and Sustaining

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlesinger, Thilini P.; Rodriquez, Branelle R.

2013-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Crew Quarters (CQ) is a permanent personal space for crew members to sleep, perform personal recreation and communication, as well as provide on-orbit stowage of personal belongings. The CQs provide visual, light, and acoustic isolation for the crew member. Over a 2-year period, four CQs were launched to the ISS and currently reside in Node 2. Since their deployment, all CQs have been occupied and continue to be utilized. This paper will review failures that have occurred after 4 years on-orbit, and the investigations that have resulted in successful on-orbit operations. This paper documents the on-orbit performance and sustaining activities that have been performed to maintain the integrity and utilization of the CQs.

Human Modeling Evaluations in Microgravity Workstation and Restraint Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban; Chmielewski, Cynthia; Wheaton, Aneice; Hancock, Lorraine; Beierle, Jason; Bond, Robert L. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) will provide long-term missions which will enable the astronauts to live and work, as well as, conduct research in a microgravity environment. The dominant factor in space affecting the crew is "weightlessness" which creates a challenge for establishing workstation microgravity design requirements. The crewmembers will work at various workstations such as Human Research Facility (HRF), Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG) and Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG). Since the crew will spend considerable amount of time at these workstations, it is critical that ergonomic design requirements are integral part of design and development effort. In order to achieve this goal, the Space Human Factors Laboratory in the Johnson Space Center Flight Crew Support Division has been tasked to conduct integrated evaluations of workstations and associated crew restraints. Thus, a two-phase approach was used: 1) ground and microgravity evaluations of the physical dimensions and layout of the workstation components, and 2) human modeling analyses of the user interface. Computer-based human modeling evaluations were an important part of the approach throughout the design and development process. Human modeling during the conceptual design phase included crew reach and accessibility of individual equipment, as well as, crew restraint needs. During later design phases, human modeling has been used in conjunction with ground reviews and microgravity evaluations of the mock-ups in order to verify the human factors requirements. (Specific examples will be discussed.) This two-phase approach was the most efficient method to determine ergonomic design characteristics for workstations and restraints. The real-time evaluations provided a hands-on implementation in a microgravity environment. On the other hand, only a limited number of participants could be tested. The human modeling evaluations provided a more detailed analysis of the setup. The issues identified during the real-time testing were investigated in the human modeling analyses. In some cases, the opposite was true where preliminary human modeling analyses provided the design engineers with critical issues that needed to be addressed further. This extensive approach provided an effective means to fully address ergonomic design considerations and accurately identify critical issues.

An operational approach to long-duration mission behavioral health and performance factors.

PubMed

Flynn, Christopher F

2005-06-01

NASA's participation in nearly 10 yr of long-duration mission (LDM) training and flight confirms that these missions remain a difficult challenge for astronauts and their medical care providers. The role of the astronaut's crew surgeon is to maximize the astronaut's health throughout all phases of the LDM: preflight, in flight, and postflight. In support of the crew surgeon, the NASA-Johnson Space Center Behavioral Health and Performance Group (JSC-BHPG) has focused on four key factors that can reduce the astronaut's behavioral health and performance. These factors are defined as: sleep and circadian factors; behavioral health factors; psychological adaptation factors; and human-to-system interface (the interface between the astronaut and the mission workplace) factors. Both the crew surgeon and the JSC-BHPG must earn the crewmember's trust preflight to encourage problem identification and problem solving in these four areas. Once on orbit, the crew medical officer becomes a valuable extension of the crew surgeon and BHPG on the ground due to the crew medical officer's constant interaction with crewmembers and preflight training in these four factors. However, the crew surgeon, BHPG, and the crew medical officer need tools that will help predict, prevent, monitor, and respond to developing problems. Objective data become essential when difficult mission termination decisions must be made. The need for behavioral health and performance tool development creates an environment rich for collaboration between operational healthcare providers and researchers. These tools are also a necessary step to safely complete future, more autonomous exploration-class space missions.

An operational approach to long-duration mission behavioral health and performance factors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, Christopher F.

2005-01-01

NASA's participation in nearly 10 yr of long-duration mission (LDM) training and flight confirms that these missions remain a difficult challenge for astronauts and their medical care providers. The role of the astronaut's crew surgeon is to maximize the astronaut's health throughout all phases of the LDM: preflight, in flight, and postflight. In support of the crew surgeon, the NASA-Johnson Space Center Behavioral Health and Performance Group (JSC-BHPG) has focused on four key factors that can reduce the astronaut's behavioral health and performance. These factors are defined as: sleep and circadian factors; behavioral health factors; psychological adaptation factors; and human-to-system interface (the interface between the astronaut and the mission workplace) factors. Both the crew surgeon and the JSC-BHPG must earn the crewmember's trust preflight to encourage problem identification and problem solving in these four areas. Once on orbit, the crew medical officer becomes a valuable extension of the crew surgeon and BHPG on the ground due to the crew medical officer's constant interaction with crewmembers and preflight training in these four factors. However, the crew surgeon, BHPG, and the crew medical officer need tools that will help predict, prevent, monitor, and respond to developing problems. Objective data become essential when difficult mission termination decisions must be made. The need for behavioral health and performance tool development creates an environment rich for collaboration between operational healthcare providers and researchers. These tools are also a necessary step to safely complete future, more autonomous exploration-class space missions.

Applying lessons learned to enhance human performance and reduce human error for ISS operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, W.R.

1999-01-01

A major component of reliability, safety, and mission success for space missions is ensuring that the humans involved (flight crew, ground crew, mission control, etc.) perform their tasks and functions as required. This includes compliance with training and procedures during normal conditions, and successful compensation when malfunctions or unexpected conditions occur. A very significant issue that affects human performance in space flight is human error. Human errors can invalidate carefully designed equipment and procedures. If certain errors combine with equipment failures or design flaws, mission failure or loss of life can occur. The control of human error during operation ofmore » the International Space Station (ISS) will be critical to the overall success of the program. As experience from Mir operations has shown, human performance plays a vital role in the success or failure of long duration space missions. The Department of Energy{close_quote}s Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is developing a systematic approach to enhance human performance and reduce human errors for ISS operations. This approach is based on the systematic identification and evaluation of lessons learned from past space missions such as Mir to enhance the design and operation of ISS. This paper will describe previous INEEL research on human error sponsored by NASA and how it can be applied to enhance human reliability for ISS. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Applying lessons learned to enhance human performance and reduce human error for ISS operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nelson, W.R.

1998-09-01

A major component of reliability, safety, and mission success for space missions is ensuring that the humans involved (flight crew, ground crew, mission control, etc.) perform their tasks and functions as required. This includes compliance with training and procedures during normal conditions, and successful compensation when malfunctions or unexpected conditions occur. A very significant issue that affects human performance in space flight is human error. Human errors can invalidate carefully designed equipment and procedures. If certain errors combine with equipment failures or design flaws, mission failure or loss of life can occur. The control of human error during operation ofmore » the International Space Station (ISS) will be critical to the overall success of the program. As experience from Mir operations has shown, human performance plays a vital role in the success or failure of long duration space missions. The Department of Energy`s Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is developed a systematic approach to enhance human performance and reduce human errors for ISS operations. This approach is based on the systematic identification and evaluation of lessons learned from past space missions such as Mir to enhance the design and operation of ISS. This paper describes previous INEEL research on human error sponsored by NASA and how it can be applied to enhance human reliability for ISS.« less

The Role of Habitability Studies in Space Facility and Vehicle Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Constance M.

1999-01-01

This document is a viewgraph presentation which reviews the role of the space architect in designing a space vehicle with habitability as a chief concern. Habitability is composed of the qualities of the environment or system which support the crew in working and living. All the impacts from habitability are interdependent; i.e., impacts to well-being can impact performance, safety or efficiency. After reviewing the issues relating to habitability the presentation discusses the application of these issues in two case studies. The first studies the Bio-Plex Hab chamber which includes designs of the living and working areas. The second case study is the ISS-TransHab which is being studied as a prototype for Mars transit.

AMO EXPRESS: A Command and Control Experiment for Crew Autonomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stetson, Howard K.; Frank, Jeremy; Cornelius, Randy; Haddock, Angie; Wang, Lui; Garner, Larry

2015-01-01

NASA is investigating a range of future human spaceflight missions, including both Mars-distance and Near Earth Object (NEO) targets. Of significant importance for these missions is the balance between crew autonomy and vehicle automation. As distance from Earth results in increasing communication delays, future crews need both the capability and authority to independently make decisions. However, small crews cannot take on all functions performed by ground today, and so vehicles must be more automated to reduce the crew workload for such missions. NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems Program funded Autonomous Mission Operations (AMO) project conducted an autonomous command and control demonstration of intelligent procedures to automatically initialize a rack onboard the International Space Station (ISS) with power and thermal interfaces, and involving core and payload command and telemetry processing, without support from ground controllers. This autonomous operations capability is enabling in scenarios such as a crew medical emergency, and representative of other spacecraft autonomy challenges. The experiment was conducted using the Expedite the Processing of Experiments for Space Station (EXPRESS) rack 7, which was located in the Port 2 location within the U.S Laboratory onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Activation and deactivation of this facility is time consuming and operationally intensive, requiring coordination of three flight control positions, 47 nominal steps, 57 commands, 276 telemetry checks, and coordination of multiple ISS systems (both core and payload). The autonomous operations concept includes a reduction of the amount of data a crew operator is required to verify during activation or de-activation, as well as integration of procedure execution status and relevant data in a single integrated display. During execution, the auto-procedures provide a step-by-step messaging paradigm and a high level status upon termination. This messaging and high level status is the only data generated for operator display. To enhance situational awareness of the operator, the Web-based Procedure Display (WebPD) provides a novel approach to the issues of procedure display and execution tracking. For this demonstration, the procedure was initiated and monitored from the ground. As the Timeliner sequences executed, their high level execution status was transmitted to ground, for WebPD consumption.

Biological and psychosocial effects of space travel: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsia, Robert Edward Tien Ming

This dissertation interviewed a single astronaut to explore psychosocial issues relevant to long-duration space travel and how these issues relate to the astronaut's training. It examined the psychological impact of isolation, crew interaction, and the experience of microgravity with the goal of increasing understanding of how to foster crew survivability and positive small group interactions in space (Santy, 1994). It also focused on how to develop possible treatments for crews when they transition back to Earth from the extreme environment of space missions. The astronaut's responses agreed with the literature and the predictions for long-duration space missions except the participant reported no temporary or permanent cognitive or memory deficits due to microgravity exposure. The dissertation identified five frequently endorsed themes including communication, environmental stressors, personal strengths, un-researched problems, and other. The agreement found between the literature and astronaut's responses offer a strong foundation of questions and data that needs to be further studied before conducting research in space or long-duration space missions.

Investigation of crew performance in a multi-vehicle supervisory control task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, R. A.; Plamondon, B. D.; Jagacinski, R. J.; Kirlik, A. C.

1986-01-01

Crew information processing and decision making in a supervisory control task which is loosely based on the mission of future generation helicopters is measured and represented. Subjects control the motion and activities of their own vehicle and direct the activities of four additional craft. The task involves searching an uncertain environment for cargo and enemies, returning cargo to home base and destroying enemies while attempting to avoid destruction of the scout and the supervised vehicles. A series of experiments with two-person crews and one-person crews were performed. Resulting crew performance was modeled with the objective of describing and understanding the information processing strategies utilized. Of particular interest are problem simplification strategies under time stress and high work load, simplification and compensation in the one-person cases, crew coordination in the two-person cases, and the relationship between strategy and errors in all cases. The results should provide some insight into the effective use of aids, particularly aids based on artificial intelligence, for similar tasks. The simulation is described which is used for the study and some preliminary results from the first two-person crew study are discussed.

14 CFR 21.181 - Duration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... States. (4) An experimental certificate for research and development, showing compliance with regulations, crew training, or market surveys is effective for 1 year after the date of issue or renewal unless the FAA prescribes a shorter period. The duration of an experimental certificate issued for operating...

14 CFR 21.181 - Duration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... States. (4) An experimental certificate for research and development, showing compliance with regulations, crew training, or market surveys is effective for 1 year after the date of issue or renewal unless the FAA prescribes a shorter period. The duration of an experimental certificate issued for operating...

14 CFR 21.181 - Duration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... States. (4) An experimental certificate for research and development, showing compliance with regulations, crew training, or market surveys is effective for 1 year after the date of issue or renewal unless the FAA prescribes a shorter period. The duration of an experimental certificate issued for operating...

14 CFR 21.181 - Duration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... States. (4) An experimental certificate for research and development, showing compliance with regulations, crew training, or market surveys is effective for 1 year after the date of issue or renewal unless the FAA prescribes a shorter period. The duration of an experimental certificate issued for operating...

14 CFR 21.181 - Duration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... States. (4) An experimental certificate for research and development, showing compliance with regulations, crew training, or market surveys is effective for 1 year after the date of issue or renewal unless the FAA prescribes a shorter period. The duration of an experimental certificate issued for operating...

Influence of the helicopter environment on patient care capabilities: Flight crew perceptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyers, K. Jeffrey; Rodenberg, Howard; Woodard, Daniel

1994-01-01

Flight crew perceptions of the effect of the rotary wing environment on patient care capabilities have not been subject to statistical analysis. We hypothesized that flight crew perceived significant difficulties in performing patient care tasks during air medical transport. A survey instrument was distributed to a convenience sample of flight crew members from twenty flight programs. Respondents were asked to compare the difficulty of performing patient care tasks in rotary wing and standard (emergency department or intensive care unit) settings. Demographic data collected on respondents included years of flight experience, flights per month, crew duty position, and primary aircraft in which the respondent worked. Statistical analysis was performed as appropriate using Student's t-test, type 111 sum of squares, and analysis of variance. Alpha was defined as p is less than or equal to .05. Fifty-five percent of programs (90 individuals) responded. All tasks were rated significantly more difficult in the rotary wing environment. Ratings were not significantly correlated with flight experience, duty position, flights per month, or aircraft used. We conclude that the performance of patient care tasks are perceived by air medical flight crew to be significantly more difficult during rotary wing air medical transport than in hospital settings.

Influence of the helicopter environment on patient care capabilities: flight crew perceptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, K. J.; Rodenberg, H.; Woodard, D.

1995-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Flight crew perceptions of the effect of the rotary-wing environment on patient-care capabilities have not been subject to statistical analysis. We hypothesized that flight crew members perceived significant difficulties in performing patient-care tasks during air medical transport. METHODS: A survey was distributed to a convenience sample of flight crew members from 20 flight programs. Respondents were asked to compare the difficulty of performing patient-care tasks in rotary-wing and standard (emergency department or intensive care unit) settings. Demographic data collected on respondents included years of flight experience, flights per month, crew duty position and primary aircraft in which the respondent worked. Statistical analysis was performed as appropriate using Student's t-test, type III sum of squares, and analysis of variance. Alpha was defined as p < 0.05. RESULTS: Fifty-five percent of programs (90 individuals) responded. All tasks were significantly rated more difficult in the rotary-wing environment. Ratings were not significantly correlated with flight experience, duty position, flights per month or aircraft used. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the performance of patient-care tasks are perceived by air medical flight crew to be significantly more difficult during rotary-wing air medical transport than in hospital settings.

Advanced CRM training for instructors and evaluators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taggart, William R.

1991-01-01

It is seen that if the maximum operational benefit of crew resource management (CRM) is to be achieved, the evaluator group is the principal key and specialized training that is ongoing is necessary for this group. The training must be customized to fit the needs of a particular organization, and the training must address key topical issues that influence organizational dynamics. Attention is given to the use of video and full length scripted NASA research LOFTS, behavioral markers and debriefing skills, the importance of policy and written CRM standards, and line oriented simulations debriefing performance indicators.

Optimization of armored fighting vehicle crew performance in a net-centric battlefield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKeen, William P.; Espenant, Mark

2002-08-01

Traditional display, control and situational awareness technologies may not allow the fighting vehicle commander to take full advantage of the rich data environment made available in the net-centric battle field of the future. Indeed, the sheer complexity and volume of available data, if not properly managed, may actually reduce crew performance by overloading or confusing the commander with irrelevant information. New techniques must be explored to understand how to present battlefield information and provide the commander with continuous high quality situational awareness without significant cognitive overhead. Control of the vehicle's many complex systems must also be addressed the entire Soldier Machine Interface must be optimized if we are to realize the potential performance improvements. Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and General Dynamics Canada Ltd. have embarked on a joint program called Future Armoured Fighting Vehicle Systems Technology Demonstrator, to explore these issues. The project is based on man-in-the-loop experimentation using virtual reality technology on a six degree-of-freedom motion platform that simulates the motion, sights and sounds inside a future armoured vehicle. The vehicle commander is provided with a virtual reality vision system to view a simulated 360 degree multi-spectrum representation of the battlespace, thus providing enhanced situational awareness. Graphic overlays with decision aid information will be added to reduce cognitive loading. Experiments will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual control systems. The simulations are carried out in a virtual battlefield created by linking our simulation system with other simulation centers to provide a net-centric battlespace where enemy forces can be engaged in fire fights. Survivability and lethality will be measured in successive test sequences using real armoured fighting vehicle crews to optimize overall system effectiveness.

Fatigue-Related Countermeasures for Long-Duration Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmire, A.; Johnston, S.; Sipes, W.

2014-01-01

The NASA Human Research Program's (HRP) Behavioral Health and Performance Element (BHP) supports and conducts research to mitigate deleterious outcomes related to fatigue, sleep loss, circadian desynchronization, and work overload. Objective evidence indicates that within the context of the International Space Station (ISS), sleep is reduced and there is circadian misalignment. Despite chronic sleep loss and high workloads; however, astronauts successfully complete their missions. Contributing to their success is not only the tremendous skills and capabilities of each astronaut, but also the collaborative team efforts amongst the crew, between flight and ground crews, and through real-time care provided by medical personnel. It is anticipated that risks to human health and performance will increase in the context of exploration missions, where crewmembers will venture to deep space for extended durations and in small vehicles with limited communication with home. Hence, fatigue-related countermeasures are being developed and/or validated that include unobtrusive monitoring technologies to detect fatigue-related performance decrements, environmental countermeasures, and sleep education and training for flight and ground crews. Given that fatigue is an issue in current ISS missions, the BHP works collaboratively with Space Medicine operations to collect data in the operational environment, to validate fatigue-related countermeasures, and provide evidence-based mitigations. Our presentation will summarize fatigue-related operational research that is underway through NASA's BHP in partnership with its operational counterparts. Efforts include studies evaluating the effects of hypnotics, lighting protocols as countermeasures for circadian entrainment, and investigations involving education and training. This presentation will further identify, based on flight and terrestrial evidence, additional sleep and circadian countermeasures that may still be needed to support exploration missions. Lessons learned from transitioning research deliverables into ISS operations will also be discussed.

Evidence Report: Risk of Performance Errors Due to Training Deficiencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel

2012-01-01

The Risk of Performance Errors Due to Training Deficiencies is identified by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Human Research Program (HRP) as a recognized risk to human health and performance in space. The HRP Program Requirements Document (PRD) defines these risks. This Evidence Report provides a summary of the evidence that has been used to identify and characterize this risk. Given that training content, timing, intervals, and delivery methods must support crew task performance, and given that training paradigms will be different for long-duration missions with increased crew autonomy, there is a risk that operators will lack the skills or knowledge necessary to complete critical tasks, resulting in flight and ground crew errors and inefficiencies, failed mission and program objectives, and an increase in crew injuries.

The role of flight planning in aircrew decision performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepitone, Dave; King, Teresa; Murphy, Miles

1989-01-01

The role of flight planning in increasing the safety and decision-making performance of the air transport crews was investigated in a study that involved 48 rated airline crewmembers on a B720 simulator with a model-board-based visual scene and motion cues with three degrees of freedom. The safety performance of the crews was evaluated using videotaped replays of the flight. Based on these evaluations, the crews could be divided into high- and low-safety groups. It was found that, while collecting information before flights, the high-safety crews were more concerned with information about alternative airports, especially the fuel required to get there, and were characterized by making rapid and appropriate decisions during the emergency part of the flight scenario, allowing these crews to make an early diversion to other airports. These results suggest that contingency planning that takes into account alternative courses of action enhances rapid and accurate decision-making under time pressure.

Human Mars Surface Science Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bobskill, Marianne R.; Lupisella, Mark L.

2014-01-01

Human missions to the surface of Mars will have challenging science operations. This paper will explore some of those challenges, based on science operations considerations as part of more general operational concepts being developed by NASA's Human Spaceflight Architecture (HAT) Mars Destination Operations Team (DOT). The HAT Mars DOT has been developing comprehensive surface operations concepts with an initial emphasis on a multi-phased mission that includes a 500-day surface stay. This paper will address crew science activities, operational details and potential architectural and system implications in the areas of (a) traverse planning and execution, (b) sample acquisition and sample handling, (c) in-situ science analysis, and (d) planetary protection. Three cross-cutting themes will also be explored in this paper: (a) contamination control, (b) low-latency telerobotic science, and (c) crew autonomy. The present traverses under consideration are based on the report, Planning for the Scientific Exploration of Mars by Humans1, by the Mars Exploration Planning and Analysis Group (MEPAG) Human Exploration of Mars-Science Analysis Group (HEM-SAG). The traverses are ambitious and the role of science in those traverses is a key component that will be discussed in this paper. The process of obtaining, handling, and analyzing samples will be an important part of ensuring acceptable science return. Meeting planetary protection protocols will be a key challenge and this paper will explore operational strategies and system designs to meet the challenges of planetary protection, particularly with respect to the exploration of "special regions." A significant challenge for Mars surface science operations with crew is preserving science sample integrity in what will likely be an uncertain environment. Crewed mission surface assets -- such as habitats, spacesuits, and pressurized rovers -- could be a significant source of contamination due to venting, out-gassing and cleanliness levels associated with crew presence. Low-latency telerobotic science operations has the potential to address a number of contamination control and planetary protection issues and will be explored in this paper. Crew autonomy is another key cross-cutting challenge regarding Mars surface science operations, because the communications delay between earth and Mars could as high as 20 minutes one way, likely requiring the crew to perform many science tasks without direct timely intervention from ground support on earth. Striking the operational balance between crew autonomy and earth support will be a key challenge that this paper will address.

Advanced flight deck/crew station simulator functional requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, R. L.; Tate, J. L.; Moss, M. J.

1980-01-01

This report documents a study of flight deck/crew system research facility requirements for investigating issues involved with developing systems, and procedures for interfacing transport aircraft with air traffic control systems planned for 1985 to 2000. Crew system needs of NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and industry were investigated and reported. A matrix of these is included, as are recommended functional requirements and design criteria for simulation facilities in which to conduct this research. Methods of exploiting the commonality and similarity in facilities are identified, and plans for exploiting this in order to reduce implementation costs and allow efficient transfer of experiments from one facility to another are presented.

Living Together in Space: The International Space Station Internal Active Thermal Control System Issues and Solutions-Sustaining Engineering Activities at the Marshall Space Flight Center From 1998 to 2005

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieland, P. O.; Roman, M. C.; Miller, L.

2007-01-01

On board the International Space Station, heat generated by the crew and equipment is removed by the internal active thermal control system to maintain a comfortable working environment and prevent equipment overheating. Test facilities simulating the internal active thermal control system (IATCS) were constructed at the Marshall Space Flight Center as part of the sustaining engineering activities to address concerns related to operational issues, equipment capability, and reliability. A full-scale functional simulator of the Destiny lab module IATCS was constructed and activated prior to launch of Destiny in 2001. This facility simulates the flow and thermal characteristics of the flight system and has a similar control interface. A subscale simulator was built, and activated in 2000, with special attention to materials and proportions of wetted surfaces to address issues related to changes in fluid chemistry, material corrosion, and microbial activity. The flight issues that have arisen and the tests performed using the simulator facilities are discussed in detail. In addition, other test facilities at the MSFC have been used to perform specific tests related to IATCS issues. Future testing is discussed as well as potential modifications to the simulators to enhance their utility.

Design guidelines for remotely maintainable equipment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, Margaret M.; Manouchehri, Davoud

1988-01-01

The quantity and complexity of on-orbit assets will increase significantly over the next decade. Maintaining and servicing these costly assets represent a difficult challenge. Three general methods are proposed to maintain equipment while it is still in orbit: an extravehicular activity (EVA) crew can perform the task in an unpressurized maintenance area outside any space vehicle; an intravehicular activity (IVA) crew can perform the maintenance in a shirt sleeve environment, perhaps at a special maintenance work station in a space vehicle; or a telerobotic manipulator can perform the maintenance in an unpressurized maintenance area at a distance from the crew (who may be EVA, IVA, or on the ground). However, crew EVA may not always be possible; the crew may have other demands on their time that take precedence. In addition, the orbit of the tasks themselves may be impossible for crew entry. Also crew IVA may not always be possible as option for equipment maintenance. For example, the equipment may be too large to fit through the vehicle airlock. Therefore, in some circumstances, the third option, telerobotic manipulation, may be the only feasible option. Telerobotic manipulation has, therefore, an important role for on-orbit maintenance. It is not only used for the reasons outlined above, but also used in some cases as backup to the EVA crew in an orbit that they can reach.

Command and Telemetry Latency Effects on Operator Performance during International Space Station Robotics Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Currie, Nancy J.; Rochlis, Jennifer

2004-01-01

International Space Station (ISS) operations will require the on-board crew to perform numerous robotic-assisted assembly, maintenance, and inspection activities. Current estimates for some robotically performed maintenance timelines are disproportionate and potentially exceed crew availability and duty times. Ground-based control of the ISS robotic manipulators, specifically the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), is being examined as one potential solution to alleviate the excessive amounts of crew time required for extravehicular robotic maintenance and inspection tasks.

Social and Cultural Issues During Shuttle/Mir Space Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, Nick; Salnitskiy, Vyacheslav; Grund, Ellen M.; Gushin, Vadim; Weiss, Daniel S.; Kozerenko, Olga; Sled, Alexander; Marmar, Charles R.

2000-07-01

A number of interpersonal issues relevant to manned space missions have been identified from the literature. These include crew tension, cohesion, leadership, language and cultural factors, and displacement. Ground-based studies by others and us have clarified some of the parameters of these issues and have indicated ways in which they could be studied during actual space missions. In this paper, we summarize some of our findings related to social and cultural issues from a NASA-funded study conducted during several Shuttle/Mir space missions. We used standardized mood and group climate measures that were completed on a weekly basis by American and Russian crew and mission control subjects who participated in these missions. Our results indicated that American subjects reported more dissatisfaction with their interpersonal environment than their Russian counterparts, especially American astronauts. Mission control personnel were more dysphoric than crewmembers, but both groups were signficantly less dysphoric than other work groups on Earth. Countermeasures based on our findings are discussed which can be applied to future multicultural space missions.

The First Development of Human Factors Engineering Requirements for Application to Ground Task Design for a NASA Flight Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dischinger, H. Charles, Jr.; Stambolian, Damon B.; Miller, Darcy H.

2008-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has long applied standards-derived human engineering requirements to the development of hardware and software for use by astronauts while in flight. The most important source of these requirements has been NASA-STD-3000. While there have been several ground systems human engineering requirements documents, none has been applicable to the flight system as handled at NASA's launch facility at Kennedy Space Center. At the time of the development of previous human launch systems, there were other considerations that were deemed more important than developing worksites for ground crews; e.g., hardware development schedule and vehicle performance. However, experience with these systems has shown that failure to design for ground tasks has resulted in launch schedule delays, ground operations that are more costly than they might be, and threats to flight safety. As the Agency begins the development of new systems to return humans to the moon, the new Constellation Program is addressing this issue with a new set of human engineering requirements. Among these requirements is a subset that will apply to the design of the flight components and that is intended to assure ground crew success in vehicle assembly and maintenance tasks. These requirements address worksite design for usability and for ground crew safety.

Exposure Assessment at 30 000 Feet: Challenges and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Grajewski, Barbara; Pinkerton, Lynne E.

2015-01-01

Few studies of cancer mortality and incidence among flight crew have included a detailed assessment of both occupational exposures and lifestyle factors that may influence the risk of cancer. In this issue, Kojo et al. (Risk factors for skin cancer among Finnish airline cabin crew. Ann. Occup. Hyg 2013; 57: 695–704) evaluated the relative contributions of ultraviolet and cosmic radiation to the incidence of skin cancer in Finnish flight attendants. This is a useful contribution, yet the reason flight crew members have an increased risk of skin cancer compared with the general population remains unclear. Good policy decisions for flight crew will depend on continued and emerging effective collaborations to increase study power and improve exposure assessment in future flight crew health studies. Improving the assessment of occupational exposures and non-occupational factors will cost additional time and effort, which are well spent if the role of exposures can be clarified in larger studies. PMID:23818455

Measurement of Carbon Dioxide Accumulation and Physiological Function in the Launch and Entry and Advanced Crew Escape Suits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bishop, Phillip; Greenisen, M. C.

1997-01-01

The Launch and Entry Suit (LES) and Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) are worn by astronauts for launch and entry. Previous work by Waligora, et al., 1992, Waligora and Gilbert, 1992, and Dalrymple 1996, have found that carbon dioxide (CO2) accumulation in the LES/ACES helmet may be problematic. CO2 accumulation is important because high inspired levels of CO2 reduce physical function and pose a safety hazard (e.g. levels of CO2 accumulation of 3.6% in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit are sufficient to terminate Extra Vehicular Activities). My task was to design a suitable test protocol for determining the important physiological aspects of LES/ACES use. Three basic issues arose. First was the determination of the astronaut's CO2 inspiration during visor-down use at rest and during walking at 3.5 mph. A sub-issue was the impact of a pneumotach on CO2 since it has been previously observed that when the Aerosport pneumotach was used, performance seemed improved, which might be attributable to a lowered respiration rate when using the pneumotach. The second issue was the energy costs of waLking in the LES/ACES with various G-suit inflation levels, since G-suit inflation increases metabolic costs and metabolic costs influence the C02 production in the LES/ACES helmet. Since G-suit inflation improves orthostatic tolerance after space flight, but likely increases the energy costs of walking, the balance between G-suit inflation and C02 accumulation is an important safety consideration. The third issue which arose from pilot work was the substantial reduction in physical function after a 10 min visor-down period prior to walk.

Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) (Orion) Occupant Protection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Currie-Gregg, Nancy J.; Gernhardt, Michael L.; Lawrence, Charles; Somers, Jeffrey T.

2016-01-01

Dr. Nancy J. Currie, of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), Chief Engineer at Johnson Space Center (JSC), requested an assessment of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) occupant protection as a result of issues identified by the Constellation Program and Orion Project. The NESC, in collaboration with the Human Research Program (HRP), investigated new methods associated with occupant protection for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), known as Orion. The primary objective of this assessment was to investigate new methods associated with occupant protection for the CEV, known as Orion, that would ensure the design provided minimal risk to the crew during nominal and contingency landings in an acceptable set of environmental and spacecraft failure conditions. This documents contains the outcome of the NESC assessment. NASA/TM-2013-217380, "Application of the Brinkley Dynamic Response Criterion to Spacecraft Transient Dynamic Events." supercedes this document.

The Incidence and Fate of Volatile Methyl Siloxanes in a Crewed Spacecraft Cabin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Jay L.; Kayatin, Matthew J.

2017-01-01

Volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) arise from diverse, pervasive sources aboard crewed spacecraft ranging from materials offgassing to volatilization from personal care products. These sources lead to a persistent VMS compound presence in the cabin environment that must be considered for robust life support system design. Volatile methyl siloxane compound stability in the cabin environment presents an additional technical issue because degradation products such as dimethylsilanediol (DMSD) are highly soluble in water leading to a unique load challenge for water purification processes. The incidence and fate of VMS compounds as observed in the terrestrial atmosphere, water, and surface (soil) environmental compartments have been evaluated as an analogy for a crewed cabin environment. Volatile methyl siloxane removal pathways aboard crewed spacecraft are discussed and a material balance accounting for a DMSD production mechanism consistent with in-flight observations is presented.

The effects of expressivity and flight task on cockpit communication and resource management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, R. S.

1986-01-01

The results of an investigation to develop a methodology for evaluating crew communication behavior on the flight deck and a flight simulator experiment to test the effects of crew member expressivity, as measured by the Personal Attributes Questionnarie, and flight task on crew communication and flight performance are discussed. A methodology for coding and assessing flight crew communication behavior as well as a model for predicting that behavior is advanced. Although not enough crews were found to provide valid statistical tests, the results of the study tend to indicate that crews in which the captain has high expressivity perform better than those whose captain is low in expressivity. There appears to be a strong interaction between captains and first officers along the level of command dimension of communication. The PAQ appears to identify those pilots who offer disagreements and inititate new subjects for discussion.

General Human Health Issues For Moon And Mars Missions: Results From The HUMEX Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horneck, G.; Comet, B.

Human exploratory missions, such as the establishment of a permanently inhabited lunar base and/or human visits to Mars will add a new dimension to human space flight, concerning the distance of travel, the radiation environment, the gravity lev-els, the duration of the mission, and the level of confinement and isolation the crew will be exposed to. This will raise the significance of several health issues. Besides spaceflight specific risks, such as radiation health, gravity related effects and psy-chological issues, general health issues need to be considered. These individual risks of illness, injury or death are based on general human health statistics. The duration of the mission is the main factor in these considerations. These risk estimations are the base which have to supplemented by the risks related specifically to the nature of the expedition under consideration. Crew health and performance have to be secured during transfer flights, during lunar or Mars surface exploration, including EVAs, and upon return to Earth, as defined within the constraints of safety objectives and mass restrictions of the mission. Within the ESA Study on the Survivability and Adaptation of Humans to Long-Duration Interplanetary and Planetary Environments (so called HUMEX study), we have critically assessed the human responses, limits and needs with regard to the environments of interplanetary and planetary missions. Based on various scenarios, the crew health risks have been evaluated. The main results are as follows: (i) The state of the art shows that bone loss during the long stay in weightlessness, especially during missions to Mars, remains an unacceptable risk. Solutions to control and to prevent this risk shall be developed. (ii) The control of human physical capacity impairment under weightlessness shall be optimized. (iii) Based of the probability of occurrence of diseases and injuries and on the con-straints imposed by exploratory mission scenarios, the crew shall have a full auton-omy in terms of medical and surgical diagnostics and care means and competency. (iv) The control of the toxic and biological risks in a confined environment for a so long exposure shall be carefully analyzed and the technical solutions shall master these risks. A roadmap in the field of health care has been elaborated for a future European participation strategy towards human exploratory missions taking into account preparatory activities, such as analogue situations and ISS opportunities, European positioning and potential terrestrial applications and benefits. References: Horneck G. , R. Facius, M. Reichert, P. Rettberg, W. Seboldt, D. Man-zey, B. Comet, A. Maillet, H. Preiss, L. Schauer, C.G. Dussap, L. Poughon, A. Belyavin, G. Reitz, C. Baumstark-Khan, R. Gerzer (2003) HUMEX, a Study on the Survivability and Adaptation of Humans to Long-Duration Exploratory Missions, ESA SP-1264

Air Traffic Management Technology Demostration: 1 Research and Procedural Testing of Routes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Sara R.; Kibler, Jennifer L.; Hubbs, Clay E.; Smail, James W.

2015-01-01

NASA's Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 (ATD-1) will operationally demonstrate the feasibility of efficient arrival operations combining ground-based and airborne NASA technologies. The ATD-1 integrated system consists of the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering which generates precise time-based schedules to the runway and merge points; Controller Managed Spacing decision support tools which provide controllers with speed advisories and other information needed to meet the schedule; and Flight deck-based Interval Management avionics and procedures which allow flight crews to adjust their speed to achieve precise relative spacing. Initial studies identified air-ground challenges related to the integration of these three scheduling and spacing technologies, and NASA's airborne spacing algorithm was modified to address some of these challenges. The Research and Procedural Testing of Routes human-in-the-loop experiment was then conducted to assess the performance of the new spacing algorithm. The results of this experiment indicate that the algorithm performed as designed, and the pilot participants found the airborne spacing concept, air-ground procedures, and crew interface to be acceptable. However, the researchers concluded that the data revealed issues with the frequency of speed changes and speed reversals.

International Space Station Acoustics - A Status Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Christopher S.; Denham, Samuel A.

2011-01-01

It is important to control acoustic noise aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to provide a satisfactory environment for voice communications, crew productivity, and restful sleep, and to minimize the risk for temporary and permanent hearing loss. Acoustic monitoring is an important part of the noise control process on ISS, providing critical data for trend analysis, noise exposure analysis, validation of acoustic analysis and predictions, and to provide strong evidence for ensuring crew health and safety, thus allowing Flight Certification. To this purpose, sound level meter (SLM) measurements and acoustic noise dosimetry are routinely performed. And since the primary noise sources on ISS include the environmental control and life support system (fans and airflow) and active thermal control system (pumps and water flow), acoustic monitoring will indicate changes in hardware noise emissions that may indicate system degradation or performance issues. This paper provides the current acoustic levels in the ISS modules and sleep stations, and is an update to the status presented in 20031. Many new modules, and sleep stations have been added to the ISS since that time. In addition, noise mitigation efforts have reduced noise levels in some areas. As a result, the acoustic levels on the ISS have improved.

Autonomous onboard crew operations: A review and developmental approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, J. G.

1982-01-01

A review of the literature generated by an intercenter mission approach and consolidation team and their contractors was performed to obtain background information on the development of autonomous operations concepts for future space shuttle and space platform missions. The Boeing 757/767 flight management system was examined to determine the relevance for transfer of the developmental approach and technology to the performance of the crew operations function. In specific, the engine indications and crew alerting system was studied to determine the relevance of this display for the performance of crew operations onboard the vehicle. It was concluded that the developmental approach and technology utilized in the aeronautics industry would be appropriate for development of an autonomous operations concept for the space platform.

Use of infrared telemetry as part of a nonintrusive inflight data collection system to collect human factors data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micocci, Angelo

1993-01-01

The objective of this paper is to present a methodology and rationale for development of a Nonintrusive Inflight Data Collection System (NIDCS) to collect Human Factors (HF) data during a space mission. These data will enable the research team to identify and resolve issues. This paper will present the background and history of the NIDCS, the methodology and techniques employed versus those in current use on Earth, initial results of the effort--including a brief description of the equipment, and, finally, a discussion of the scientific importance and possible future applications of this system elsewhere. The schema for the NIDCS includes a collection of three types of data: behavioral, physiological, and biomechanical. These will be collected using videotape of crew members' activities, bioelectric signal measurement, and measurement of kinematics and kinetics, respectively. This paper will focus on the second type of data, physiological activity as determined by changes in bioelectric potentials as crew members perform daily assignments.

Boeing electronic flight bag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trujillo, Eddie J.; Ellersick, Steven D.

2006-05-01

The Boeing Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) is a key element in the evolutionary process of an "e-enabled" flight deck. The EFB is designed to improve the overall safety, efficiency, and operation of the flight deck and corresponding airline operations by providing the flight crew with better information and enhanced functionality in a user-friendly digital format. The EFB is intended to increase the pilots' situational awareness of the airplane and systems, as well as improve the efficiency of information management. The system will replace documents and forms that are currently stored or carried onto the flight deck and put them, in digital format, at the crew's fingertips. This paper describes what the Boeing EFB is and the significant human factors and interface design issues, trade-offs, and decisions made during development of the display system. In addition, EFB formats, graphics, input control methods, challenges using COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf)-leveraged glass and formatting technology are discussed. The optical design requirements, display technology utilized, brightness control system, reflection challenge, and the resulting optical performance are presented.

A Gold Standards Approach to Training Instructors to Evaluate Crew Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, David P.; Dismukes, R. Key

2003-01-01

The Advanced Qualification Program requires that airlines evaluate crew performance in Line Oriented Simulation. For this evaluation to be meaningful, instructors must observe relevant crew behaviors and evaluate those behaviors consistently and accurately against standards established by the airline. The airline industry has largely settled on an approach in which instructors evaluate crew performance on a series of event sets, using standardized grade sheets on which behaviors specific to event set are listed. Typically, new instructors are given a class in which they learn to use the grade sheets and practice evaluating crew performance observed on videotapes. These classes emphasize reliability, providing detailed instruction and practice in scoring so that all instructors within a given class will give similar scores to similar performance. This approach has value but also has important limitations; (1) ratings within one class of new instructors may differ from those of other classes; (2) ratings may not be driven primarily by the specific behaviors on which the company wanted the crews to be scored; and (3) ratings may not be calibrated to company standards for level of performance skill required. In this paper we provide a method to extend the existing method of training instructors to address these three limitations. We call this method the "gold standards" approach because it uses ratings from the company's most experienced instructors as the basis for training rater accuracy. This approach ties the training to the specific behaviors on which the experienced instructors based their ratings.

A Human Factors Evaluation of a Methodology for Pressurized Crew Module Acceptability for Zero-Gravity Ingress of Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanchez, Merri J.

2000-01-01

This project aimed to develop a methodology for evaluating performance and acceptability characteristics of the pressurized crew module volume suitability for zero-gravity (g) ingress of a spacecraft and to evaluate the operational acceptability of the NASA crew return vehicle (CRV) for zero-g ingress of astronaut crew, volume for crew tasks, and general crew module and seat layout. No standard or methodology has been established for evaluating volume acceptability in human spaceflight vehicles. Volume affects astronauts'ability to ingress and egress the vehicle, and to maneuver in and perform critical operational tasks inside the vehicle. Much research has been conducted on aircraft ingress, egress, and rescue in order to establish military and civil aircraft standards. However, due to the extremely limited number of human-rated spacecraft, this topic has been un-addressed. The NASA CRV was used for this study. The prototype vehicle can return a 7-member crew from the International Space Station in an emergency. The vehicle's internal arrangement must be designed to facilitate rapid zero-g ingress, zero-g maneuverability, ease of one-g egress and rescue, and ease of operational tasks in multiple acceleration environments. A full-scale crew module mockup was built and outfitted with representative adjustable seats, crew equipment, and a volumetrically equivalent hatch. Human factors testing was conducted in three acceleration environments using ground-based facilities and the KC-135 aircraft. Performance and acceptability measurements were collected. Data analysis was conducted using analysis of variance and nonparametric techniques.

NASA-STD-7009 Guidance Document for Human Health and Performance Models and Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walton, Marlei; Mulugeta, Lealem; Nelson, Emily S.; Myers, Jerry G.

2014-01-01

Rigorous verification, validation, and credibility (VVC) processes are imperative to ensure that models and simulations (MS) are sufficiently reliable to address issues within their intended scope. The NASA standard for MS, NASA-STD-7009 (7009) [1] was a resultant outcome of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) to ensure MS are developed, applied, and interpreted appropriately for making decisions that may impact crew or mission safety. Because the 7009 focus is engineering systems, a NASA-STD-7009 Guidance Document is being developed to augment the 7009 and provide information, tools, and techniques applicable to the probabilistic and deterministic biological MS more prevalent in human health and performance (HHP) and space biomedical research and operations.

Assessing the feasibility, cost, and utility of developing models of human performance in aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stillwell, William

1990-01-01

The purpose of the effort outlined in this briefing was to determine whether models exist or can be developed that can be used to address aviation automation issues. A multidisciplinary team has been assembled to undertake this effort, including experts in human performance, team/crew, and aviation system modeling, and aviation data used as input to such models. The project consists of two phases, a requirements assessment phase that is designed to determine the feasibility and utility of alternative modeling efforts, and a model development and evaluation phase that will seek to implement the plan (if a feasible cost effective development effort is found) that results from the first phase. Viewgraphs are given.

Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project. Phase 2; Human Factors and Crew Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ming, D. W.; Hurlbert, K. M.; Kirby, G.; Lewis, J. F.; ORear, P.

1997-01-01

Phase 2 of the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project was conducted in June and July of 1996 at the NASA Johnson Space Center. The primary objective of Phase 2 was to demonstrate and evaluate an integrated physicochemical air revitalization and regenerative water recovery system capable of sustaining a human crew of four for 30 days inside a closed chamber. The crew (3 males and 1 female) was continuously present inside a chamber throughout the 30-day test. The objective of this paper was to describe crew interactions and human factors for the test. Crew preparations for the test included training and familiarization of chamber systems and accommodations, and medical and psychological evaluations. During the test, crew members provided metabolic loads for the life support systems, performed maintenance on chamber systems, and evaluated human factors inside the chamber. Overall, the four crew members found the chamber to be comfortable for the 30-day test. The crew performed well together and this was attributed in part to team dynamics, skill mix (one commander, two system experts, and one logistics lead), and a complementary mix of personalities. Communication with and support by family, friends, and colleagues were identified as important contributors to the high morale of the crew during the test. Lessons learned and recommendations for future testing are presented by the crew in this paper.

Acoustic Issues in Human Spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Jonathan B.

2001-01-01

NASA is concerned about acute effect of sound on crew performance on International Space Station (ISS), and is developing strategies to assess and reduce acute, chronic, and delayed effects of sound. High noise levels can cause headaches, irritation, fatigue, impaired sleep, headache, and tinnitus and have resulted in an inability to hear alarms. Speech intelligibility may be more impaired for crew understanding non-native language in a noisy environment. No hearing loss occurred, but significant effects on crew performance and communication occurred. Permanent Threshold Shifts (PTS) have not been observed in the US shuttle program. Russian specification for noise in spacecraft is 60 dBA (awake) and 50 dBA (asleep) while the U.S. noise specification on ISS is NC 50 (awake) and NC 40 (asleep) with a 85 dBA hazard limit. Background noise levels of ISS modules have measured 56-69 dBA. Treadmill exercise operations measure 77 dBA. Alarms are required to be 20 dBA above ambient. Hearing protection is recommended when noise exceeds 60 dB 24 hour Leq. Countermeasures include hearing protection and design/ engineering controls. Advanced composite materials with excellent low frequency attenuation properties could be applied as a barrier protection around noisy equipment, or used on personal protective equipment worn by the crew. Hearing protection countermeasures include foam ear inserts, passive muff headsets, and active noise reduction headsets. Oto-acoustic emissions (OAE) could be used to monitor effectiveness of hearing protection countermeasures and tailor hearing protection countermeasures to individual crewmembers. Micro-gravity, vibration, toxic fumes, air quality/composition, stress, temperature, physical exertion or some combination of the above factors may have interacted with moderate long-term noise exposure to cause significant hearing loss. Longitudinal studies will need to address what co-morbidity factors, such as radiation, toxicology, microgravity effects (fluid shift), aging, are involved with hearing loss.

Disrupting Somali Piracy via Trust and Influence Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

cigarettes, and other provisions for future missions, 30 percent in bribes to government officials” (Associated Press, 2009a). Once a group of pirates...incentive – there is a lack of incentive for the crewmembers to be proactive since in most cases pirates pose little threat to the crew; legal and... ethical issues – shipping companies are hesitant to arm their crews due to the dangers associated with firearms onboard ship, insurance restrictions

Strategy to Enhance International Supply Chain Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-01

airports as part of the effort to secure air passenger travel . The security assessment crew traveling by air, land or sea cannot be considered only a... travel security issue. The assessment of a container ship’s crew or of a driver moving a truck into the secure area of a port are also supply chain...threats through its traveler screening and worker credentialing programs. The strategy to secure the supply chain reflects the larger security

Autonomy and automation for Space Station housekeeping and maintenance functions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, P. R.

1983-01-01

The Space Station crew will be a critical resource for economical operation of science and commercial payloads. Core station housekeeping and maintenance functions should be provided in a manner that requires a minimum of crew interaction. This paper outlines a prospective functional architecture for allocation of autonomous and automated control of these functions and discusses implementation issues arising from safety of manned operations, integration test requirements, and evolution of future station capabilities.

Prospective technologies and equipment for sanitary hygienic measures for life support systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumilina, I. V.

Creation of optimal sanitary hygienic conditions is a prerequisite for good health and performance of crews on extended space missions. There is a rich assortment of associated means, methods and equipment developed and experimentally tested in orbital flights. However, over a one-year period a crew of three uses up about 800 kg of ground-supplied wet wipes and towels for personal needs. The degree of closure of life support systems for long-duration orbital flights should be maximized, particularly for interplanetary missions, which exclude any possibility of re-supply. Washing with regenerated water is the ultimate sanitary hygienic goal. That is why it is so important to design devices for crew bathing during long-term space missions. Investigations showed that regeneration of wash water (WW) using membrane processes (reverse osmosis, nanofiltration etc.), unlike sorption, would not require much additional expendables. A two-stage membrane recovery unit eliminated >85% of permeate from real WW with organic and inorganic selectivity of 82 95%. The two-stage WW recovery unit was tested with artificial and real WW containing detergents available for space crews. Investigations into the ways of doing laundry and drying along with which detergents will be the best fit for space flight are also planned. Testing of a technology for water extraction from used textiles using a conventional period of contact of 1 s or more, showed that the humidity of the outgoing air flow neared 100%. Issues related to designing the next generation of space life support systems should consider the benefits of integrating new sanitary hygienic technologies, equipment, and methods.

Robotic Recon for Human Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deans, Matthew; Fong, Terry; Ford, Ken; Heldmann, Jennifer; Helper, Mark; Hodges, Kip; Landis, Rob; Lee, Pascal; Schaber, Gerald; Schmitt, Harrison H.

2009-01-01

Robotic reconnaissance has the potential to significantly improve scientific and technical return from lunar surface exploration. In particular, robotic recon may increase crew productivity and reduce operational risk for exploration. However, additional research, development and field-testing is needed to mature robot and ground control systems, refine operational protocols, and specify detailed requirements. When the new lunar surface campaign begins around 2020, and before permanent outposts are established, humans will initially be on the Moon less than 10% of the time. During the 90% of time between crew visits, robots will be available to perform surface operations under ground control. Understanding how robotic systems can best address surface science needs, therefore, becomes a central issue Prior to surface missions, lunar orbiters (LRO, Kaguya, Chandrayyan-1, etc.) will map the Moon. These orbital missions will provide numerous types of maps: visible photography, topographic, mineralogical and geochemical distributions, etc. However, remote sensing data will not be of sufficient resolution, lighting, nor view angle, to fully optimize pre-human exploration planning, e.g., crew traverses for field geology and geophysics. Thus, it is important to acquire supplemental and complementary surface data. Robotic recon can obtain such data, using robot-mounted instruments to scout the surface and subsurface at resolutions and at viewpoints not achievable from orbit. This data can then be used to select locations for detailed field activity and prioritize targets to improve crew productivity. Surface data can also help identify and assess terrain hazards, and evaluate alternate routes to reduce operational risk. Robotic recon could be done months in advance, or be part of a continuing planning process during human missions.

Flight Crew Factors for CTAS/FMS Integration in the Terminal Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, Barry W.; Prevot, Thomas; Palmer, Everett A.; Shafto, M. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Center TRACON Automation System (CTAS)/Flight Management System (FMS) integration on the flightdeck implies flight crews flying coupled in highly automated FMS modes [i.e. Vertical Navigation (VNAV) and Lateral Navigation (LNAV)] from top of descent to the final approach phase of flight. Pilots may also have to make FMS route edits and respond to datalink clearances in the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) airspace. This full mission simulator study addresses how the introduction of these FMS descent procedures affect crew activities, workload, and performance. It also assesses crew acceptance of these procedures. Results indicate that the number of crew activities and workload ratings are significantly reduced below current day levels when FMS procedures can be flown uninterrupted, but that activity numbers increase significantly above current day levels and workload ratings return to current day levels when FMS procedures are interrupted by common ATC interventions and CTAS routing advisories. Crew performance showed some problems with speed control during FMS procedures. Crew acceptance of the FMS procedures and route modification requirements was generally high; a minority of crews expressed concerns about use of VNAV in the TRACON airspace. Suggestions for future study are discussed.

Might astronauts one day be treated like return samples?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnould, Jacques; Debus, André

2008-09-01

The next time humans set foot on the Moon or another planet, will we treat the crew like we would a sample return mission when they come back to Earth? This may seem a surprising or even provocative question, but it is one we need to address. The hurdles and hazards of sending humans to Mars for example, the technology constraints and physiological and psychological challenges are many; but let us not forget the need to protect populations and environments from the risk of contamination [United Nations, treaty on principles governing the activities of states in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies (the “Outer Space Treaty”) referenced 610 UNTS 205 - resolution 2222(XXI) of December 1966]. The first hurdle is the size of crew modules. It is hard to envisage being able to decontaminate a crew module as thoroughly as we can interplanetary probes at launch. And once a crew arrives on Mars, it will not be easy either to break the chain of contact between their habitat and the Martian environment. How will astronauts avoid coming into direct contact with Mars dust when they remove their spacesuits in the airlock? How will they avoid bringing it into the crew module, and then back to Earth? At this stage, it would seem vital to do preliminary research on unmanned exobiology missions to identify zones that do not, a priori, pose a contamination hazard for astronauts. However, this precaution will not dispense with the need to perfect methods to chemically sterilize Mars dust inside airlocks, and quarantine procedures for the return to Earth. While the technology challenges of protecting astronauts and their habitat are considerable, the ethical issues are not to be underestimated either. They must be addressed alongside all the other issues bound up with human spaceflight, chief among them astronauts’ acceptance of the risk of a launch failure and other accidents, exposure to cosmic radiation and so on. For missions to another planet, it is not unreasonable to wonder whether the slightest sign of fatigue or faintness exhibited by returning astronauts might be interpreted as a possible symptom of extraterrestrial contamination. How should we handle such an eventuality? What precautions should we take? What checks should we perform? If a crew was infected, what would we do? Might they have to stay in space ad vitam aeternam if no treatment could be found? In other words, what would be the status of astronauts as both contaminated victims and vectors of contamination? How would we avoid turning such “envoys of mankind” into human guinea pigs? We do not claim to have all the answers, but we think the questions should at least be clearly aired.

Cooling Properties of the Shuttle Advanced Crew Escape Spacesuit: Results of an Environmental Chamber Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, Douglas; Gillis, David; Bue, Grant; Son, Chan; Norcross, Jason; Kuznetz, Larry; Chapman, Kirt; Chhipwadia, Ketan; McBride, Tim

2008-01-01

The shuttle crew wears the Advanced Crew Escape Spacesuit (ACES) to protect themselves from cabin decompression and to support bail out during landing. ACES is cooled by a liquid-cooled garment (LCG) that interfaces to a heat exchanger that dumps heat into the cabin. The ACES outer layer is made of Gore-Tex(Registered TradeMark), permitting water vapor to escape while containing oxygen. The crew can only lose heat via insensible water losses and the LCG. Under nominal landing operations, the average cabin temperature rarely exceeds 75 F, which is adequate for the ACES to function. Problem A rescue shuttle will need to return 11 crew members if the previous mission suffers a thermal protection system failure, preventing it from returning safely to Earth. Initial analysis revealed that 11 crew members in the shuttle will increase cabin temperature at wheel stop above 80 F, which decreases the ACES ability to keep crew members cool. Air flow in the middeck of the shuttle is inhomogeneous and some ACES may experience much higher temperatures that could cause excessive thermal stress to crew members. Methods A ground study was conducted to measure the cooling efficiency of the ACES at 75 F, 85 F, and 95 F at 50% relative humidity. Test subjects representing 5, 50, and 95 percentile body habitus of the astronaut corps performed hand ergometry keeping their metabolic rate at 400, 600, and 800 BTU/hr for one hour. Core temperature was measured by rectal probe and skin, while inside and outside the suit. Environmental chamber wall and cooling unit inlet and outlet temperatures were measured using high-resolution thermistors ( 0.2 C). Conclusions Under these test conditions, the ACES was able to protect the core temperature of all test subjects, however thermal stress due to high insensible losses and skin temperature and skin heat flow may impact crew performance. Further research should be performed to understand the impact on cognitive performance.

Leader personality and crew effectiveness: Factors influencing performance in full-mission air transport simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chidester, Thomas R.; Foushee, H. Clayton

1989-01-01

A full mission simulation research study was completed to assess the potential for selection along dimensions of personality. Using a selection algorithm described by Chidester (1987), captains were classified as fitting one of three profiles using a battery of personality assessment scales, and the performances of 23 crews led by captains fitting each profile were contrasted over a one and one-half day simulated trip. Crews led by captains fitting a Positive Instrumental Expressive profile (high achievement motivation and interpersonal skill) were consistently effective and made fewer errors. Crews led by captains fitting a Negative Communion profile (below average achievement motivation, negative expressive style, such as complaining) were consistently less effective and made more errors. Crews led by captains fitting a Negative Instrumental profile (high levels of Competitiveness, Verbal Aggressiveness, and Impatience and Irritability) were less effective on the first day but equal to the best on the second day. These results underscore the importance of stable personality variables as predictors of team coordination and performance.

A robotic system for automation of logistics functions on the Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, J. C.; Purves, R. B.; Hosier, R. N.; Krein, B. A.

1988-01-01

Spacecraft inventory management is currently performed by the crew and as systems become more complex, increased crew time will be required to perform routine logistics activities. If future spacecraft are to function effectively as research labs and production facilities, the efficient use of crew time as a limited resource for performing mission functions must be employed. The use of automation and robotics technology, such as automated warehouse and materials handling functions, can free the crew from many logistics tasks and provide more efficient use of crew time. Design criteria for a Space Station Automated Logistics Inventory Management System is focused on through the design and demonstration of a mobile two armed terrestrial robot. The system functionally represents a 0 gravity automated inventory management system and the problems associated with operating in such an environment. Features of the system include automated storage and retrieval, item recognition, two armed robotic manipulation, and software control of all inventory item transitions and queries.

Project Artemis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birchenough, Shawn; Kato, Denise; Kennedy, Fred; Akin, David

1990-01-01

The goals of Project Artemis are designed to meet the challege of President Bush to return to the Moon, this time to stay. The first goal of the project is to establish a permanent manned base on the Moon for the purposes of scientific research and technological development. The knowledge gained from the establishment and operations of the lunar base will then be used to achieve the second goal of Project Artemis, the establishment of a manned base on the Martian surface. Throughout both phases of the program, crew safety will be the number one priority. There are four main issues that have governed the entire program: crew safety and mission success, commonality, growth potential, and costing and scheduling. These issues are discussed in more detail.

Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) (Orion) Occupant Protection. Part 1; Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Currie-Gregg, Nancy J.; Gernhardt, Michael L.; Lawrence, Charles; Somers, Jeffrey T.

2016-01-01

Dr. Nancy J. Currie, of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC), Chief Engineer at Johnson Space Center (JSC), requested an assessment of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) occupant protection as a result of issues identified by the Constellation Program and Orion Project. The NESC, in collaboration with the Human Research Program (HRP), investigated new methods associated with occupant protection for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), known as Orion. The primary objective of this assessment was to investigate new methods associated with occupant protection for the CEV, known as Orion, that would ensure the design provided minimal risk to the crew during nominal and contingency landings in an acceptable set of environmental and spacecraft failure conditions. This documents contains the appendices to the NESC assessment report. NASA/TM-2013-217380, Application of the Brinkley Dynamic Response Criterion to Spacecraft Transient Dynamic Events supersedes this document.

Human factors issues in performing life science experiments in a 0-G environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Wayne

1989-01-01

An overview of the environmental conditions within the Spacelab and the planned Space Station Freedom is presented. How this environment causes specific Human Factors problems and the nature of design solutions are described. The impact of these problems and solutions on the performance of life science activities onboard Spacelab (SL) and Space Station Freedom (SSF) is discussed. The first area highlighted is contamination. The permanence of SSF in contrast to the two-week mission of SL has significant impacts on crew and specimen protection requirements and, thus, resource utilization. These requirements, in turn impose restrictions on working volumes, scheduling, training, and scope of experimental procedures. A second area is microgravity. This means that all specimens, materials, and apparatus must be restrained and carefully controlled. Because so much of the scientific activity must occur within restricted enclosures (gloveboxes), the provisions for restraint and control are made more complex. The third topic is crewmember biomechanics and the problems of movement and task performance in microgravity. In addition to the need to stabilize the body for the performance of tasks, performance of very sensitive tasks such as dissection is difficult. The issue of space sickness and adaption is considered in this context.

Communications indices of crew coordination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Foushee, H. Clayton; Lozito, Sandra

1987-01-01

Verbal exchanges occuring during task execution during full mission two-person simulator flights are used to study the effect of the interactive communication process on crew coordination and performance. The ratio of initiator to response speech is calculated and speech variations are recorded. The results of this study are compared with the findings of Ginnett's (1986) study of leaders. It is shown that low-error crews adopt a standard form of communicating, allowing for the ability to predict one another's behavior, facilitating the coordination process. The higher performance of crews that have flown together before is believed to be due to the increased amount of time for establishing a conventional means of communication.

Overview of Carbon Dioxide Control Issues During International Space Station/Space Shuttle Joint Docked Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matty, Christopher M.

2010-01-01

Crewed space vehicles have a common requirement to remove the carbon dioxide (CO2) created by the metabolic processes of the crew. The space shuttle [Space Transportation System (STS)] and International Space Station (ISS) each have systems in place that allow control and removal of CO2 from the habitable cabin environment. During periods in which the space shuttle is docked to the ISS, known as "joint docked operations," the space shuttle and ISS share a common atmosphere environment. During this period, an elevated amount of CO2 is produced through the combined metabolic activity of the STS and ISS crews. This elevated CO2 production, together with the large effective atmosphere created by collective volumes of the docked vehicles, creates a unique set of requirements for CO2 removal. This paper will describe individual CO2 control plans implemented by STS and ISS engineering teams, as well as the integrated plans used when both vehicles are docked. The paper will also discuss some of the issues and anomalies experienced by both engineering teams.

Flight Crew Training: Multi-Crew Pilot License Training versus Traditional Training and Its Relationship with Job Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushing, Thomas S.

2013-01-01

In 2006, the International Civil Aviation Organization promulgated requirements for a Multi-Crew Pilot License for First Officers, in which the candidate attends approximately two years of ground school and trains as part of a two-person crew in a simulator of a Boeing 737 or an Airbus 320 airliner. In the traditional method, a candidate qualifies…

A predictive model of flight crew performance in automated air traffic control and flight management operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

Prepared ca. 1995. This paper describes Air-MIDAS, a model of pilot performance in interaction with varied levels of automation in flight management operations. The model was used to predict the performance of a two person flight crew responding to c...

Evidence Report: Risk of Performance Errors Due to Training Deficiencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel; Dempsey, Donna L.

2016-01-01

Substantial evidence supports the claim that inadequate training leads to performance errors. Barshi and Loukopoulos (2012) demonstrate that even a task as carefully developed and refined over many years as operating an aircraft can be significantly improved by a systematic analysis, followed by improved procedures and improved training (see also Loukopoulos, Dismukes, & Barshi, 2009a). Unfortunately, such a systematic analysis of training needs rarely occurs during the preliminary design phase, when modifications are most feasible. Training is often seen as a way to compensate for deficiencies in task and system design, which in turn increases the training load. As a result, task performance often suffers, and with it, the operators suffer and so does the mission. On the other hand, effective training can indeed compensate for such design deficiencies, and can even go beyond to compensate for failures of our imagination to anticipate all that might be needed when we send our crew members to go where no one else has gone before. Much of the research literature on training is motivated by current training practices aimed at current training needs. Although there is some experience with operations in extreme environments on Earth, there is no experience with long-duration space missions where crews must practice semi-autonomous operations, where ground support must accommodate significant communication delays, and where so little is known about the environment. Thus, we must develop robust methodologies and tools to prepare our crews for the unknown. The research necessary to support such an endeavor does not currently exist, but existing research does reveal general challenges that are relevant to long-duration, high-autonomy missions. The evidence presented here describes issues related to the risk of performance errors due to training deficiencies. Contributing factors regarding training deficiencies may pertain to organizational process and training programs for spaceflight, such as when training programs are inadequate or unavailable. Furthermore, failure to match between tasks on the one hand, and learning and memory abilities on the other hand is a contributing factor, especially when individuals' relative efficiency with which new information is acquired, and adjustments made in behavior or thinking, are inconsistent with mission demands. Thus, if training deficiencies are present, the likelihood of errors or of the inability to successfully complete a task increases. What's more, the overall risk to the crew, the vehicle, and the mission increases.

Benefits of Using Pairwise Trajectory Management in the Central East Pacific

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chartrand, Ryan; Ballard, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Pairwise Trajectory Management (PTM) is a concept that utilizes airborne and ground-based capabilities to enable airborne spacing operations in oceanic regions. The goal of PTM is to use enhanced surveillance, along with airborne tools, to manage the spacing between aircraft. Due to the enhanced airborne surveillance of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) information and reduced communication, the PTM minimum spacing distance will be less than distances currently required of an air traffic controller. Reduced minimum distance will increase the capacity of aircraft operations at a given altitude or volume of airspace, thereby increasing time on desired trajectory and overall flight efficiency. PTM is designed to allow a flight crew to resolve a specific traffic conflict (or conflicts), identified by the air traffic controller, while maintaining the flight crew's desired altitude. The air traffic controller issues a PTM clearance to a flight crew authorized to conduct PTM operations in order to resolve a conflict for the pair (or pairs) of aircraft (i.e., the PTM aircraft and a designated target aircraft). This clearance requires the flight crew of the PTM aircraft to use their ADS-B-enabled onboard equipment to manage their spacing relative to the designated target aircraft to ensure spacing distances that are no closer than the PTM minimum distance. When the air traffic controller determines that PTM is no longer required, the controller issues a clearance to cancel the PTM operation.

Rescue Shuttle Flight Re-Entry: Controlling Astronaut Thermal Exposure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillis, David B.; Hamilton, Douglas; Ilcus, Stana; Stepaniak, Phil; Polk, J. D.; Son, Chang; Bue, Grant

2008-01-01

A rescue mission for the STS-125 Hubble Telescope Repair Mission requires reentry from space with 11 crew members aboard, exceeding past cabin thermal load experience and risking crew thermal stress potentially causing cognitive performance and physiological decrements. The space shuttle crew cabin air revitalization system (ARS) was designed to support a nominal crew complement of 4 to 7 crew and 10 persons in emergencies, all in a shirt-sleeve environment. Subsequent to the addition of full pressure suits with individual cooling units, the ARS cannot maintain a stable temperature in the crew cabin during reentry thermal loads. Bulk cabin thermal models, used for rescue mission planning and analysis of crew cabin air, were unable to accurately represent crew workstation values of air flow, carbon dioxide, and heat content for the middeck. Crew temperature models suggested significantly elevated core temperatures. Planning for an STS-400 potential rescue of seven stranded crew utilized computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to demonstrate inhomogeneous cabin thermal properties and improve analysis compared to bulk models. In the absence of monitoring of crew temperature, heart rate, metabolic rate and incomplete engineering data on the performance of the integrated cooling garment/cooling unit (ICG/CU) at cabin temperatures above 75 degrees F, related systems & models were reevaluated and tests conducted with humans in the loop. Changes to the cabin ventilation, ICU placement, crew reentry suit-donning procedures, Orbiter Program wave-off policy and post-landing power down and crew extraction were adopted. A second CFD and core temperature model incorporated the proposed changes and confirmed satisfactory cabin temperature, improved air distribution, and estimated core temperatures within safe limits. CONCLUSIONS: These changes in equipment, in-flight and post-landing procedures, and policy were implemented for the STS-400 rescue shuttle & will be implemented in any future rescue flights from the International Space Station of stranded shuttle crews.

The impact of cockpit automation on crew coordination and communication. Volume 1: Overview, LOFT evaluations, error severity, and questionnaire data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiener, Earl L.; Chidester, Thomas R.; Kanki, Barbara G.; Palmer, Everett A.; Curry, Renwick E.; Gregorich, Steven E.

1991-01-01

The purpose was to examine, jointly, cockpit automation and social processes. Automation was varied by the choice of two radically different versions of the DC-9 series aircraft, the traditional DC-9-30, and the glass cockpit derivative, the MD-88. Airline pilot volunteers flew a mission in the simulator for these aircraft. Results show that the performance differences between the crews of the two aircraft were generally small, but where there were differences, they favored the DC-9. There were no criteria on which the MD-88 crews performed better than the DC-9 crews. Furthermore, DC-9 crews rated their own workload as lower than did the MD-88 pilots. There were no significant differences between the two aircraft types with respect to the severity of errors committed during the Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) flight. The attitude questionnaires provided some interesting insights, but failed to distinguish between DC-9 and MD-88 crews.

The role of communications, socio-psychological, and personality factors in the maintenance of crew coordination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foushee, H. C.

1981-01-01

The influence of group dynamics on the capability of aircraft crew members to make full use of the resources available on the flight deck in order to maintain flight safety is discussed. Instances of crewmembers withholding altimeter or heading information from the captain are cited as examples of domineering attitudes from command pilots and overconscientiousness on the parts of copilots, who may refuse to relay information forcefully enough or to take control of the aircraft in the case of pilot incapacitation. NASA studies of crew performance in controlled, simulator settings, concentrating on communication, decision making, crew interaction, and integration showed that efficient communication reduced errors. Acknowledgements served to encourage correct communication. The best crew performance is suggested to occur with personnel who are capable of both goal and group orientation. Finally, one bad effect of computer controlled flight is cited to be the tendency of the flight crew to think that someone else is taking care of difficulties in threatening situations.

Mars EVA Suit Airlock (MESA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ransom, Stephen; Böttcher, Jörg; Steinsiek, Frank

The Astrium Space Infrastructure Division has begun an in-house research activity of an Earth-based simulation facility supporting future manned missions to Mars. This research unit will help to prepare and support planned missions in the following ways: 1) to enable the investigation and analysis of contamination issues in advance of a human visit to Mars; 2) as a design tool to investigate and simulate crew operations; 3) to simulate crew operation during an actual mission; 4) to enable on-surface scientific operations without leaving the shirt-sleeve habitation environment ("glove box principle"). The MESA module is a surface EVA facility attached to the main habitation or laboratory module, or mobile pressurized rover. It will be sealed, but not pressurized, and provide protection against the harsh Martian environment. This module will include a second crew airlock for safety reasons. The compartment can also be used to provide an external working bench and experiment area for the crew. A simpler MESA concept provides only an open shelter against wind and dust. This concept does not incorporate working and experimental areas. The principle idea behind the MESA concept is to tackle the issue of contamination by minimizing the decontamination processes needed to clean surface equipment and crew suit surfaces after an EVA excursion prior to the astronaut re-entering the habitable area. The technical solution envisages the use of a dedicated crew suit airlock. This airlock uses an EVA suit which is externally attached by its back-pack to the EVA compartment area facing the Martian environment. The crew donns the suit from inside the habitable volume through the airlock on the back of the suit. The surface EVA can be accomplished after closing the back-pack and detaching the suit. A special technical design concept foresees an extendable suit back-pack, so that the astronaut can operate outside and in the vincinity of the module. The key driver in the investigation is the problem of contamination of the habitable volume by EVA and sampling activities and the transport of Earth-generated contaminants to Mars.

Comparison of inflight first aid performed by cabin crew members and medical volunteers.

PubMed

Kim, Jung Ha; Choi-Kwon, Smi; Park, Young Hwan

2017-03-01

Since the number of air travellers, including the elderly and passengers with an underlying disease, is increasing every year, the number of inflight emergency patients is expected to increase as well. We attempted to identify the incidence and types of reported inflight medical incidents and analyse the first aid performed by cabin crew members or medical volunteers in flights by an Asian airline. We also investigated the cases of inflight deaths and aircraft diversions. We reviewed the cabin reports and medical records submitted by cabin crew members and inflight medical volunteers from 2009 to 2013. We found that inflight medical incidents increased annually, with a total of 2818 cases reported. Fifteen cases of inflight deaths and 15 cases of aircraft diversions during this period were also reported. First aid was performed by the cabin crew alone in 52% of the cases and by medical volunteers in 47.8% of the cases. The most commonly reported causes for first aid performed by the cabin crew and medical volunteers were burns and syncope, respectively. : Since burns were one of the common reasons that first aid was provided by the cabin crew, it may be necessary to include first aid treatments for burns in the annual re-qualification training programme. Furthermore, the assessment of unconsciousness and potentially critical respiratory symptoms is very important for cabin crew members because those conditions can lead to inflight deaths and aircraft diversion. © International Society of Travel Medicine, 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Crew Office Evaluation of a Precision Lunar Landing System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Major, Laura M.; Duda, Kevin R.; Hirsh, Robert L.

2011-01-01

A representative Human System Interface for a precision lunar landing system, ALHAT, has been developed as a platform for prototype visualization and interaction concepts. This facilitates analysis of crew interaction with advanced sensors and AGNC systems. Human-in-the-loop evaluations with representatives from the Crew Office (i.e. astronauts) and Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) were performed to refine the crew role and information requirements during the final phases of landing. The results include a number of lessons learned from Shuttle that are applicable to the design of a human supervisory landing system and cockpit. Overall, the results provide a first order analysis of the tasks the crew will perform during lunar landing, an architecture for the Human System Interface based on these tasks, as well as details on the information needs to land safely.

Cockpit data management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Groce, J. L.; Boucek, G. P.

1988-01-01

This study is a continuation of an FAA effort to alleviate the growing problems of assimilating and managing the flow of data and flight related information in the air transport flight deck. The nature and extent of known pilot interface problems arising from new NAS data management programs were determined by a comparative timeline analysis of crew tasking requirements. A baseline of crew tasking requirements was established for conventional and advanced flight decks operating in the current NAS environment and then compared to the requirements for operation in a future NAS environment emphasizing Mode-S data link and TCAS. Results showed that a CDU-based pilot interface for Mode-S data link substantially increased crew visual activity as compared to the baseline. It was concluded that alternative means of crew interface should be available during high visual workload phases of flight. Results for TCAS implementation showed substantial visual and motor tasking increases, and that there was little available time between crew tasks during a TCAS encounter. It was concluded that additional research should be undertaken to address issues of ATC coordination and the relative benefit of high workload TCAS features.

Crew quarters for Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mount, F. E.

1989-01-01

The only long-term U.S. manned space mission completed has been Skylab, which has similarities as well as differences to the proposed Space Station. With the exception of Skylab missions, there has been a dearth of experience on which to base the design of the individual Space Station Freedom crew quarters. Shuttle missions commonly do not have sleep compartments, only 'sleeping arrangements'. There are provisions made for each crewmember to have a sleep restraint and a sleep liner, which are attached to a bulkhead or a locker. When the Shuttle flights began to have more than one working shift, crew quarters became necessary due to noise and other disturbances caused by crew task-related activities. Shuttle missions that have planned work shifts have incorporated sleep compartments. To assist in gaining more information and insight for the design of the crew quarters for the Space Station Freedom, a survey was given to current crewmembers with flight experience. The results from this survey were compiled and integrated with information from the literature covering space experience, privacy, and human-factors issues.

Modeling strength data for CREW CHIEF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdaniel, Joe W.

1990-01-01

The Air Force has developed CREW CHIEF, a computer-aided design (CAD) tool for simulating and evaluating aircraft maintenance to determine if the required activities are feasible. CREW CHIEF gives the designer the ability to simulate maintenance activities with respect to reach, accessibility, strength, hand tool operation, and materials handling. While developing the CREW CHIEF, extensive research was performed to describe workers strength capabilities for using hand tools and manual handling of objects. More than 100,000 strength measures were collected and modeled for CREW CHIEF. These measures involved both male and female subjects in the 12 maintenance postures included in CREW CHIEF. The data collection and modeling effort are described.

Apollo experience report: Crew station integration. Volume 1: Crew station design and development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, L. D.; Nussman, D. A.

1976-01-01

An overview of the evolution of the design and development of the Apollo command module and lunar module crew stations is given, with emphasis placed on the period from 1964 to 1969. The organizational planning, engineering techniques, and documentation involved are described, and a detailed chronology of the meetings, reviews, and exercises is presented. Crew station anomalies for the Apollo 7 to 11 missions are discussed, and recommendations for the solution of recurring problems of crew station acoustics, instrument glass failure, and caution and warning system performance are presented. Photographs of the various crew station configurations are also provided.

Deep Space Spaceflight: The Challenge of Crew Performance in Autonomous Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thaxton, S. S.; Williams, T. J.; Norsk, P.; Zwart, S.; Crucian, B.; Antonsen, E. L.

2018-02-01

Distance from Earth and limited communications in future missions will increase the demands for crew autonomy and dependence on automation, and Deep Space Gateway presents an opportunity to study the impacts of these increased demands on human performance.

Pilot personality and crew coordination - Implications for training and selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chidester, Thomas R.; Helmreich, Robert L.; Gregorich, Steven E.; Geis, Craig E.

1991-01-01

It is contended that past failures to find linkages between performance and personality were due to a combination of premature performance evaluation, inadequate statistical modeling, and/or the reliance on data gathered in contrived as opposed to realistic situations. The goal of the research presented is to isolate subgroups of pilots along performance-related personality dimensions and to document limits on the impact of crew coordination training between the groups. Three different profiles were identified through cluster analysis of personality scales that replicated across samples and predicted attitude change following training in crew coordination.

Social and cultural issues during Shuttle/Mir space missions.

PubMed

Kanas, N; Salnitskiy, V; Grund, E M; Gushin, V; Weiss, D S; Kozerenko, O; Sled, A; Marmar, C R

2000-01-01

A number of interpersonal issues relevant to manned space missions have been identified from the literature. These include crew tension, cohesion, leadership, language and cultural factors, and displacement. Ground-based studies by others and us have clarified some of the parameters of these issues and have indicated ways in which they could be studied during actual space missions. In this paper, we summarize some of our findings related to social and cultural issues from a NASA-funded study conducted during several Shuttle/Mir space missions. We used standardized mood and group climate measures that were completed on a weekly basis by American and Russian crew and mission control subjects who participated in these missions. Our results indicated that American subjects reported more dissatisfaction with their interpersonal environment than their Russian counterparts, especially American astronauts. Mission control personnel were more dysphoric than crewmembers, but both groups were significantly less dysphoric than other work groups on Earth. Countermeasures based on our findings are discussed which can be applied to future multicultural space missions. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Social and cultural issues during Shuttle/Mir space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanas, N.; Salnitskiy, V.; Grund, E. M.; Gushin, V.; Weiss, D. S.; Kozerenko, O.; Sled, A.; Marmar, C. R.

2000-01-01

A number of interpersonal issues relevant to manned space missions have been identified from the literature. These include crew tension, cohesion, leadership, language and cultural factors, and displacement. Ground-based studies by others and us have clarified some of the parameters of these issues and have indicated ways in which they could be studied during actual space missions. In this paper, we summarize some of our findings related to social and cultural issues from a NASA-funded study conducted during several Shuttle/Mir space missions. We used standardized mood and group climate measures that were completed on a weekly basis by American and Russian crew and mission control subjects who participated in these missions. Our results indicated that American subjects reported more dissatisfaction with their interpersonal environment than their Russian counterparts, especially American astronauts. Mission control personnel were more dysphoric than crewmembers, but both groups were significantly less dysphoric than other work groups on Earth. Countermeasures based on our findings are discussed which can be applied to future multicultural space missions. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Fundamentals of Space Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clément, Gilles

2005-03-01

A total of more than 240 human space flights have been completed to date, involving about 450 astronauts from various countries, for a combined total presence in space of more than 70 years. The seventh long-duration expedition crew is currently in residence aboard the International Space Station, continuing a permanent presence in space that began in October 2000. During that time, investigations have been conducted on both humans and animal models to study the bone demineralization and muscle deconditioning, space motion sickness, the causes and possible treatment of postflight orthostatic intolerance, the changes in immune function, crew and crew-ground interactions, and the medical issues of living in a space environment, such as the effects of radiation or the risk of developing kidney stones. Some results of these investigations have led to fundamental discoveries about the adaptation of the human body to the space environment. Gilles Clément has been active in this research. This readable text presents the findings from the life science experiments conducted during and after space missions. Topics discussed in this book include: adaptation of sensory-motor, cardio-vascular, bone, and muscle systems to the microgravity of spaceflight; psychological and sociological issues of living in a confined, isolated, and stressful environment; operational space medicine, such as crew selection, training and in-flight health monitoring, countermeasures and support; results of space biology experiments on individual cells, plants, and animal models; and the impact of long-duration missions such as the human mission to Mars. The author also provides a detailed description of how to fly a space experiment, based on his own experience with research projects conducted onboard Salyut-7, Mir, Spacelab, and the Space Shuttle. Now is the time to look at the future of human spaceflight and what comes next. The future human exploration of Mars captures the imagination of both the public and the scientific community. Many physiological, psychological, operational, and scientific issues need to be solved before the first crew can explore the enigmatic Red Planet. This book also identifies the showstoppers that can be foreseen and what we need to learn to fully understand the implications and risks of such a mission.

Role of automation in the ACRV operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sepahban, S. F.

1992-01-01

The Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) will provide the Space Station Freedom with contingency means of return to earth (1) of one disabled crew member during medical emergencies, (2) of all crew members in case of accidents or failures of SSF systems, and (3) in case of interruption of the Space Shuttle flights. A wide range of vehicle configurations and system approaches are currently under study. The Program requirements focus on minimizing life cycle costs by ensuring simple operations, built-in reliability and maintainability. The ACRV philosophy of embedded operations is based on maximum use of existing facilities, resources and processes, while minimizing the interfaces and impacts to the Space Shuttle and Freedom programs. A preliminary integrated operations concept based on this philosophy and covering the ground, flight, mission support, and landing and recovery operations has been produced. To implement the ACRV operations concept, the underlying approach has been to rely on vehicle autonomy and automation, to the extent possible. Candidate functions and processes which may benefit from current or near-term automation and robotics technologies are identified. These include, but are not limited to, built-in automated ground tests and checkouts; use of the Freedom and the Orbiter remote manipulator systems, for ACRV berthing; automated passive monitoring and performance trend analysis, and periodic active checkouts during dormant periods. The major ACRV operations concept issues as they relate to the use of automation are discussed.

Safety concerns for first entry operations of orbiting spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Steven H.; Limero, Thomas F.; James, John T.

1994-01-01

The Space Station Freedom crew will face operational problems unique to the spacecraft environment due to the absence of convection currents and the confined atmosphere within the habitable modules. Airborne contaminants from the materials offgassing or contingency incidents like thermodegradation may accumulate until they reach hazardous concentrations. Flow modeling and experiences from previous space flight missions confirm that caution must be exercised during first-entry operations. A review of the first-entry procedures performed during the Skylab Program will be presented to highlight the necessity for carefully planned operations. Many of the environmental conditions that can be expected on the Space Station are analogous to those which exist in confined storage or work spaces in the industrial setting. Experience with closed-loop environmental operations (e.g., atmospheric control of submarines) have also demonstrated that the buildup of trace contaminant gases could result in conditions that lead to mission termination or loss of crew. Consequently, some first-entry issues for the Station can be addressed by comparing them to familiar techniques developed on Earth. The instruments of the Environmental Health System (EHS) will provide the necessary monitoring capability to protect crew health and safety during the planned first-entry procedures of the MTC phase of the SSF Program. The authors of this paper will describe those procedures and will cite an example of the consequences when proper first-entry procedures are not followed.

Space Station Freedom automation and robotics: An assessment of the potential for increased productivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weeks, David J.; Zimmerman, Wayne F.; Swietek, Gregory E.; Reid, David H.; Hoffman, Ronald B.; Stammerjohn, Lambert W., Jr.; Stoney, William; Ghovanlou, Ali H.

1990-01-01

This report presents the results of a study performed in support of the Space Station Freedom Advanced Development Program, under the sponsorship of the Space Station Engineering (Code MT), Office of Space Flight. The study consisted of the collection, compilation, and analysis of lessons learned, crew time requirements, and other factors influencing the application of advanced automation and robotics, with emphasis on potential improvements in productivity. The lessons learned data collected were based primarily on Skylab, Spacelab, and other Space Shuttle experiences, consisting principally of interviews with current and former crew members and other NASA personnel with relevant experience. The objectives of this report are to present a summary of this data and its analysis, and to present conclusions regarding promising areas for the application of advanced automation and robotics technology to the Space Station Freedom and the potential benefits in terms of increased productivity. In this study, primary emphasis was placed on advanced automation technology because of its fairly extensive utilization within private industry including the aerospace sector. In contrast, other than the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), there has been relatively limited experience with advanced robotics technology applicable to the Space Station. This report should be used as a guide and is not intended to be used as a substitute for official Astronaut Office crew positions on specific issues.

Manned versus unmanned rendezvous and capture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brody, Adam R.

1991-01-01

Rendezvous and capture (docking) operations may be performed either automatically or under manual control. In cases where humans are far from the mission site, or high-bandwidth communications lines are not in place, automation is the only option. Such might be the case with unmanned missions to the moon or Mars that involve orbital docking or cargo transfer. In crewed situations where sensors, computation capabilities, and other necessary instrumentation are unavailable, manual control is the only alternative. Power, mass, cost, or other restrictions may limit the availability of the machinery required for an automated rendezvous and capture. The only occasions for which there is a choice about whether to use automated or manual control are those where the vehicle(s) have both the crew and instrumentation necessary to perform the mission either way. The following discussion will focus on the final approach or capture (docking) maneuver. The maneuvers required for long-range rendezvous operations are calculated by computers. It is almost irrelevant whether it is an astronaut, watching a count-down timer who pushes the button firing the thruster or whether the computer keeps track of the time and fires with the astronaut monitoring. The actual manual workload associated with a mission that may take as long as hours or days to perform is small. The workload per unit time increases tremendously during the final approach (docking) phase and this is where the issue of manual versus automatic is more important.

Workshop on Integrated Crew Resource Management (CRM), 19-21 November 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

VI DOT/FAAIRD-92/5 Workshop on Integrated Research and Development Service Crew Resource Washington, DC 20591 Management ( CRM ) AD-A252 980 II! Ir H... Management ( CRM ) Page i Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. DOT/FAA/RD-92/5I 4. Title and...Subtitle S. Report Date May 1992 Workshop on Integrated Crew Resource Management ( CRM ) 6. Performing Organization Code ARD-1 8. Performing

Crew procedures development techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arbet, J. D.; Benbow, R. L.; Hawk, M. L.; Mangiaracina, A. A.; Mcgavern, J. L.; Spangler, M. C.

1975-01-01

The study developed requirements, designed, developed, checked out and demonstrated the Procedures Generation Program (PGP). The PGP is a digital computer program which provides a computerized means of developing flight crew procedures based on crew action in the shuttle procedures simulator. In addition, it provides a real time display of procedures, difference procedures, performance data and performance evaluation data. Reconstruction of displays is possible post-run. Data may be copied, stored on magnetic tape and transferred to the document processor for editing and documentation distribution.

An analysis of the application of AI to the development of intelligent aids for flight crew tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baron, S.; Feehrer, C.

1985-01-01

This report presents the results of a study aimed at developing a basis for applying artificial intelligence to the flight deck environment of commercial transport aircraft. In particular, the study was comprised of four tasks: (1) analysis of flight crew tasks, (2) survey of the state-of-the-art of relevant artificial intelligence areas, (3) identification of human factors issues relevant to intelligent cockpit aids, and (4) identification of artificial intelligence areas requiring further research.

Studies on the flight medical aspects of the German Lufthansa non-stop route from Frankfurt to Rio de Janeiro, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wegmann, H. M.; Klein, K. E.; Goeters, K. M.; Samel, A.

1982-01-01

The problem of crew size for regularly scheduled flights between Frankfurt and Rio de Janeiro is discussed. Factors affecting crew performance are examined, comparisons are drawn to regulations of other countries and crew questionnaires and tests are presented.

Crew factors in flight operations IX : effects of planned cockpit rest on crew performance and alertness in long-haul operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-07-01

This report is the ninth in a series on physiological and psychological effects of flight operations on flight crews, and on the operational significance of these effects. Long-haul flight operations often involve rapid multiple time-zone changes, sl...

Advanced Robotics for In-Space Vehicle Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jeffrey H.; Estus, Jay; Heneghan, Cate; Bosley, John

1990-01-01

An analysis of spaceborne vehicle processing is described. Generic crew-EVA tasks are presented for a specific vehicle, the orbital maneuvering vehicle (OMV), with general implications to other on-orbit vehicles. The OMV is examined with respect to both servicing and maintenance. Crew-EVA activities are presented by task and mapped to a common set of generic crew-EVA primitives to identify high-demand areas for telerobot services. Similarly, a set of telerobot primitives is presented that can be used to model telerobot actions for alternative telerobot reference configurations. The telerobot primitives are tied to technologies and used for composting telerobot operations for an automated refueling scenario. Telerobotics technology issues and design accomodation guidelines (hooks and scars) for the Space Station Freedom are described.

Aircrew Discourse: Exploring Strategies of Information and Action Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irwin, Cheryl M.; Veinott, Elizabeth S.; Shafto, Michael G. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

This paper explores methodology issues encountered in the analysis of flightcrew communications in aviation simulation research. Examples are provided by two recent studies which are compared on three issues: level of analysis, data definition, and interpretation of the results. The data discussed were collected in a study comparing two levels of aircraft automation. The first example is an investigation of how pilots' information transfer strategies differed as a function of automation during low and high-workload flight phases. The second study focuses on how crews managed actions in the two aircraft during a ten minute, high-workload flight segment. Results indicated that crews in the two aircraft differed in their strategies of information and action management. The differences are discussed in terms of their operational and research significance.

Mitigating and monitoring flight crew fatigue on a westward ultra-long-range flight.

PubMed

Signal, T Leigh; Mulrine, Hannah M; van den Berg, Margo J; Smith, Alexander A T; Gander, Philippa H; Serfontein, Wynand

2014-12-01

This study examined the uptake and effectiveness of fatigue mitigation guidance material including sleep recommendations for a trip with a westward ultra-long-range flight and return long-range flight. There were 52 flight crew (4-pilot crews, mean age 55 yr) who completed a sleep/duty diary and wore an actigraph prior to, during, and after the trip. Primary crew flew the takeoff and landing, while relief crew flew the aircraft during the Primary crew's breaks. At key times in flight, crewmembers rated their fatigue (Samn-Perelli fatigue scale) and sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) and completed a 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Task. Napping was common prior to the outbound flight (54%) and did not affect the quantity or quality of in-flight sleep (mean 4.3 h). Primary crew obtained a similar amount on the inbound flight (mean 4.0 h), but Secondary crew had less sleep (mean 2.9 h). Subjective fatigue and sleepiness increased and performance slowed across flights. Performance was faster on the outbound than inbound flight. On both flights, Primary crew were less fatigued and sleepy than Secondary crew, particularly at top of descent and after landing. Crewmembers slept more frequently and had more sleep in the first 24 h of the layover than the last, and had shifted their main sleep to the local night by the second night. The suggested sleep mitigations were employed by the majority of crewmembers. Fatigue levels were no worse on the outbound ultra-long-range flight than on the return long-range flight.

Monitoring and Managing Cabin Crew Sleep and Fatigue During an Ultra-Long Range Trip.

PubMed

van den Berg, Margo J; Signal, T Leigh; Mulrine, Hannah M; Smith, Alexander A T; Gander, Philippa H; Serfontein, Wynand

2015-08-01

The aims of this study were to monitor cabin crew fatigue, sleep, and performance on an ultra-long range (ULR) trip and to evaluate the appropriateness of applying data collection methods developed for flight crew to cabin crew operations under a fatigue risk management system (FRMS). Prior to, throughout, and following the ULR trip (outbound flight ULR; mean layover duration=52.6 h; inbound flight long range), 55 cabin crew (29 women; mean age 36.5 yr; 25 men; mean age 36.6 yr; one missing data) completed a sleep/duty diary and wore an actigraph. Across each flight, crewmembers rated their fatigue (Samn-Perelli Crew Status Check) and sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) and completed a 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) at key times. Of crewmembers approached, 73% (N=134) agreed to participate and 41% (N=55) provided data of suitable quality for analysis. In the 24 h before departure, sleep averaged 7.0 h and 40% took a preflight nap. All crewmembers slept in flight (mean total sleep time=3.6 h outbound, 2.9 h inbound). Sleepiness and fatigue were lower, and performance better, on the longer outbound flight than on the inbound flight. Post-trip, crewmembers slept more on day 1 (mean=7.9 h) compared to baseline days, but there was no difference from day 2 onwards. The present study demonstrates that cabin crew fatigue can be managed effectively on a ULR flight and that FRMS data collection is feasible for cabin crew, but operational differences between cabin crew and flight crew need to be considered.

Habitability Designs for Crew Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woolford, Barbara

2006-01-01

NASA's space human factors team is contributing to the habitability of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), which will take crews to low Earth orbit, and dock there with additional vehicles to go on to the moon's surface. They developed a task analysis for operations and for self-sustenance (sleeping, eating, hygiene), and estimated the volumes required for performing the various tasks and for the associated equipment, tools and supplies. Rough volumetric mockups were built for crew evaluations. Trade studies were performed to determine the size and location of windows. The habitability analysis also contributes to developing concepts of operations by identifying constraints on crew time. Recently completed studies provided stowage concepts, tools for assessing lighting constraints, and approaches to medical procedure development compatible with the tight space and absence of gravity. New work will be initiated to analyze design concepts and verify that equipment and layouts do meet requirements.

Decision Making in the Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith; Shafto, Michael G. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The Importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers, aviation, and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment. Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful In improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multi-dimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication contributes to performance because it assures that all crew members have essential information, but it also regulates and coordinates crew actions and is the medium of collective thinking In response to a problem, This presentation will examine the relations between leadership, communication, decision making and overall crew performance. Implications of these findings for training will be discussed.

Decision Making in Action: Applying Research to Practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith; Hart, Sandra G. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers, aviation, and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment: Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful in improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multi-dimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication contributes to performance because it assures that all crew members have essential information, but it also regulates and coordinates crew actions and is the medium of collective thinking in response to a problem. This presentation will examine the relations between leadership, communication, decision making and overall crew performance. Implications of these findings for training will be discussed.

Facilitation techniques as predictors of crew participation in LOFT debriefings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonnell, L. K.

1996-01-01

Based on theories of adult learning and airline industry guidelines for Crew Resource Management (CRM), the stated objective during Line Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) debriefings is for instructor pilots (IP's) to facilitate crew self-analysis of performance. This study reviews 19 LOFT debriefings from two major U.S. airlines to examine the relationship between IP efforts at facilitation and associated characteristics of crew participation. A subjective rating scale called the Debriefing Assessment Battery was developed and utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of IP facilitation and the quality of crew participation. The results indicate that IP content, encouragement, and questioning techniques are highly and significantly correlated with, and can therefore predict, the degree and depth of crew participation.

Achieving the Proper Balance between Crew & Public Safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilde, P.; Gowan, J.; Silvestri, R.; Stahl, B.; Rosati, P.

2012-01-01

A paramount objective of all human-rated launch and reentry vehicle developers is to ensure that the risks to both the crew onboard and the public are minimized within reasonable cost, schedule, and technical constraints. Past experience has shown that proper attention to range safety requirements necessary to ensure public safety must be given early in the design phase to avoid additional operational complexities or threats to the safety of people onboard, and the design engineers must give these requirements the same consideration as crew safety requirements. For human spaceflight, the primary purpose and operational concept for any flight safety system is to protect the public while maximizing the likelihood of crew survival. This paper will outline the policy considerations, technical issues, and operational impacts regarding launch and reentry vehicle failure scenarios where crew and public safety are intertwined and thus addressed optimally in an integrated manner. An overview of existing range and crew safety policy requirements will be presented. Application of these requirements and lessons learned from both the Space Shuttle and Constellation Programs will also be discussed. Using these past programs as examples, the paper will detail operational, design, and analysis approaches to mitigate and balance the risks to people onboard and in the public. Crewed vehicle perspectives from the Federal Aviation Administration and Air Force organizations that oversee public safety will be summarized as well. Finally, the paper will emphasize the need to factor policy, operational, and analysis considerations into the early design trades of new vehicles to help ensure that both crew and public safety are maximized to the greatest extent possible.

Communication as group process media of aircrew performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, B. G.; Foushee, H. C.

1989-01-01

This study of group process was motivated by a high-fidelity flight simulator project in which aircrew performance was found to be better when the crew had recently flown together. Considering recent operating experience as a group-level input factor, aspects of the communication process between crewmembers (Captain and First Officer), were explored as a possible mediator to performance. Communication patterns were defined by a speech act typology adapted for the flightdeck setting and distinguished crews that had previously flown together (FT) from those that had not flown together (NFT). A more open communication channel with respect to information exchange and validation and greater First Officer participation in task-related topics was shown by FT crews while NFT crews engaged in more non-task discourse, a speech mode less structured by roles and probably serving a more interpersonal function. Relationships between the speech categories themselves, representing linguistic, and role-related interdependencies provide guidelines for interpreting the primary findings.

Fatigue Management in Spaceflight Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmire, Alexandra

2011-01-01

Sleep loss and fatigue remain an issue for crewmembers working on the International Space Station, and the ground crews who support them. Schedule shifts on the ISS are required for conducting mission operations. These shifts lead to tasks being performed during the biological night, and sleep scheduled during the biological day, for flight crews and the ground teams who support them. Other stressors have been recognized as hindering sleep in space; these include workload, thinking about upcoming tasks, environmental factors, and inadequate day/night cues. It is unknown if and how other factors such as microgravity, carbon dioxide levels, or increased radiation, may also play a part. Efforts are underway to standardize and provide care for crewmembers, ground controllers and other support personnel. Through collaborations between research and operations, evidenced-based clinical practice guidelines are being developed to equip flight surgeons with the tools and processes needed for treating circadian desynchrony (and subsequent sleep loss) caused by jet lag and shift work. The proper implementation of countermeasures such as schedules, lighting protocols, and cognitive behavioral education can hasten phase shifting, enhance sleep and optimize performance. This panel will focus on Fatigue Management in Spaceflight Operations. Speakers will present on research-based recommendations and technologies aimed at mitigating sleep loss, circadian desynchronization and fatigue on-orbit. Gaps in current mitigations and future recommendations will also be discussed.

Preliminary assessment of the impact of incorporating a detailed algorithm for the effects of nuclear irradiation on combat crew performance into the Janus combat simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Warshawsky, A.S.; Uzelac, M.J.; Pimper, J.E.

The Crew III algorithm for assessing time and dose dependent combat crew performance subsequent to nuclear irradiation was incorporated into the Janus combat simulation system. Battle outcomes using this algorithm were compared to outcomes based on the currently used time-independent cookie-cutter'' assessment methodology. The results illustrate quantifiable differences in battle outcome between the two assessment techniques. Results suggest that tactical nuclear weapons are more effective than currently assumed if performance degradation attributed to radiation doses between 150 to 3000 rad are taken into account. 6 refs., 9 figs.

Optimizing the physical conditioning of the NASCAR sprint cup pit crew athlete.

PubMed

Ferguson, David P; Davis, Adam M; Lightfoot, J Timothy

2015-03-01

Stock car racing is the largest spectator sport in the United States. As a result, National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing (NASCAR) Sprint Cup teams have begun to invest in strength and conditioning programs for their pit crew athletes. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the physical characteristics of elite NASCAR pit crew athletes, how the NASCAR Sprint Cup season affects basic physiological parameters such as body composition, and what is the most appropriate physical training program that meets the needs of a pit crew athlete. We conducted 3 experiments involving Sprint Cup motorsport athletes to determine predictors of success at the elite level, seasonal physiological changes, and appropriate physical training programs. Our results showed that hamstring flexibility (p = 0.015) and the score on the 2-tire front run test (p = 0.012) were significant predictors of NASCAR Sprint Cup Pit Crew athlete performance. Additionally, during the off season, pit crew athletes lost lean body mass, which did not return until the middle of the season. Therefore, a strength and conditioning program was developed to optimize pit crew athlete performance throughout the season. Implementation of this strength and conditioning program in 1 NASCAR Sprint Cup team demonstrated that pit crew athletes were able to prevent lean body mass loss and have increased muscle power output from the start of the season to the end of the season.

Human Factors and Habitability Challenges for Mars Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban

2015-01-01

As NASA is planning to send humans deeper into space than ever before, adequate crew health and performance will be critical for mission success. Within the NASA Human Research Program (HRP), the Space Human Factors and Habitability (SHFH) team is responsible for characterizing the risks associated with human capabilities and limitations with respect to long-duration spaceflight, and for providing mitigations (e.g., guidelines, technologies, and tools) to promote safe, reliable and productive missions. SHFH research includes three domains: Advanced Environmental Health (AEH), Advanced Food Technology (AFT), and Space Human Factors Engineering (SHFE). The AEH portfolio focuses on understanding the risk of microbial contamination of the spacecraft and on the development of standards for exposure to potential toxins such as chemicals, bacteria, fungus, and lunar/Martian dust. The two risks that the environmental health project focuses on are adverse health effects due to changes in host-microbe interactions, and risks associated with exposure to dust in planetary surface habitats. This portfolio also proposes countermeasures to these risks by making recommendations that relate to requirements for environmental quality, foods, and crew health on spacecraft and space missions. The AFT portfolio focuses on reducing the mass, volume, and waste of the entire integrated food system to be used in exploration missions, and investigating processing methods to extend the shelf life of food items up to five years, while assuring that exploration crews will have nutritious and palatable foods. The portfolio also delivers improvements in both the food itself and the technologies for storing and preparing it. SHFE sponsors research to establish human factors and habitability standards and guidelines in five risk areas, and provides improved design concepts for advanced crew interfaces and habitability systems. These risk areas include: Incompatible vehicle/habitat design, inadequate human-computer interaction, inadequate critical task design, inadequate human-automation/robotic interaction, and performance errors due to training deficiencies. To address the identified research gaps within each risk, SHFH's research plan includes studies in the laboratory, in analogs, and on International Space Station (ISS). In addition to establishing and maintaining the risk-based research portfolio, SHFH is also implementing a qualitative approach to determine how we at NASA evaluate human performance. Via interviews with experts, such as trainers, flight controllers, and flight surgeons, we are collecting the metrics by which they assess human performance, evidence of performance issues, and potential or actual consequences. The Human Performance Data Project will determine what human performance data have been collected in the past at NASA, and what data should be collected in the future in order to complete our knowledgebase and reduce risks related to human factors and habitability.

Expedition 7 Preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-04-08

Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri, backup crew member for Expedition 7, enjoys the bus ride to the Cosmonuat hotel after arriving in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, April 9, 2003. The crews performed fit checks on their Russian Sokol suits and performed a Soyuz inspection at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Coordination patterns related to high clinical performance in a simulated anesthetic crisis.

PubMed

Manser, Tanja; Harrison, Thomas Kyle; Gaba, David M; Howard, Steven K

2009-05-01

Teamwork is an integral component in the delivery of safe patient care. Several studies highlight the importance of effective teamwork and the need for teams to respond dynamically to changing task requirements, for example, during crisis situations. In this study, we address one of the many facets of "effective teamwork" in medical teams by investigating coordination patterns related to high performance in the management of a simulated malignant hyperthermia (MH) scenario. We hypothesized that (a) anesthesia crews dynamically adapt their work and coordination patterns to the occurrence of a simulated MH crisis and that (b) crews with higher clinical performance scores (based on a time-based scoring system for critical MH treatment steps) exhibit different coordination patterns. This observational study investigated differences in work and coordination patterns of 24 two-person anesthesia crews in a simulated MH scenario. Clinical and coordination behavior were coded using a structured observation system consisting of 36 mutually exclusive observation categories for clinical activities, coordination activities, teaching, and other communication. Clinical performance scores for treating the simulated episode of MH were calculated using a time-based scoring system for critical treatment steps. Coordination patterns in response to the occurrence of a crisis situation were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and the relationship between coordination patterns and clinical performance was investigated using hierarchical regression analyses. Qualitative analyses of the three highest and lowest performing crews were conducted to complement the quantitative analysis. First, a multivariate analysis of variance revealed statistically significant changes in the proportion of time spent on clinical and coordination activities once the MH crisis was declared (F [5,19] = 162.81, P < 0.001, eta(p)(2) = 0.98). Second, hierarchical regression analyses controlling for the effects of cognitive aid use showed that higher performing anesthesia crews exhibit statistically significant less task distribution (beta = -0.539, P < 0.01) and significantly more situation assessment (beta = 0.569, P < 0.05). Additional qualitative video analysis revealed, for example, that lower scoring crews were more likely to split into subcrews (i.e., both anesthesiologists worked with other members of the perioperative team without maintaining a shared plan among the two-person anesthesia crew). Our results of the relationship of coordination patterns and clinical performance will inform future research on adaptive coordination in medical teams and support the development of specific training to improve team coordination and performance.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing and prevention in the cruise industry.

PubMed

Dahl, Eilif

2011-01-01

There are no internationally recognized guidelines regarding HIV for employees on cruise ships. The aim of the study was to survey and compare current practices for crews in the cruise industry regarding HIV testing and prevention. Medical representatives from cruise companies were invited to complete a questionnaire on their company's practices regarding HIV-related issues. Fifteen of 18 invited representatives completed the questionnaire on behalf of 24 companies with a total of 155 ships. All 8 companies with a medical department had a written HIV policy, versus 4 of 16 companies that handled medical crew issues through independent medical consultant services. Thirteen companies required pre-sea HIV testing, 12 had a written HIV policy regarding HIV testing and prevention, and 18 had free condoms for the crew. A positive HIV test would result in revocation of the employment offer from 5 companies and in another 6 companies establish HIV as a pre-existing condition. Eight companies required HIV+ seafarers to demonstrate stability at regular intervals as a condition for sailing. Cruise companies have different practices regarding HIV in crew. Large cruise lines with medical departments are more likely to have a written HIV policy than companies using independent medical consultants. About half the companies required pre-sea HIV testing; some to avoid hiring HIV+ seafarers, others to establish HIV as a pre-existing condition or to ensure proper follow-up of their HIV+ seafarers. This report may provide input for company discussions about present or future HIV policies.

Functional Task Test: 3. Skeletal Muscle Performance Adaptations to Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryder, Jeffrey W.; Wickwire, P. J.; Buxton, R. E.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Ploutz-Snyder, L.

2011-01-01

The functional task test is a multi-disciplinary study investigating how space-flight induced changes to physiological systems impacts functional task performance. Impairment of neuromuscular function would be expected to negatively affect functional performance of crewmembers following exposure to microgravity. This presentation reports the results for muscle performance testing in crewmembers. Functional task performance will be presented in the abstract "Functional Task Test 1: sensory motor adaptations associated with postflight alternations in astronaut functional task performance." METHODS: Muscle performance measures were obtained in crewmembers before and after short-duration space flight aboard the Space Shuttle and long-duration International Space Station (ISS) missions. The battery of muscle performance tests included leg press and bench press measures of isometric force, isotonic power and total work. Knee extension was used for the measurement of central activation and maximal isometric force. Upper and lower body force steadiness control were measured on the bench press and knee extension machine, respectively. Tests were implemented 60 and 30 days before launch, on landing day (Shuttle crew only), and 6, 10 and 30 days after landing. Seven Space Shuttle crew and four ISS crew have completed the muscle performance testing to date. RESULTS: Preliminary results for Space Shuttle crew reveal significant reductions in the leg press performance metrics of maximal isometric force, power and total work on R+0 (p<0.05). Bench press total work was also significantly impaired, although maximal isometric force and power were not significantly affected. No changes were noted for measurements of central activation or force steadiness. Results for ISS crew were not analyzed due to the current small sample size. DISCUSSION: Significant reductions in lower body muscle performance metrics were observed in returning Shuttle crew and these adaptations are likely contributors to impaired functional tasks that are ambulatory in nature (See abstract Functional Task Test: 1). Interestingly, no significant changes in central activation capacity were detected. Therefore, impairments in muscle function in response to short-duration space flight are likely myocellular rather than neuromotor in nature.

Surface Telerobotics: Development and Testing of a Crew Controlled Planetary Rover System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bualat, Maria G.; Fong, Terrence; Allan, Mark; Bouyssounouse, Xavier; Cohen, Tamar; Kobayashi, Linda

2013-01-01

In planning for future exploration missions, architecture and study teams have made numerous assumptions about how crew can be telepresent on a planetary surface by remotely operating surface robots from space (i.e. from a flight vehicle or deep space habitat). These assumptions include estimates of technology maturity, existing technology gaps, and operational risks. These assumptions, however, have not been grounded by experimental data. Moreover, to date, no crew-controlled surface telerobot has been fully tested in a high-fidelity manner. To address these issues, we developed the "Surface Telerobotics" tests to do three things: 1) Demonstrate interactive crew control of a mobile surface telerobot in the presence of short communications delay. 2) Characterize a concept of operations for a single astronaut remotely operating a planetary rover with limited support from ground control. 3) Characterize system utilization and operator work-load for a single astronaut remotely operating a planetary rover with limited support from ground control.

A survey of selected aviators' perceptions regarding Army crew endurance guidelines.

PubMed

Caldwell, J A; Caldwell, J L; Hartnett, T C

1995-01-01

A 59-item questionnaire was administered to Army helicopter pilots from a variety of Army units to assess crew endurance issues. Analysis of 653 completed questionnaires indicated that respondents felt that the maintenance of aviator proficiency was more important than the fulfillment of only currency requirements in improving flight endurance. Approximately three-quarters of the respondents said that physical training was important to them personally, and 63% said that improved physical fitness reduces flight-related fatigue. With regard to the current crew endurance guide, only 1% of the respondents thought that the guide was exceptional and 65% said that they thought it should be rewritten. Adjustments were suggested for some of the recommended flight time limitations, to include liberalizing the factor associated with night-vision device flight. A majority of respondents indicated that data from either in-flight endurance evaluations or questionnaires administered to personnel in the field should be used to develop a new guide. Most respondents did not feel comfortable delegating responsibility for total crew endurance planning to unit commanders.

Risk of Performance Decrement and Crew Illness Due to an Inadequate Food System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglas, Grace L.; Cooper, Maya; Bermudez-Aguirre, Daniela; Sirmons, Takiyah

2016-01-01

NASA is preparing for long duration manned missions beyond low-Earth orbit that will be challenged in several ways, including long-term exposure to the space environment, impacts to crew physiological and psychological health, limited resources, and no resupply. The food system is one of the most significant daily factors that can be altered to improve human health, and performance during space exploration. Therefore, the paramount importance of determining the methods, technologies, and requirements to provide a safe, nutritious, and acceptable food system that promotes crew health and performance cannot be underestimated. The processed and prepackaged food system is the main source of nutrition to the crew, therefore significant losses in nutrition, either through degradation of nutrients during processing and storage or inadequate food intake due to low acceptability, variety, or usability, may significantly compromise the crew's health and performance. Shelf life studies indicate that key nutrients and quality factors in many space foods degrade to concerning levels within three years, suggesting that food system will not meet the nutrition and acceptability requirements of a long duration mission beyond low-Earth orbit. Likewise, mass and volume evaluations indicate that the current food system is a significant resource burden. Alternative provisioning strategies, such as inclusion of bioregenerative foods, are challenged with resource requirements, and food safety and scarcity concerns. Ensuring provisioning of an adequate food system relies not only upon determining technologies, and requirements for nutrition, quality, and safety, but upon establishing a food system that will support nutritional adequacy, even with individual crew preference and self-selection. In short, the space food system is challenged to maintain safety, nutrition, and acceptability for all phases of an exploration mission within resource constraints. This document presents the evidence for the Risk of Performance Decrement and Crew Illness Due to an Inadequate Food System and the gaps in relation to exploration, as identified by the NASA Human Research Program (HRP). The research reviewed here indicates strategies to establish methods, technologies, and requirements that increase food stability, support adequate nutrition, quality, and variety, enable supplementation with grow-pick-and-eat salad crops, ensure safety, and reduce resource use. Obtaining the evidence to establish an adequate food system is essential, as the resources allocated to the food system may be defined based on the data relating nutritional stability and food quality requirements to crew performance and health.

An intelligent robot for helping astronauts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, J. D.; Grimm, K. A.; Pendleton, T. W.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the development status of a prototype supervised intelligent robot for space application for purposes of (1) helping the crew of a spacecraft such as the Space Station with various tasks, such as holding objects and retrieving/replacing tools and other objects from/into storage, and (2) for purposes of retrieving detached objects, such as equipment or crew, that have become separated from their spacecraft. In addition to this set of tasks in this low-Earth-orbiting spacecraft environment, it is argued that certain aspects of the technology can be viewed as generic in approach, thereby offering insight into intelligent robots for other tasks and environments. Candidate software architectures and their key technical issues which enable real work in real environments to be accomplished safely and robustly are addressed. Results of computer simulations of grasping floating objects are presented. Also described are characterization results on the usable reduced gravity environment in an aircraft flying parabola (to simulate weightlessness) and results on hardware performance there. These results show it is feasible to use that environment for evaluative testing of dexterous grasping based on real-time vision of freely rotating and translating objects.

Autonomous support for microorganism research in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleet, M. L.; Smith, J. D.; Klaus, D. M.; Luttges, M. W.

1993-02-01

A preliminary design for performing on orbit, autonomous research on microorganisms and cultured cells/tissues is presented. The payload is designed to be compatible with the COMercial Experiment Transporter (COMET), an orbiter middeck locker interface and with Space Station Freedom. Uplink/downlink capabilities and sample return through controlled reentry are available for all carriers. Autonomous testing activities are preprogrammed with in-flight reprogrammability. Sensors for monitoring temperature, pH, light, gravity levels, vibrations, and radiation are provided for environmental regulation and experimental data collection. Additional data acquisition includes optical density measurement, microscopy, video, and film photography. On-board data storage capabilities are provided. A fluid transfer mechanism is utilized for inoculation, sampling, and nutrient replenishment of experiment cultures. In addition to payload design, research opportunities are explored to illustrate hardware versatility and function. The project is defined to provide biological data pertinent to extended duration crewed space flight including crew health issues and development of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). In addition, opportunities are opened for investigations leading to commercial applications of space, such as pharmaceutical development, modeling of terrestrial diseases, and material processing.

Vulnerability of manned spacecraft to crew loss from orbital debris penetration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williamsen, J. E.

1994-01-01

Orbital debris growth threatens the survival of spacecraft systems from impact-induced failures. Whereas the probability of debris impact and spacecraft penetration may currently be calculated, another parameter of great interest to safety engineers is the probability that debris penetration will cause actual spacecraft or crew loss. Quantifying the likelihood of crew loss following a penetration allows spacecraft designers to identify those design features and crew operational protocols that offer the highest improvement in crew safety for available resources. Within this study, a manned spacecraft crew survivability (MSCSurv) computer model is developed that quantifies the conditional probability of losing one or more crew members, P(sub loss/pen), following the remote likelihood of an orbital debris penetration into an eight module space station. Contributions to P(sub loss/pen) are quantified from three significant penetration-induced hazards: pressure wall rupture (explosive decompression), fragment-induced injury, and 'slow' depressurization. Sensitivity analyses are performed using alternate assumptions for hazard-generating functions, crew vulnerability thresholds, and selected spacecraft design and crew operations parameters. These results are then used to recommend modifications to the spacecraft design and expected crew operations that quantitatively increase crew safety from orbital debris impacts.

Performance evaluation in full-mission simulation - Methodological advances and research challenges. [in air transport operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chidester, Thomas R.; Kanki, Barbara G.; Helmreich, Robert L.

1989-01-01

The crew-factors research program at NASA Ames has developed a methodology for studying the impact of a variety of variables on the effectiveness of crews flying realistic but high workload simulated trips. The validity of investigations using the methodology is enhanced by careful design of full-mission scenarios, performance assessment using converging sources of data, and recruitment of representative subjects. Recently, portions of this methodology have been adapted for use in assessing the effectiveness of crew coordination among participants in line-oriented flight training.

Communication as group process mediator of aircrew performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Foushee, H. Clayton

1989-01-01

Considering recent operating experience as a group-level input factor, aspects of the communication process between crewmembers (captain and first officer) were explored as a possible mediator to performance. Communication patterns were defined by a speech-act typology adapted for the flight-deck setting and distinguished crews that had previously flown together (FT) from those that had not flown together (NFT). A more open communication channel and greater first officer participation in task-related topics was shown by FT crews, while NFT crews engaged in more nontask discourse.

Differences in physical workload between military helicopter pilots and cabin crew.

PubMed

Van den Oord, Marieke H A; Sluiter, Judith K; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2014-05-01

The 1-year prevalence of regular or continuous neck pain in military helicopter pilots of the Dutch Defense Helicopter Command (DHC) is 20%, and physical work exposures have been suggested as risk factors. Pilots and cabin crew perform different tasks when flying helicopters. The aims of the current study were to compare the exposures to physical work factors between these occupations and to estimate the 1-year prevalence of neck pain in military helicopter cabin crew members. A survey was completed by almost all available helicopter pilots (n = 113) and cabin crew members (n = 61) of the DHC. The outcome measures were self-reported neck pain and exposures to nine physical work factors. Differences in the proportions of helicopter pilots and cabin crew members reporting being often exposed to the particular physical factor were assessed with the χ(2) test. The 1-year prevalence of regular or continuous neck pain among cabin crew was 28%. Significantly more cabin crew members than pilots reported being often exposed to manual material handling, performing dynamic movements with their torsos, working in prolonged bent or twisted postures with their torsos and their necks, working with their arms raised and working in awkward postures. Often exposure to prolonged sitting and dynamic movements with the neck were equally reported by almost all the pilots and cabin crew members. Flight-related neck pain is prevalent in both military helicopter pilots and cabin crew members. The exposures to neck pain-related physical work factors differ between occupations, with the cabin crew members subjected to more factors. These results have implications for preventative strategies for flight-related neck pain.

Performance evaluation of the Puritan-Bennett Crew-member portable protective breathing device as prescribed by portions of FAA Action Notice A-8150.2.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-05-01

This study was undertaken, on request, to evaluate the performance of the Puritan-Bennett portable crew protective breathing device for contaminant leaks. O2, CO2 levels, inhalation/exhalation pressure, and inhalation temperature. Tests were conducte...

42 CFR 414.605 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... specified: Advanced life support (ALS) assessment is an assessment performed by an ALS crew as part of an... such that only an ALS crew was qualified to perform the assessment. An ALS assessment does not necessarily result in a determination that the patient requires an ALS level of service. Advanced life support...

42 CFR 414.605 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... specified: Advanced life support (ALS) assessment is an assessment performed by an ALS crew as part of an... such that only an ALS crew was qualified to perform the assessment. An ALS assessment does not necessarily result in a determination that the patient requires an ALS level of service. Advanced life support...

Advanced Crew Escape Suit.

PubMed

1995-09-01

Design of the S1032 Launch Entry Suit (LES) began following the Challenger loss and NASA's decision to incorporate a Shuttle crew escape system. The LES (see Figure 1) has successfully supported Shuttle missions since NASA's Return to Flight with STS-26 in September 1988. In 1990, engineers began developing the S1035 Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) to serve as a replacement for the LES. The ACES was designed to be a simplified, lightweight, low-bulk pressure suit which aided self donning/doffing, provided improved comfort, and enhanced overall performance to reduce crew member stress and fatigue. Favorable crew member evaluations of a prototype led to full-scale development and qualification of the S1035 ACES between 1990 and 1992. Production of the S1035 ACES began in February 1993, with the first unit delivered to NASA in May 1994. The S1035 ACES first flew aboard STS-68 in August 1994 and will become the primary crew escape suit when the S1032 LES ends its service life in late 1995. The primary goal of the S1035 development program was to provide improved performance over that of the S1032 to minimize the stress and fatigue typically experienced by crew members. To achieve this, five fundamental design objectives were established, resulting in various material/configuration changes.

Limits of Expertise: Rethinking Pilot Error and the Causes of Airline Accidents. CRM/HF Conference, Held in Denver, Colorado on April 16-17, 2006

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dismukes, Key; Berman, Ben; Loukopoulos, Loukisa

2007-01-01

Reviewed NTSB reports of the 19 U.S. airline accidents between 1991-2000 attributed primarily to crew error. Asked: Why might any airline crew in situation of accident crew--knowing only what they knew--be vulnerable. Can never know with certainty why accident crew made specific errors but can determine why the population of pilots is vulnerable. Considers variability of expert performance as function of interplay of multiple factors.

Strategies for the study of flightcrew behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.

1991-01-01

The performance of any flightcrew at any given time is determined by multiple factors ranging from characteristics of individual crewmembers to the regulations governing flight operations. Attention is given to microcoding of communications, survey data on crewmember attitudes as indicators of culture and crew resource management (CRM) training effects, and systematic observation of crew behavior. Consideration is given to advanced CRM training of evaluators, analyses of crew behavior by aircraft type and characteristics, and survey data on crew reactions to line oriented flight training.

Fatigue and Workload in Four-Man C-5A Cockpit Crews (Volant Galaxy).

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

AD-AO91. 1.9 SCI400L OF AEROSPACE MEDICINE BROOKS AFB TX F/6 S/9 FATIGUE AND WORKLOAD ZN FOUR-NAN C-SA COCKPIT CREWS (VOLANT *AL--ETC(U$ AUG 80 W F...release; distribution unlimited. USAF SCHOOL OF ALROSPACE MEDICINE Aerospace Medical Division (AFSC) Brooks Air Force Base, Texas 78235 81 2 NOTICES...This final report was submitted by personnel of the Crew Performance Branch, Crew Technology Division, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine , Aerospace

Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kid: ethical implications of pregnancy on missions to colonize other planets.

PubMed

Schuster, Haley; Peck, Steven L

2016-12-01

The colonization of a new planet will inevitably bring about new bioethical issues. One is the possibility of pregnancy during the mission. During the journey to the target planet or moon, and for the first couple of years before a colony has been established and the colony has been accommodated for children, a pregnancy would jeopardize the safety of the crew and the wellbeing of the child. The principal concern with a pregnancy during an interplanetary mission is that it could put the entire crew in danger. Resources such as air, food, and medical supplies will be limited and calculated to keep the crew members alive. We explore the bioethical concerns of near-future space travel.

Crew Exploration Vehicle Service Module Ascent Abort Coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tedesco, Mark B.; Evans, Bryan M.; Merritt, Deborah S.; Falck, Robert D.

2007-01-01

The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) is required to maintain continuous abort capability from lift off through destination arrival. This requirement is driven by the desire to provide the capability to safely return the crew to Earth after failure scenarios during the various phases of the mission. This paper addresses abort trajectory design considerations, concept of operations and guidance algorithm prototypes for the portion of the ascent trajectory following nominal jettison of the Launch Abort System (LAS) until safe orbit insertion. Factors such as abort system performance, crew load limits, natural environments, crew recovery, and vehicle element disposal were investigated to determine how to achieve continuous vehicle abort capability.

Flight deck crew coordination indices of workload and situation awareness in terminal operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Kyle Kent Edward

Crew coordination in the context of aviation is a specifically choreographed set of tasks performed by each pilot, defined for each phase of flight. Based on the constructs of effective Crew Resource Management and SOPs for each phase of flight, a shared understanding of crew workload and task responsibility is considered representative of well-coordinated crews. Nominal behavior is therefore defined by SOPs and CRM theory, detectable through pilot eye-scan. This research investigates the relationship between the eye-scan exhibited by each pilot and the level of coordination between crewmembers. Crew coordination was evaluated based on each pilot's understanding of the other crewmember's workload. By contrasting each pilot's workload-understanding, crew coordination was measured as the summed absolute difference of each pilot's understanding of the other crewmember's reported workload, resulting in a crew coordination index. The crew coordination index rates crew coordination on a scale ranging across Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor. Eye-scan behavior metrics were found to reliably identify a reduction in crew coordination. Additionally, crew coordination was successfully characterized by eye-scan behavior data using machine learning classification methods. Identifying eye-scan behaviors on the flight deck indicative of reduced crew coordination can be used to inform training programs and design enhanced avionics that improve the overall coordination between the crewmembers and the flight deck interface. Additionally, characterization of crew coordination can be used to develop methods to increase shared situation awareness and crew coordination to reduce operational and flight technical errors. Ultimately, the ability to reduce operational and flight technical errors made by pilot crews improves the safety of aviation.

Status of ISS Water Management and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Wilson, Laura Labuda; Orozco, Nicole

2012-01-01

Water management on ISS is responsible for the provision of water to the crew for drinking water, food preparation, and hygiene, to the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for oxygen production via electrolysis, to the Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for flush water, and for experiments on ISS. This paper summarizes water management activities on the ISS US Segment, and provides a status of the performance and issues related to the operation of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). This paper summarizes the on-orbit status as of May 2011, and describes the technical challenges encountered and lessons learned over the past year.

Psychology and culture during long-duration space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, N.; Sandal, G.; Boyd, J. E.; Gushin, V. I.; Manzey, D.; North, R.; Leon, G. R.; Suedfeld, P.; Bishop, S.; Fiedler, E. R.; Inoue, N.; Johannes, B.; Kealey, D. J.; Kraft, N.; Matsuzaki, I.; Musson, D.; Palinkas, L. A.; Salnitskiy, V. P.; Sipes, W.; Stuster, J.; Wang, J.

2009-04-01

The objective of this paper is twofold: (a) to review the current knowledge of cultural, psychological, psychiatric, cognitive, interpersonal, and organizational issues that are relevant to the behavior and performance of astronaut crews and ground support personnel and (b) to make recommendations for future human space missions, including both transit and planetary surface operations involving the Moon or Mars. The focus will be on long-duration missions lasting at least six weeks, when important psychological and interpersonal factors begin to take their toll on crewmembers. This information is designed to provide guidelines for astronaut selection and training, in-flight monitoring and support, and post-flight recovery and re-adaptation.

Status of ISS Water Management and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Pruitt, Jennifer; Brown, Christopher A.; Bazley, Jesse; Gazda, Daniel; Schaezler, Ryan; Bankers, Lyndsey

2016-01-01

Water management on ISS is responsible for the provision of water to the crew for drinking water, food preparation, and hygiene, to the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for oxygen production via electrolysis, to the Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for flush water, and for experiments on ISS. This paper summarizes water management activities on the ISS US Segment and provides a status of the performance and issues related to the operation of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). This paper summarizes the on-orbit status as of May 2016 and describes the technical challenges encountered and lessons learned over the past year.

Status of ISS Water Management and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Brown, Christopher; Orozco, Nicole

2014-01-01

Water management on ISS is responsible for the provision of water to the crew for drinking water, food preparation, and hygiene, to the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for oxygen production via electrolysis, to the Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for flush water, and for experiments on ISS. This paper summarizes water management activities on the ISS US Segment, and provides a status of the performance and issues related to the operation of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). This paper summarizes the on-orbit status as of June 2013, and describes the technical challenges encountered and lessons learned over the past year.

Status of ISS Water Management and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Tobias, Barry; Orozco, Nicole

2012-01-01

Water management on ISS is responsible for the provision of water to the crew for drinking water, food preparation, and hygiene, to the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for oxygen production via electrolysis, to the Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for flush water, and for experiments on ISS. This paper summarizes water management activities on the ISS US Segment, and provides a status of the performance and issues related to the operation of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). This paper summarizes the on-orbit status as of June 2012, and describes the technical challenges encountered and lessons learned over the past year.

Evaluation of the XSENS Force Shoe on ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, A. M.; Peters, B. T.; Newby, N.; Ploutz-Snyder, L

2014-01-01

The Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) offers crewmembers a wide range of resistance exercises but does not provide any type of load monitoring; any load data received are based on crew self-report of dialed in load. This lack of real-time ARED load monitoring severely limits research analysis. To address this issue, portable load monitoring technologies are being evaluated to act as a surrogate to ARED's failed instrumentation. The XSENS ForceShoe"TM" is a commercial portable load monitoring tool, and performed well in ground tests. The ForceShoe "TM" was recently deployed on the International Space Station (ISS), and is being evaluated as a tool to monitor ARED loads.

Developing the human-computer interface for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holden, Kritina L.

1991-01-01

For the past two years, the Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory (HCIL) at the Johnson Space Center has been involved in prototyping and prototype reviews of in support of the definition phase of the Space Station Freedom program. On the Space Station, crew members will be interacting with multi-monitor workstations where interaction with several displays at one time will be common. The HCIL has conducted several experiments to begin to address design issues for this complex system. Experiments have dealt with design of ON/OFF indicators, the movement of the cursor across multiple monitors, and the importance of various windowing capabilities for users performing multiple tasks simultaneously.

Status of ISS Water Management and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Takada, Kevin; Gazda, Daniel; Brown, Christopher; Bazley, Jesse; Schaezler, Ryan; Bankers, Lyndsey

2017-01-01

Water management on ISS is responsible for the provision of water to the crew for drinking water, food preparation, and hygiene, to the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for oxygen production via electrolysis, to the Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for flush water, and for experiments on ISS. This paper summarizes water management activities on the ISS US Segment and provides a status of the performance and issues related to the operation of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). This paper summarizes the on-orbit status as of June 2017 and describes the technical challenges encountered and lessons learned over the past year.

Status of ISS Water Management and Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Layne; Pruitt, Jennifer; Brown, Christopher A.; Schaezler, Ryan; Bankers, Lyndsey

2015-01-01

Water management on ISS is responsible for the provision of water to the crew for drinking water, food preparation, and hygiene, to the Oxygen Generation System (OGS) for oxygen production via electrolysis, to the Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for flush water, and for experiments on ISS. This paper summarizes water management activities on the ISS US Segment, and provides a status of the performance and issues related to the operation of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) and Urine Processor Assembly (UPA). This paper summarizes the on-orbit status as of May 2015 and describes the technical challenges encountered and lessons learned over the past two years.

Simulation Test Of Descent Advisor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Thomas J.; Green, Steven M.

1991-01-01

Report describes piloted-simulation test of Descent Advisor (DA), subsystem of larger automation system being developed to assist human air-traffic controllers and pilots. Focuses on results of piloted simulation, in which airline crews executed controller-issued descent advisories along standard curved-path arrival routes. Crews able to achieve arrival-time precision of plus or minus 20 seconds at metering fix. Analysis of errors generated in turns resulted in further enhancements of algorithm to increase accuracies of its predicted trajectories. Evaluations by pilots indicate general support for DA concept and provide specific recommendations for improvement.

Waste streams in a crewed space habitat. II

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golub, Morton A.; Wydeven, Theodore

1992-01-01

An update is presented of a compilation of generation rates and chemical compositions of potential waste streams in a typical crewed space habitat which was reported in the NASA Technical Memorandum. New topics under consideration include data obtained from Soviet literature on life support issues and data on various minor human body wastes not presented previously (saliva, Flatus, hair, finger- and toenails, dried skin and skin secretions, tears and semen). Attention is also given to the latest information on the environmental control and life support system design parameters for SSF.

Crew interface with a telerobotic control station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mok, Eva

1987-01-01

A method for apportioning crew-telerobot tasks has been derived to facilitate the design of a crew-friendly telerobot control station. To identify the most appropriate state-of-the-art hardware for the control station, task apportionment must first be conducted to identify if an astronaut or a telerobot is best to execute the task and which displays and controls are required for monitoring and performance. Basic steps that comprise the task analysis process are: (1) identify space station tasks; (2) define tasks; (3) define task performance criteria and perform task apportionment; (4) verify task apportionment; (5) generate control station requirements; (6) develop design concepts to meet requirements; and (7) test and verify design concepts.

A study of human performance in a rotating environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. A.; Peacock, J. L.; Holm, A. P.

1971-01-01

Consideration is given to the lack of sufficient data relative to the response of man to the attendant oculovestibular stimulations induced by multi-directional movement of an individual within the rotating environment to provide the required design criteria. This was done to determine the overall impact of artificial gravity simulations on potential design configurations and crew operational procedures. Gross locomotion and fine motor performance were evaluated. Results indicate that crew orientation, rotational rates, vehicle design configurations, and operational procedures may be used to reduce the severity of the adverse effects of the Coriolis and cross-coupled angular accelerations acting on masses moving within a rotating environment. Results further indicate that crew selection, motivation, and short-term exposures to the rotating environment may be important considerations for future crew indoctrination and training programs.

KSC-08pd1962

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-07-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-125 crew members are lowered into space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay for a close look at the hardware. Equipment familiarization is part of the crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with hardware and equipment for the mission. Crew members are Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8 on the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission crew will perform history-making, on-orbit “surgery” on two important science instruments aboard the telescope. After capturing the telescope, two teams of spacewalking astronauts will perform the repairs during five planned spacewalks. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-08pd1960

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-07-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-125 crew members are lowered into space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay for a close look at the hardware. Equipment familiarization is part of the crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with hardware and equipment for the mission. Crew members are Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino and Andrew Feustel. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8 on the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission crew will perform history-making, on-orbit “surgery” on two important science instruments aboard the telescope. After capturing the telescope, two teams of spacewalking astronauts will perform the repairs during five planned spacewalks. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Psychosocial issues during an expedition to Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, Nick

2014-10-01

Much is known about psychological and interpersonal issues affecting astronauts participating in manned space missions near the Earth. But in a future long-distance, long-duration expedition to Mars, additional stressors will occur that will result in psychological, psychiatric, and interpersonal effects on the crew, both negative and positive. This paper will review what is known about important psychosocial issues in space and will extrapolate them to the scenario of a future manned space mission to Mars.

77 FR 57039 - Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplane; Electronic Flight Control System...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-17

... the noise certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36 and the FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy under Sec. 611 of Public Law 92-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.'' The FAA issues special... necessary crew awareness and being a potential nuisance to the flightcrew. A monitoring system that compares...

Medical and Urologic Issues in Space Flight and Lunar/Mars Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jeffrey A.

2004-01-01

Dr. Jeffrey Jones will be talking about medical issues in space flight secondary to microgravity: fluid shifts, orthostatic changes, muscle and endurance losses, bone mineral losses, radiation exposure, etc. He will discuss the International Space Station (ISS) benefits to medicine. He will show the ISS crew video and share the President's new vision as per the speaker's bureau direction.

Developing Crew Health Care and Habitability Systems for the Exploration Vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laurini, Kathy; Sawin, Charles F.

2006-01-01

This paper will discuss the specific mission architectures associated with the NASA Exploration Vision and review the challenges and drivers associated with developing crew health care and habitability systems to manage human system risks. Crew health care systems must be provided to manage crew health within acceptable limits, as well as respond to medical contingencies that may occur during exploration missions. Habitability systems must enable crew performance for the tasks necessary to support the missions. During the summer of 2005, NASA defined its exploration architecture including blueprints for missions to the moon and to Mars. These mission architectures require research and technology development to focus on the operational risks associated with each mission, as well as the risks to long term astronaut health. This paper will review the highest priority risks associated with the various missions and discuss NASA s strategies and plans for performing the research and technology development necessary to manage the risks to acceptable levels.

STS-101 Commander Halsell and crew after arriving for TCDT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

At the Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-101 Commander James Halsell waves to the media as he and other crew members cross the tarmac to a waiting bus. At right is a film crew; in the foreground at left is Delores Green, flight crew support specialist lead for the astronaut crew quarters. Other crew members in the background are Mission Specialist Jeffrey Williams, Pilot Scott Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Mary Ellen Weber and Yuri Usachev. Not visible in the photo is Mission Specialist Susan Helms. During their mission to the International Space Station, the STS-101 crew will be delivering logistics and supplies, plus preparing the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk to perform maintenance on the Space Station. This will be the third assembly flight for the Space Station. STS-101 is scheduled to launch April 24 at 4:15 p.m. from Launch Pad 39A.

NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the Next Step in U.S. Space Transportation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mango, Edward J., Jr.

2013-01-01

The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) is leading NASA's efforts to develop the next U.S. capability for crew transportation and rescue services to and from the International Space Station (ISS) by the middecade timeframe. The outcome of this capability is expected to stimulate and expand the U.S. space transportation industry. NASA is relying on its decades of human space flight experience to certify U.S. crewed vehicles to the ISS and is doing so in a two phase certification approach. NASA certification will cover all aspects of a crew transportation system, including: Development, test, evaluation, and verification. Program management and control. Flight readiness certification. Launch, landing, recovery, and mission operations. Sustaining engineering and maintenance/upgrades. To ensure NASA crew safety, NASA certification will validate technical and performance requirements, verify compliance with NASA requirements, validate that the crew transportation system operates in the appropriate environments, and quantify residual risks. The Commercial Crew Program will present progress to date and how it manages safety and reduces risk.

NASA's Commercial Crew Program, The Next Step in U.S. Space Transportation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mango, Edward J.; Thomas, Rayelle E.

2013-01-01

The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) is leading NASA's efforts to develop the next U.S. capability for crew transportation and rescue services to and from the International Space Station (ISS) by the mid-decade timeframe. The outcome of this capability is expected to stimulate and expand the U.S. space transportation industry. NASA is relying on its decades of human space flight experience to certify U.S. crewed vehicles to the ISS and is doing so in a two phase certification approach. NASA Certification will cover all aspects of a crew transportation system, including development, test, evaluation, and verification; program management and control; flight readiness certification; launch, landing, recovery, and mission operations; sustaining engineering and maintenance/upgrades. To ensure NASA crew safety, NASA Certification will validate technical and performance requirements, verify compliance with NASA requirements, validate the crew transportation system operates in appropriate environments, and quantify residual risks.

Information Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holden, Kritina L.; Thompson, Shelby G.; Sandor, Aniko; McCann, Robert S.; Kaiser, Mary K.; Adelstein, Barnard D.; Begault, Durand R.; Beutter, Brent R.; Stone, Leland S.; Godfroy, Martine

2009-01-01

The goal of the Information Presentation Directed Research Project (DRP) is to address design questions related to the presentation of information to the crew. In addition to addressing display design issues associated with information formatting, style, layout, and interaction, the Information Presentation DRP is also working toward understanding the effects of extreme environments encountered in space travel on information processing. Work is also in progress to refine human factors-based design tools, such as human performance modeling, that will supplement traditional design techniques and help ensure that optimal information design is accomplished in the most cost-efficient manner. The major areas of work, or subtasks, within the Information Presentation DRP for FY10 are: 1) Displays, 2) Controls, 3) Procedures and Fault Management, and 4) Human Performance Modeling. The poster will highlight completed and planned work for each subtask.

Continuation of advanced crew procedures development techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arbet, J. D.; Benbow, R. L.; Evans, M. E.; Mangiaracina, A. A.; Mcgavern, J. L.; Spangler, M. C.; Tatum, I. C.

1976-01-01

An operational computer program, the Procedures and Performance Program (PPP) which operates in conjunction with the Phase I Shuttle Procedures Simulator to provide a procedures recording and crew/vehicle performance monitoring capability was developed. A technical synopsis of each task resulting in the development of the Procedures and Performance Program is provided. Conclusions and recommendations for action leading to the improvements in production of crew procedures development and crew training support are included. The PPP provides real-time CRT displays and post-run hardcopy output of procedures, difference procedures, performance data, parametric analysis data, and training script/training status data. During post-run, the program is designed to support evaluation through the reconstruction of displays to any point in time. A permanent record of the simulation exercise can be obtained via hardcopy output of the display data and via transfer to the Generalized Documentation Processor (GDP). Reference procedures data may be transferred from the GDP to the PPP. Interface is provided with the all digital trajectory program, the Space Vehicle Dynamics Simulator (SVDS) to support initial procedures timeline development.

Quest airlock with malfunctioning EMU

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-27

ISS036-E-037243 (27 Aug. 2013) --- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, works with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station. Cassidy is performing a checkout of the spacesuit worn by European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano during a July 16 spacewalk that was cut short when its helmet began to fill with water. After assembling and powering up the empty suit as if it were about to go out on another spacewalk, Cassidy and Parmitano (out of frame) observed water once again leaking into the helmet. With the issue reproduced, NASA now has a baseline configuration for the crew to begin swapping out parts for additional tests to pinpoint the problem. There are also opportunities to either launch replacement parts on upcoming cargo flights or return parts to Earth for further study once more is known about the cause of the issue.

Cassidy in Quest airlock with malfunctioning EMU

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-27

ISS036-E-037230 (27 Aug. 2013) --- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, works with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station. Cassidy is performing a checkout of the spacesuit worn by European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano during a July 16 spacewalk that was cut short when its helmet began to fill with water. After assembling and powering up the empty suit as if it were about to go out on another spacewalk, Cassidy and Parmitano (out of frame) observed water once again leaking into the helmet. With the issue reproduced, NASA now has a baseline configuration for the crew to begin swapping out parts for additional tests to pinpoint the problem. There are also opportunities to either launch replacement parts on upcoming cargo flights or return parts to Earth for further study once more is known about the cause of the issue.

Cassidy in Quest airlock with malfunctioning EMU

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-27

ISS036-E-037231 (27 Aug. 2013) --- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Expedition 36 flight engineer, works with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station. Cassidy is performing a checkout of the spacesuit worn by European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano during a July 16 spacewalk that was cut short when its helmet began to fill with water. After assembling and powering up the empty suit as if it were about to go out on another spacewalk, Cassidy and Parmitano (out of frame) observed water once again leaking into the helmet. With the issue reproduced, NASA now has a baseline configuration for the crew to begin swapping out parts for additional tests to pinpoint the problem. There are also opportunities to either launch replacement parts on upcoming cargo flights or return parts to Earth for further study once more is known about the cause of the issue.

Rocking the boat: does perfect rowing crew synchronization reduce detrimental boat movements?

PubMed

Cuijpers, L S; Passos, P J M; Murgia, A; Hoogerheide, A; Lemmink, K A P M; de Poel, H J

2017-12-01

In crew rowing, crew members need to mutually synchronize their movements to achieve optimal crew performance. Intuitively, poor crew coordination is often deemed to involve additional boat movements such as surge velocity fluctuations, heave, pitch, and roll, which would imply lower efficiency (eg, due to increased hydrodynamic drag). The aim of this study was to investigate this alleged relation between crew coordination and boat movements at different stroke rates. Fifteen crews of two rowers rowed in a double scull (ie, a two-person boat) at 18, 22, 26, 30, and 34 strokes per minute. Oar angles (using potentiometers) and movements of the boat (using a three-axial accelerometer-gyroscope sensor) were measured (200 Hz). Results indicated that crew synchronization became more consistent with stroke rate, while surge, heave, and pitch fluctuations increased. Further, within each stroke rate condition, better crew synchronization was related to less roll of the boat, but increased fluctuations regarding surge, heave, and pitch. Together this demonstrates that while better crew synchronization relates to enhanced lateral stability of the boat, it inevitably involves more detrimental boat movements and hence involves lower biomechanical efficiency. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Crew Factors in Flight Operations. 8; A Survey of Fatigue Factors in Corporate/Executive A Viation Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosekind, Mark R.; Co, Elizabeth L.; Gregory, Kevin B.; Miller, Donna L.

2000-01-01

Corporate flight crews face unique challenges including unscheduled flights, quickly changing schedules, extended duty days, long waits, time zone changes, and peripheral tasks. Most corporate operations are regulated by Part 91 FARs which set no flight or duty time limits. The objective of this study was to identify operationally significant factors that may influence fatigue, alertness, and performance in corporate operations. In collaboration with the National Business Aircraft Association and the Flight Safety Foundation, NASA developed and distributed a retrospective survey comprising 107 questions addressing demographics, home sleep habits, flight experience, duty schedules, fatigue during operations, and work environment. Corporate crewmembers returned 1,488 surveys. Respondents averaged 45.2 years of age, had 14.9 years of corporate flying experience, and 9,750 total flight hours. The majority (89%) rated themselves as 'good' or 'very good' sleepers at home. Most (82%) indicated they are subject to call for duty and described an average duty day of 9.9 h. About two-thirds reported having a daily duty time limit and over half (57%) reported a daily flight time limit. Nearly three-quarters (71%) acknowledged having 'nodded off' during a flight. Only 21% reported that their flight departments offer training on fatigue issues. Almost three-quarters (74%) described fatigue as a 'moderate' or 'serious' concern, and a majority (61%) characterized it as a common occurrence. Most (85%) identified fatigue as a 'moderate' or 'serious' safety issue.

Sonic Boom Assessment for the Crew Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herron, Marissa

2007-01-01

The Constellation Environmental Impact Statement (Cx EIS) requires that an assessment be performed on the environmental impact of sonic booms during the reentry of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). This included an analysis of current planned vehicle trajectories for the Crew Module (CM) and the Service Module (SM) debris and the determination of the potential impact to the overflown environment.

A study of space station needs, attributes, and architectural options, volume 2, technical. Book 2: Mission implementation concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Space station systems characteristics and architecture are described. A manned space station operational analysis is performed to determine crew size, crew task complexity and time tables, and crew equipment to support the definition of systems and subsystems concepts. This analysis is used to select and evaluate the architectural options for development.

Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance During Launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holden, Kritina

2009-01-01

The Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance During Launch (Visual Performance) investigation will determine visual performance limits during operational vibration and g-loads on the Space Shuttle, specifically through the determination of minimum readable font size during ascent using planned Orion display formats. Research Summary: The aim of the Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance during Launch (Visual Performance) investigation is to provide supplementary data to that collected by the Thrust Oscillation Seat Detailed Technical Objective (DTO) 695 (Crew Seat DTO) which will measure seat acceleration and vibration from one flight deck and two middeck seats during ascent. While the Crew Seat DTO data alone are important in terms of providing a measure of vibration and g-loading, human performance data are required to fully interpret the operational consequences of the vibration values collected during Space Shuttle ascent. During launch, crewmembers will be requested to view placards with varying font sizes and indicate the minimum readable size. In combination with the Crew Seat DTO, the Visual Performance investigation will: Provide flight-validated evidence that will be used to establish vibration limits for visual performance during combined vibration and linear g-loading. o Provide flight data as inputs to ongoing ground-based simulations, which will further validate crew visual performance under vibration loading in a controlled environment. o Provide vibration and performance metrics to help validate procedures for ground tests and analyses of seats, suits, displays and controls, and human-in-the-loop performance.

ARC-2006-ACD06-0145-065

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-03-23

CEV TPS Advanced Develpment Project IHF-171 testing TSF photos (Crew Escape Vehicle Thermal Protection System) cleared for release by NASA Ames Thermo-Physics Facilities Branch - Image used for cover of Aerospace America magazine April 2007 issue

Objective Situation Awareness Measurement Based on Performance Self-Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeMaio, Joe

1998-01-01

The research was conducted in support of the NASA Safe All-Weather Flight Operations for Rotorcraft (SAFOR) program. The purpose of the work was to investigate the utility of two measurement tools developed by the British Defense Evaluation Research Agency. These tools were a subjective workload assessment scale, the DRA Workload Scale and a situation awareness measurement tool. The situation awareness tool uses a comparison of the crew's self-evaluation of performance against actual performance in order to determine what information the crew attended to during the performance. These two measurement tools were evaluated in the context of a test of innovative approach to alerting the crew by way of a helmet mounted display. The situation assessment data are reported here. The performance self-evaluation metric of situation awareness was found to be highly effective. It was used to evaluate situation awareness on a tank reconnaissance task, a tactical navigation task, and a stylized task used to evaluated handling qualities. Using the self-evaluation metric, it was possible to evaluate situation awareness, without exact knowledge the relevant information in some cases and to identify information to which the crew attended or failed to attend in others.

Decision Making in Action

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment. Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. A similar observation has been made in nuclear power plants. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful in improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multidimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication contributes to performance because it assures that all crew members have essential information, but it also regulates and coordinates crew actions and is the medium of collective thinking in response to a problem. This presentation will examine the relations between leadership, communication, decision making and overall crew performance. Implications of these findings for spaceflight and training for offshore installations will be discussed.

Decision Making in Action: Applying Research to Practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The importance of decision-making to safety in complex, dynamic environments like mission control centers and offshore installations has been well established. NASA-ARC has a program of research dedicated to fostering safe and effective decision-making in the manned spaceflight environment. Because access to spaceflight is limited, environments with similar characteristics, including aviation and nuclear power plants, serve as analogs from which space-relevant data can be gathered and theories developed. Analyses of aviation accidents cite crew judgement and decision making as causes or contributing factors in over half of all accidents. A similar observation has been made in nuclear power plants. Yet laboratory research on decision making has not proven especially helpful in improving the quality of decisions in these kinds of environments. One reason is that the traditional, analytic decision models are inappropriate to multidimensional, high-risk environments, and do not accurately describe what expert human decision makers do when they make decisions that have consequences. A new model of dynamic, naturalistic decision making is offered that may prove useful for improving decision making in complex, isolated, confined and high-risk environments. Based on analyses of crew performance in full-mission simulators and accident reports, features that define effective decision strategies in abnormal or emergency situations have been identified. These include accurate situation assessment (including time and risk assessment), appreciation of the complexity of the problem, sensitivity to constraints on the decision, timeliness of the response, and use of adequate information. More effective crews also manage their workload to provide themselves with time and resources to make good decisions. In brief, good decisions are appropriate to the demands of the situation. Effective crew decision making and overall performance are mediated by crew communication. Communication contributes to performance because it assures that all crew members have essential information, but it also regulates and coordinates crew actions and is the medium of collective thinking in response to a problem. This presentation will examine the relations between leadership, communication, decision making and overall crew performance. Implications of these findings for spaceflight and training for offshore installations will be discussed.

How HRP Research Results Contribute to Human Space Exploration Risk Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lumpkins, S. B.; Mindock, J. A.

2014-01-01

In addition to the scientific value of publications derived from research, results from Human Research Program (HRP) research also support HRP’s goals of mitigating crew health and performance risks in space flight. Research results are used to build the evidence base characterizing crew health and performance risks, to support risk research plan development, to inform crew health and performance standards, and to provide technologies to programs for meeting those standards and optimizing crew health and performance in space. This talk will describe examples of how research results support these efforts. For example, HRP research results are used to revise or even create new standards for human space flight, which have been established to protect crew health and performance during flight, and prevent negative long-term health consequences due to space flight. These standards are based on the best available clinical and scientific evidence, as well as operational experience from previous space flight missions, and are reviewed as new evidence emerges. Research results are also used to update the HRP evidence base, which is comprised of a set of reports that provide a current record of the state of knowledge from research and operations for each of the defined human health and performance risks for future NASA exploration missions. A discussion of the role of evidence within the HRP architecture will also be presented. The scope of HRP research results extends well beyond publications, as they are used in several capacities to support HRP deliverables and, ultimately, the advancement of human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

How HRP Research Results Contribute to Human Space Exploration Risk Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lumpkins, Sarah; Mindock, Jennifer

2014-01-01

In addition to the scientific value of publications derived from research, results from Human Research Program (HRP) research also support HRP's goals of mitigating crew health and performance risks in space flight. Research results are used to build the evidence base characterizing crew health and performance risks, to support risk research plan development, to inform crew health and performance standards, and to provide technologies to programs for meeting those standards and optimizing crew health and performance in space. This talk will describe examples of how research results support these efforts. For example, HRP research results are used to revise or even create new standards for human space flight, which have been established to protect crew health and performance during flight, and prevent negative long-term health consequences due to space flight. These standards are based on the best available clinical and scientific evidence, as well as operational experience from previous space flight missions, and are reviewed as new evidence emerges. Research results are also used to update the HRP evidence base, which is comprised of a set of reports that provide a current record of the state of knowledge from research and operations for each of the defined human health and performance risks for future NASA exploration missions. A discussion of the role of evidence within the HRP architecture will also be presented. The scope of HRP research results extends well beyond publications, as they are used in several capacities to support HRP deliverables and, ultimately, the advancement of human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

Realistic training for effective crew performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foushee, H. C.

1985-01-01

Evaluation of incident and accident statistics reveals that most problems occur not because of a lack of proficiency in pilot training, but because of the inability to coordinate skills into effective courses of action. Line-Oriented Flight Training (LOFT) and Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) programs provide training which will develop both individual crew member skills, as well as those associated with effective group function. A study conducted by NASA at the request of the U.S. Congress supports the argument for training that enhances crew performance in addition to providing individual technical skills, and is described in detail.

Adaptive Attitude Control of the Crew Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muse, Jonathan

2010-01-01

An H(sub infinity)-NMA architecture for the Crew Launch Vehicle was developed in a state feedback setting. The minimal complexity adaptive law was shown to improve base line performance relative to a performance metric based on Crew Launch Vehicle design requirements for all most all of the Worst-on-Worst dispersion cases. The adaptive law was able to maintain stability for some dispersions that are unstable with the nominal control law. Due to the nature of the H(sub infinity)-NMA architecture, the augmented adaptive control signal has low bandwidth which is a great benefit for a manned launch vehicle.

The perfect boring situation-Addressing the experience of monotony during crewed deep space missions through habitability design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peldszus, Regina; Dalke, Hilary; Pretlove, Stephen; Welch, Chris

2014-01-01

In contemporary orbital missions, workloads are so high and varied that crew may rarely experience stretches of monotony. However, in historical long duration missions, occurrences of monotony were, indeed, reported anecdotally by crew. Of the effective countermeasures that appear to be at hand, many rely on visual or logistical proximity to the Earth, and are not feasible in the remote context of an extended deep space mission scenario. There, particularly in- and outbound cruising stages would be characterised by longer, comparably uneventful periods of low workload, coupled with confinement and unchanging vehicle surroundings. While the challenge of monotony has been pointed out as an exploration-related research area, it has received less explicit attention from a habitation design perspective than other human behaviour and performance issues. The paper addresses this gap through a literature review of the theory and application of design-based mitigation strategies. It outlines models of emergence of monotony, situates the phenomenon in a remote mission context as a problem of sensory, social and spatio-temporal isolation, and discusses proposed countermeasures related to habitability. The scope of the literature is extended to primary sources in the form of a qualitative review of six onboard diaries from orbital and simulator missions, highlighting a range of habitat-related design themes. These are translated into the autonomous deep space setting with the overall rationale of integrating affordances into onboard habitation systems and placing emphasis on reinforcing positive situational characteristics.

The Effect of Predicted Vehicle Displacement on Ground Crew Task Performance and Hardware Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atencio, Laura Ashley; Reynolds, David W.

2011-01-01

NASA continues to explore new launch vehicle concepts that will carry astronauts to low- Earth orbit to replace the soon-to-be retired Space Transportation System (STS) shuttle. A tall vertically stacked launch vehicle (> or =300 ft) is exposed to the natural environment while positioned on the launch pad. Varying directional winds and vortex shedding cause the vehicle to sway in an oscillating motion. Ground crews working high on the tower and inside the vehicle during launch preparations will be subjected to this motion while conducting critical closeout tasks such as mating fluid and electrical connectors and carrying heavy objects. NASA has not experienced performing these tasks in such environments since the Saturn V, which was serviced from a movable (but rigid) service structure; commercial launchers are likewise attended by a service structure that moves away from the vehicle for launch. There is concern that vehicle displacement may hinder ground crew operations, impact the ground system designs, and ultimately affect launch availability. The vehicle sway assessment objective is to replicate predicted frequencies and displacements of these tall vehicles, examine typical ground crew tasks, and provide insight into potential vehicle design considerations and ground crew performance guidelines. This paper outlines the methodology, configurations, and motion testing performed while conducting the vehicle displacement assessment that will be used as a Technical Memorandum for future vertically stacked vehicle designs.

STS-87 crew participates in Crew Equipment Interface Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Participating in the Crew Equipment Integration Test (CEIT) at Kennedy Space Center are STS-87 crew members, assisted by Glenda Laws, extravehicular activity (EVA) coordinator, Johnson Space Center. Standing behind Laws are Takao Doi, Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan, and Winston Scott, both mission specialists on STS-87. The STS-87 mission will be the fourth United States Microgravity Payload and flight of the Spartan-201 deployable satellite. During the mission, scheduled for a Nov. 19 liftoff from KSC, Dr. Doi and Scott will both perform spacewalks.

Astronaut activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loftus, J. P., Jr.; Bond, R. L.; Patton, R. M.

1975-01-01

Human factors pertinent to the design and operation of spacecraft are considered. The geometric characteristics of spacecraft that define the degree and type of confinement imposed on the crew and the character of equipment management and housekeeping necessary for hygiene, comfort and safety are discussed. The controls and displays of various spacecraft are described to indicate the degree to which crew functions become integral to functions of the total spacecraft. The contributions of the crew to system reliability and performance are summarized and the increasing significance of the crew's role in scientific observation and experimentation is noted.

Fundamentals of Space Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clément, G.

2003-10-01

As of today, a total of more than 240 human space flights have been completed, involving about 450 astronauts from various countries, for a combined total presence in space of more than 70 years. The seventh long-duration expedition crew is currently in residence aboard the International Space Station, continuing a permanent presence in space that began in October 2000. During that time, investigations have been conducted on both humans and animal models to study the bone demineralization and muscle deconditioning, space motion sickness, the causes and possible treatment of postflight orthostatic intolerance, the changes in immune function, crew and crew-ground interactions, and the medical issues of living in a space environment, such as the effects of radiation or the risk of developing kidney stones. Some results of these investigations have led to fundamental discoveries about the adaptation of the human body to the space environment. Gilles Clément has been active in this research. This book presents in a readable text the findings from the life science experiments conducted during and after space missions. Topics discussed in this book include: adaptation of sensory-motor, cardiovascular, bone and muscle systems to the microgravity of spaceflight; psychological and sociological issues of living in a confined, isolated and stressful environment; operational space medicine, such as crew selection, training and in-flight health monitoring, countermeasures and support; results of space biology experiments on individual cells, plants, and animal models; and the impact of long-duration missions such as the human mission to Mars. The author also provides a detailed description of how to fly a space experiment, based on his own experience with research projects conducted onboard Salyut-7, Mir, Spacelab, and the Space Shuttle. Now is the time to look at the future of human spaceflight and what comes next. The future human exploration of Mars captures the imagination of both the public and the scientific community. Many physiological, psychological, operational, and scientific issues need to be solved before the first crew will explore the enigmatic Red Planet. This book also identifies the showstoppers that can be foreseen and what do we need to learn to understand fully the implications and risks of such a mission. Link: http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/1-4020-1598-4>

Achieving the Proper Balance Between Crew and Public Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gowan, John; Silvestri, Ray; Stahl, Ben; Rosati, Paul; Wilde, Paul

2011-01-01

A paramount objective of all human-rated launch and reentry vehicle developers is to ensure that the risks to both the crew onboard and the public are minimized within reasonable cost, schedule, and technical constraints. Past experience has shown that proper attention to range safety requirements necessary to ensure public safety must be given early in the design phase to avoid additional operational complexities or threats to the safety of people onboard, and the design engineers must give these requirements the same consideration as crew safety requirements. For human spaceflight, the primary purpose and operational concept for any flight safety system is to protect the public while maximizing the likelihood of crew survival. This paper will outline the policy considerations, technical issues, and operational impacts regarding launch and reentry vehicle failure scenarios where crew and public safety are intertwined and thus addressed optimally in an integrated manner. An overview of existing range and crew safety policy requirements will be presented. Application of these requirements and lessons learned from both the Space Shuttle and Constellation Programs will also be discussed. Using these past programs as examples, the paper will detail operational, design, and analysis approaches to mitigate and balance the risks to people onboard and in the public. Manned vehicle perspectives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Air Force organizations that oversee public safety will be summarized as well. Finally, the paper will emphasize the need to factor policy, operational, and analysis considerations into the early design trades of new vehicles to help ensure that both crew and public safety are maximized to the greatest extent possible.

Crew procedures and workload of retrofit concepts for microwave landing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summers, Leland G.; Jonsson, Jon E.

1989-01-01

Crew procedures and workload for Microwave Landing Systems (MLS) that could be retrofitted into existing transport aircraft were evaluated. Two MLS receiver concepts were developed. One is capable of capturing a runway centerline and the other is capable of capturing a segmented approach path. Crew procedures were identified and crew task analyses were performed using each concept. Crew workload comparisons were made between the MLS concepts and an ILS baseline using a task-timeline workload model. Workload indexes were obtained for each scenario. The results showed that workload was comparable to the ILS baseline for the MLS centerline capture concept, but significantly higher for the segmented path capture concept.

Application and use of spinal immobilization devices in zero-gravity flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krupa, Debra T.; Gosbee, John; Billica, Roger; Boyce, Joey B.

1991-01-01

A KC-135 parabolic flight was performed for the purpose of evaluation of spinal immobilization techniques in microgravity. The flight followed the standard 40 parabola profile with four NASA/KRUG experimenters involved. One performed as coordinator/recorder, one as test subject, and two as the Crew Medical Officers (CMO). The flight was to evaluate the application of spinal immobilization devices and techniques in microgravity as are performed during initial stabilization or patient transport scenarios. The sequence of detail for examination of the following objectives included: attempted cervical spine immobilization with all free floating, the patient restrained to the floor, various hand positioning techniques; c-collar placement; Kendrick Extrication Device (KED) application with various restraints for patient and CMO; patient immobilization and transport using the KED; patient transported on KED and spine board. Observations for each task are included. Major conclusions and issues are also included.

The NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program: The Next Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosekind, Mark R.; Neri, David F.; Miller, Donna L.; Gregory, Kevin B.; Webbon, Lissa L.; Oyung, Ray L.

1997-01-01

Twenty-four hour, global aviation operations pose unique challenges to humans. Physiological requirements related to sleep, the internal circadian clock, and human fatigue are critical factors that are known to affect safety, performance, and productivity. Understanding the human operators' physiological capabilities, and limitations, will be important to address these issues as global demand for aviation activities continues to increase. In 1980, in response to a Congressional request, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center initiated a Fatigue/Jet Lag Program to examine the role of fatigue in flight operations. Originally established by Dr. John K. Lauber and Dr. Charles E. Billings, the Program was designed to address three objectives: (1) determine the extent of fatigue, sleep loss, and circadian disruption in flight operations; (2) determine how fatigue affected flight crew performance; and (3) develop strategies to maximize performance and alertness during flight operations.

Systemic delay propagation in the US airport network

PubMed Central

Fleurquin, Pablo; Ramasco, José J.; Eguiluz, Victor M.

2013-01-01

Technologically driven transport systems are characterized by a networked structure connecting operation centers and by a dynamics ruled by pre-established schedules. Schedules impose serious constraints on the timing of the operations, condition the allocation of resources and define a baseline to assess system performance. Here we study the performance of an air transportation system in terms of delays. Technical, operational or meteorological issues affecting some flights give rise to primary delays. When operations continue, such delays can propagate, magnify and eventually involve a significant part of the network. We define metrics able to quantify the level of network congestion and introduce a model that reproduces the delay propagation patterns observed in the U.S. performance data. Our results indicate that there is a non-negligible risk of systemic instability even under normal operating conditions. We also identify passenger and crew connectivity as the most relevant internal factor contributing to delay spreading. PMID:23362459

Crew Resource Management An Introductory Handbook

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-08-01

Recent research findings suggest that crew resource management (CRM) training can : result in significant improvements in flightcrew performance. The objectives of this : handbook are to foster an understanding of the background and philosophy of CRM...

KSC-08pd1961

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-07-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-125 crew members are lowered into space shuttle Atlantis' payload bay for a close look at the hardware. Equipment familiarization is part of the crew equipment interface test, which provides hands-on experience with hardware and equipment for the mission. Crew members are Commander Scott Altman, Pilot Gregory C. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Michael Good, Megan McArthur, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino (reaching toward the airlock) and Andrew Feustel. Atlantis is targeted to launch Oct. 8 on the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission crew will perform history-making, on-orbit “surgery” on two important science instruments aboard the telescope. After capturing the telescope, two teams of spacewalking astronauts will perform the repairs during five planned spacewalks. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Development of Urine Receptacle Assembly for the Crew Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cibuzar, Branelle Rae; Thomas, Evan; Peterson, Laurie; Goforth, Johanna

2008-01-01

The Urine Receptacle Assembly (URA) initially was developed for Apollo as a primary means of urine collection. The aluminum housing with stainless steel honeycomb insert provided all male crewmembers with a non-invasive means of micturating into a urine capturing device and then venting to space. The performance of the URA was a substantial improvement over previous devices but its performance was not well understood. The Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) program is exploring the URA as a contingency liquid waste management system for the vehicle. URA improvements are required to meet CEV requirements, including: consumables minimization, flow performance, acceptable hygiene standards, crew comfort, and female crewmember capability. This paper presents the results of a historical review of URA performance during the Apollo program, recent URA performance tests on the reduced gravity aircraft flight under varying flow conditions, and a proposed development plan for the URA to meet CEV needs.

The Effects of a 48-Hour Period of Sustained Field Activity on Tank Crew Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ainsworth, L. L.; Bishop, H. P.

This report describes the effects of 48 hours of sustained operations on the performance of tank crews in communication, driving, surveillance, gunnery, and maintenance tasks. It is a continuation of research to determine the endurance of troops using combat equipment with 48-hour capability. Proficienty tests were constructed for each type of…

Man in space - A time for perspective. [crew performance on Space Shuttle-Spacelab program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winter, D. L.

1975-01-01

Factors affecting crew performances in long-term space flights are examined with emphasis on the Space Shuttle-Spacelab program. Biomedical investigations carried out during four Skylab missions indicate that initially rapid changes in certain physiological parameters, notably in cardiovascular response and red-blood-cell levels, lead to an adapted condition. Calcium loss remains a potential problem. Space Shuttle environmental control and life-support systems are described together with technology facilitating performance of mission objectives in a weightless environment. It is concluded that crew requirements are within the physical and psychological capability of astronauts, but the extent to which nonastronaut personnel will be able to participate without extensive training and pre-conditioning remains to be determined.

Crew Alertness Management on the Flight Deck: Cognitive and Vigilance Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinges, David F.

1998-01-01

This project had three broad goals: (1) to identify environmental and organismic risks to performance of long-haul cockpit crews; (2) to assess how cognitive and psychomotor vigilance performance, and subjective measures of alertness, were affected by work-rest schedules typical of long-haul cockpit crews; and (3) to determine the alertness-promoting effectiveness of behavioral and technological countermeasures to fatigue on the flight deck. During the course of the research, a number of studies were completed in cooperation with the NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Program. The publications emerging from this project are listed in a bibliography in the appendix. Progress toward these goals will be summarized below according to the period in which it was accomplished.

FRAMEWORK AND APPLICATION FOR MODELING CONTROL ROOM CREW PERFORMANCE AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronald L Boring; David I Gertman; Tuan Q Tran

2008-09-01

This paper summarizes an emerging project regarding the utilization of high-fidelity MIDAS simulations for visualizing and modeling control room crew performance at nuclear power plants. The key envisioned uses for MIDAS-based control room simulations are: (i) the estimation of human error associated with advanced control room equipment and configurations, (ii) the investigative determination of contributory cognitive factors for risk significant scenarios involving control room operating crews, and (iii) the certification of reduced staffing levels in advanced control rooms. It is proposed that MIDAS serves as a key component for the effective modeling of cognition, elements of situation awareness, and riskmore » associated with human performance in next generation control rooms.« less

The Effects of Long-Duration Spaceflight on Training Retention and Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel; Healy, Alice; Dempsey, Donna L.; McGuire, Kerry M.; Landon, Lauren B.

2018-01-01

Training our crew members for long duration, exploration-class missions will have to maximize long-term retention and transfer of the trained skills. The expected duration of the missions, our inability to predict all the possible tasks the crew will be called upon to perform, and the low training-to-mission time ratio require that the training be maximally effective such that the skills acquired during training will be retained and will be transferrable across a wide range of specific tasks that are different from the particular tasks used during training. However, to be able to design training that can achieve these ambitious goals, we must first understand the ways in which long-duration spaceflight affects training retention and transfer. Current theories of training retention and transfer are largely based on experimental studies conducted at university laboratories using undergraduate students as participants. Furthermore, all such studies have been conducted on Earth. We do not know how well the results of these studies predict the performance of crew members. More specifically, we do not know how well the results of these studies predict the performance of crew members in space and especially during long-duration missions. To address this gap in our knowledge, the current on-going study seeks to test the null hypothesis that performance of university undergraduate students on Earth on training retention and transfer tests do in fact predict accurately the performance of crew members during long-duration spaceflights. To test this hypothesis, the study employs a single 16-month long experimental protocol with 3 different participant groups: undergraduate university students, crew members on the ground, and crew members in space. Results from this study will be presented upon its completion. This poster presents results of study trials of the two tasks used in this study: a data entry task and a mapping task. By researching established training principles, by examining future needs, and by using current practices in spaceflight training as test beds, this research project is mitigating program risks and generating templates and requirements to meet future training needs.

The Effects of Long-Duration Spaceflight on Training Retention and Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel; Healy, Alice; Dempsey, Donna L.; Mcguire, Kerry; Landon, Lauren

2017-01-01

Training our crew members for long duration, exploration-class missions will have to maximize long-term retention and transfer of the trained skills. The expected duration of the missions, our inability to predict all the possible tasks the crew will be called upon to perform, and the low training-to-mission time ratio require that the training be maximally effective such that the skills acquired during training will be retained and will be transferrable across a wide range of specific tasks that are different from the particular tasks used during training. However, to be able to design training that can achieve these ambitious goals, we must first understand the ways in which long-duration spaceflight affects training retention and transfer. Current theories of training retention and transfer are largely based on experimental studies conducted at university laboratories using undergraduate students as participants. Furthermore, all such studies have been conducted on Earth. We do not know how well the results of these studies predict the performance of crew members. More specifically, we do not know how well the results of these studies predict the performance of crew members in space and especially during long-duration missions. To address this gap in our knowledge, the current on-going study seeks to test the null hypothesis that performance of university undergraduate students on Earth on training retention and transfer tests do in fact predict accurately the performance of crew members during long-duration spaceflights. To test this hypothesis, the study employs a single 16-month long experimental protocol with 3 different participant groups: undergraduate university students, crew members on the ground, and crew members in space. Results from this study will be presented upon its completion. This poster presents results of study trials of the two tasks used in this study: a data entry task and a mapping task. By researching established training principles, by examining future needs, and by using current practices in spaceflight training as test beds, this research project is mitigating program risks and generating templates and requirements to meet future training needs.

Human Factors and Information Operation for a Nuclear Power Space Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trujillo, Anna C.; Brown-VanHoozer, S. Alenka

2002-01-01

This paper describes human-interactive systems needed for a crewed nuclear-enabled space mission. A synthesis of aircraft engine and nuclear power plant displays, biofeedback of sensory input, virtual control, brain mapping for control process and manipulation, and so forth are becoming viable solutions. These aspects must maintain the crew's situation awareness and performance, which entails a delicate function allocation between crew and automation.

The effects of tobacco on aviation safety.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-08-01

In 1976, the FAA was petitioned to issue regulations that would prohibit all smoking in the cockpit during commercial flight operations and prohibit preflight smoking by flight crew members within 8 hours before commercial flight operations. A review...

Identification of crew-systems interactions and decision related trends

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Vehicle System Safety Technology (VSST) project management uses systems analysis to identify key issues and maintain a portfolio of research leading to potential solutions to its three identified t...

46 CFR 176.801 - Notice of inspection deficiencies and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... equipment is found not to conform to the requirements of law or the regulations in this subchapter, the... passengers or crew, and exists through negligence or willful noncompliance, the marine inspector may issue a...

Summary of Research Issues in Behavior and Performance in Isolated and Confined Extreme (ICE) Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palinkas, Lawrence A.

2000-01-01

The papers presented in this section describe changes in behavior and performance in various isolated and confined extreme (ICE) environments, including Antarctic expeditions and research stations, space simulators and isolation chambers, and submarines. Each of these environments possesses characteristics that are in some way analogous to those found on long-duration space missions. Despite differences in length of mission, characteristics of mission personnel or crew, and characteristics in the physical environment, the various ICE environments described in this collection of papers appear to produce similar changes in behavior and performance. These changes include increased disturbances of mood, increased rates of psychiatric disorder, increased interpersonal tension, and a disruption of circadian rhythms. However, these environments do not inherently produce decrements in performance. Palinkas and colleagues suggest that prolonged exposure to the isolation and confinement in the Antarctic can actually have positive or "salutogenic" effects as well, evidenced by a decrease in mood disturbances and increase in performance measures.

Performance Support Tools for Space Medical Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byrne, Vicky E.; Schmidt, Josef; Barshi, Immanuel

2009-01-01

The early Constellation space missions are expected to have medical capabilities very similar to those currently on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS). For Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) missions to ISS, medical equipment will be located on ISS, and carried into CEV in the event of an emergency. Flight Surgeons (FS) on the ground in Mission Control will be expected to direct the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) during medical situations. If there is a loss of signal and the crew is unable to communicate with the ground, a CMO would be expected to carry out medical procedures without the aid of a FS. In these situations, performance support tools can be used to reduce errors and time to perform emergency medical tasks. Human factors personnel at Johnson Space Center have recently investigated medical performance support tools for CMOs on-orbit, and FSs on the ground. This area of research involved the feasibility of Just-in-time (JIT) training techniques and concepts for real-time medical procedures. In Phase 1, preliminary feasibility data was gathered for two types of prototype display technologies: a hand-held PDA, and a Head Mounted Display (HMD). The PDA and HMD were compared while performing a simulated medical procedure using ISS flight-like medical equipment. Based on the outcome of Phase 1, including data on user preferences, further testing was completed using the PDA only. Phase 2 explored a wrist-mounted PDA, and compared it to a paper cue card. For each phase, time to complete procedures, errors, and user satisfaction were captured. Information needed by the FS during ISS mission support, especially for an emergency situation (e.g. fire onboard ISS), may be located in many different places around the FS s console. A performance support tool prototype is being developed to address this issue by bringing all of the relevant information together in one place. The tool is designed to include procedures and other information needed by a FS during an emergency, as well as procedures and information to be used after the emergency is resolved. Several walkthroughs of the prototype with FSs have been completed within a mockup of an ISS FS console. Feedback on the current tool design as well as recommendations for existing ISS FS displays were captured.

Asteroid Crewed Segment Mission Lean Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gard, Joe; McDonald, Mark; Jermstad, Wayne

2014-01-01

The next generation of human spaceflight missions presents numerous challenges to designers that must be addressed to produce a feasible concept. The specific challenges of designing an exploration mission utilizing the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft to carry astronauts beyond earth orbit to explore an asteroid stored in a distant retrograde orbit around the moon will be addressed. Mission designers must carefully balance competing constraints including cost, schedule, risk, and numerous spacecraft performance metrics including launch mass, nominal landed mass, abort landed mass, mission duration, consumable limits and many others. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission will be described along with results from the concurrent mission design trades that led to its formulation. While the trades presented are specific to this mission, the integrated process is applicable to any potential future mission. The following trades were critical in the mission formulation and will be described in detail: 1) crew size, 2) mission duration, 3) trajectory design, 4) docking vs grapple, 5) extravehicular activity tasks, 6) launch mass and integrated vehicle performance, 7) contingency performance, 8) crew consumables including food, clothing, oxygen, nitrogen and water, and 9) mission risk. The additional Orion functionality required to perform the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission and how it is incorporated while minimizing cost, schedule and mass impacts will be identified. Existing investments in the NASA technology portfolio were leveraged to provide the added functionality that will be beneficial to future exploration missions. Mission kits are utilized to augment Orion with the necessary functionality without introducing costly new requirements to the mature Orion spacecraft design effort. The Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission provides an exciting early mission for the Orion and SLS while providing a stepping stone to even more ambitious missions in the future.

International Space Station Crew Quarters Ventilation and Acoustic Design Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James L., Jr.; Cady, Scott M; Welsh, David A.

2010-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) United States Operational Segment has four permanent rack sized ISS Crew Quarters (CQs) providing a private crew member space. The CQs use Node 2 cabin air for ventilation/thermal cooling, as opposed to conditioned ducted air-from the ISS Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) or the ISS fluid cooling loop. Consequently, CQ can only increase the air flow rate to reduce the temperature delta between the cabin and the CQ interior. However, increasing airflow causes increased acoustic noise so efficient airflow distribution is an important design parameter. The CQ utilized a two fan push-pull configuration to ensure fresh air at the crew member's head position and reduce acoustic exposure. The CQ ventilation ducts are conduits to the louder Node 2 cabin aisle way which required significant acoustic mitigation controls. The CQ interior needs to be below noise criteria curve 40 (NC-40). The design implementation of the CQ ventilation system and acoustic mitigation are very inter-related and require consideration of crew comfort balanced with use of interior habitable volume, accommodation of fan failures, and possible crew uses that impact ventilation and acoustic performance. Each CQ required 13% of its total volume and approximately 6% of its total mass to reduce acoustic noise. This paper illustrates the types of model analysis, assumptions, vehicle interactions, and trade-offs required for CQ ventilation and acoustics. Additionally, on-orbit ventilation system performance and initial crew feedback is presented. This approach is applicable to any private enclosed space that the crew will occupy.

Operator modeling in commerical aviation: Cognitive models, intelligent displays, and pilot's assistants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Govindaraj, T.; Mitchell, C. M.

1994-01-01

One of the goals of the National Aviation Safety/Automation program is to address the issue of human-centered automation in the cockpit. Human-centered automation is automation that, in the cockpit, enhances or assists the crew rather than replacing them. The Georgia Tech research program focused on this general theme, with emphasis on designing a computer-based pilot's assistant, intelligent (i.e, context-sensitive) displays, and an intelligent tutoring system for understanding and operating the autoflight system. In particular, the aids and displays were designed to enhance the crew's situational awareness of the current state of the automated flight systems and to assist the crew's situational awareness of the current state of the automated flight systems and to assist the crew in coordinating the autoflight system resources. The activities of this grant included: (1) an OFMspert to understand pilot navigation activities in a 727 class aircraft; (2) an extension of OFMspert to understand mode control in a glass cockpit, Georgia Tech Crew Activity Tracking System (GT-CATS); (3) the design of a training system to teach pilots about the vertical navigation portion of the flight management system -VNAV Tutor; and (4) a proof-of-concept display, using existing display technology, to facilitate mode awareness, particularly in situations in which controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) is a potential.

Crew systems and flight station concepts for a 1995 transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sexton, G. A.

1983-01-01

Aircraft functional systems and crew systems were defined for a 1995 transport aircraft through a process of mission analysis, preliminary design, and evaluation in a soft mockup. This resulted in a revolutionary pilot's desk flight station design featuring an all-electric aircraft, fly-by-wire/light flight and thrust control systems, large electronic color head-down displays, head-up displays, touch panel controls for aircraft functional systems, voice command and response systems, and air traffic control systems projected for the 1990s. The conceptual aircraft, for which crew systems were designed, is a generic twin-engine wide-body, low-wing transport, capable of worldwide operation. The flight control system consists of conventional surfaces (some employed in unique ways) and new surfaces not used on current transports. The design will be incorporated into flight simulation facilities at NASA-Langley, NASA-Ames, and the Lockheed-Georgia Company. When interfaced with advanced air traffic control system models, the facilities will provide full-mission capability for researching issues affecting transport aircraft flight stations and crews of the 1990s.

International Space Station Acoustics - A Status Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Christopher S.

2015-01-01

It is important to control acoustic noise aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to provide a satisfactory environment for voice communications, crew productivity, alarm audibility, and restful sleep, and to minimize the risk for temporary and permanent hearing loss. Acoustic monitoring is an important part of the noise control process on ISS, providing critical data for trend analysis, noise exposure analysis, validation of acoustic analyses and predictions, and to provide strong evidence for ensuring crew health and safety, thus allowing Flight Certification. To this purpose, sound level meter (SLM) measurements and acoustic noise dosimetry are routinely performed. And since the primary noise sources on ISS include the environmental control and life support system (fans and airflow) and active thermal control system (pumps and water flow), acoustic monitoring will reveal changes in hardware noise emissions that may indicate system degradation or performance issues. This paper provides the current acoustic levels in the ISS modules and sleep stations and is an update to the status presented in 2011. Since this last status report, many payloads (science experiment hardware) have been added and a significant number of quiet ventilation fans have replaced noisier fans in the Russian Segment. Also, noise mitigation efforts are planned to reduce the noise levels of the T2 treadmill and levels in Node 3, in general. As a result, the acoustic levels on the ISS continue to improve.

Space transfer concepts and analysis for exploration missions. Implementation plan and element description document (draft final). Volume 6: Lunar systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

NASA's two Office of Space Flight (Code M) Space Transfer Vehicle (STV) contractors supported development of Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) lunar transportation concepts. This work treated lunar SEI missions as the far end of a more near-term STV program, most of whose missions were satellite delivery and servicing requirements derived from Civil Needs Data Base (CNDB) projections. Space Transfer Concepts and Analysis for Exploration Missions (STCAEM) began to address the complete design of a lunar transportation system. The following challenges were addressed: (1) the geometry of aerobraking; (2) accommodation of mixed payloads; (3) cryogenic propellant transfer in Low Lunar Orbit (LLO); (4) fully re-usable design; and (5) growth capability. The leveled requirements, derived requirements, and assumptions applied to the lunar transportation system design are discussed. The mission operations section includes data on mission analysis studies and performance parametrics as well as the operating modes and performance evaluations which include the STCAEM recommendations. Element descriptions for the lunar transportation family included are a listing of the lunar transfer vehicle/lunar excursion vehicle (LTV/LEV) components; trade studies and mass analyses of the transfer and excursion modules; advanced crew recovery vehicle (ACRV) (modified crew recovery vehicle (MCRV)) modifications required to fulfill lunar operations; the aerobrake shape and L/D to be used; and some costing methods and results. Commonality and evolution issues are also discussed.

KSC00pp0448

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-04-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-101 Commander James Halsell waves to the media as he and other crew members cross the tarmac to a waiting bus. At right is a film crew; in the foreground at left is Delores Green, flight crew support specialist lead for the astronaut crew quarters. Other crew members in the background are Mission Specialist Jeffrey Williams, Pilot Scott Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Mary Ellen Weber and Yury Usachev. Not visible in the photo is Mission Specialist Susan Helms. During their mission to the International Space Station, the STS-101 crew will be delivering logistics and supplies, plus preparing the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk to perform maintenance on the Space Station. This will be the third assembly flight for the Space Station. STS-101 is scheduled to launch April 24 at 4:15 p.m. from Launch Pad 39A

KSC-00pp0448

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-04-05

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility, STS-101 Commander James Halsell waves to the media as he and other crew members cross the tarmac to a waiting bus. At right is a film crew; in the foreground at left is Delores Green, flight crew support specialist lead for the astronaut crew quarters. Other crew members in the background are Mission Specialist Jeffrey Williams, Pilot Scott Horowitz, and Mission Specialists Mary Ellen Weber and Yury Usachev. Not visible in the photo is Mission Specialist Susan Helms. During their mission to the International Space Station, the STS-101 crew will be delivering logistics and supplies, plus preparing the Station for the arrival of the Zvezda Service Module, expected to be launched by Russia in July 2000. Also, the crew will conduct one space walk to perform maintenance on the Space Station. This will be the third assembly flight for the Space Station. STS-101 is scheduled to launch April 24 at 4:15 p.m. from Launch Pad 39A

Maintenance and supply options

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The object of the Maintenance and Supply Option was to develop a high level operational philosophy related to maintenance and supply operations and incorporate these concepts into the Lunar Base Study. Specific products to be generated during this task were three trade studies and a conceptual design of the Logistic Supply Module. The crew size study was performed to evaluate crew sizes from the baseline size of four to a crew size of eight and determine the preferred crew size. The second trade study was to determine the impact of extending surface stay times and recommend a preferred duration of stay time as a function of crew, consumables, and equipment support capabilities. The third trade study was an evaluation of packaging and storage methods to determine the preferred logistics approach to support the lunar base. A modified scenario was developed and served as the basis of the individual trade studies. Assumptions and guidelines were also developed from experience with Apollo programs, Space Shuttle operations, and Space Station studies. With this information, the trade studies were performed and a conceptual design for the Logistic Supply Module was developed.

Predicting operator workload during system design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldrich, Theodore B.; Szabo, Sandra M.

1988-01-01

A workload prediction methodology was developed in response to the need to measure workloads associated with operation of advanced aircraft. The application of the methodology will involve: (1) conducting mission/task analyses of critical mission segments and assigning estimates of workload for the sensory, cognitive, and psychomotor workload components of each task identified; (2) developing computer-based workload prediction models using the task analysis data; and (3) exercising the computer models to produce predictions of crew workload under varying automation and/or crew configurations. Critical issues include reliability and validity of workload predictors and selection of appropriate criterion measures.

Space Physiology and Operational Space Medicine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheuring, Richard A.

2009-01-01

The objectives of this slide presentation are to teach a level of familiarity with: the effects of short and long duration space flight on the human body, the major medical concerns regarding future long duration missions, the environmental issues that have potential medical impact on the crew, the role and capabilities of the Space Medicine Flight Surgeon and the environmental impacts experienced by the Apollo crews. The main physiological effects of space flight on the human body reviewed in this presentation are: space motion sickness (SMS), neurovestibular, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, immune/hematopoietic system and behavioral/psycho-social. Some countermeasures are discussed to these effects.

Preliminary Performance Analyses of the Constellation Program ARES 1 Crew Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Mark; Hanson, John; Shmitt, Terri; Dukemand, Greg; Hays, Jim; Hill, Ashley; Garcia, Jessica

2007-01-01

By the time NASA's Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS) report had been released to the public in December 2005, engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center had already initiated the first of a series of detailed design analysis cycles (DACs) for the Constellation Program Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), which has been given the name Ares I. As a major component of the Constellation Architecture, the CLV's initial role will be to deliver crew and cargo aboard the newly conceived Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) to a staging orbit for eventual rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). However, the long-term goal and design focus of the CLV will be to provide launch services for a crewed CEV in support of lunar exploration missions. Key to the success of the CLV design effort and an integral part of each DAC is a detailed performance analysis tailored to assess nominal and dispersed performance of the vehicle, to determine performance sensitivities, and to generate design-driving dispersed trajectories. Results of these analyses provide valuable design information to the program for the current design as well as provide feedback to engineers on how to adjust the current design in order to maintain program goals. This paper presents a condensed subset of the CLV performance analyses performed during the CLV DAC-1 cycle. Deterministic studies include development of the CLV DAC-1 reference trajectories, identification of vehicle stage impact footprints, an assessment of launch window impacts to payload performance, and the computation of select CLV payload partials. Dispersion studies include definition of input uncertainties, Monte Carlo analysis of trajectory performance parameters based on input dispersions, assessment of CLV flight performance reserve (FPR), assessment of orbital insertion accuracy, and an assessment of bending load indicators due to dispersions in vehicle angle of attack and side slip angle. A short discussion of the various customers for the dispersion results, along with results and ramifications of each study, are also provided.

International Space Station Payload Training Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underwood, Deborah B.; Noneman, Steven R.; Sanchez, Julie N.

2001-01-01

This paper describes payload crew training-related activities performed by NASA and the U.S. Payload Developer (PD) community for the International Space Station (ISS) Program. It describes how payloads will be trained and the overall training planning and integration process. The overall concept, definition, and template for payload training are described. The roles and responsibilities of individuals, organizations, and groups involved are discussed. The facilities utilized during payload training and the primary processes and activities performed to plan, develop, implement, and administer payload training for ISS crews are briefly described. Areas of improvement to crew training processes that have been achieved or are currently being worked are identified.

Crew awareness as key to optimizing habitability standards onboard naval platforms: A 'back-to-basics' approach.

PubMed

Neelakantan, Anand; Ilankumaran, Mookkiah; Ray, Sougat

2017-10-01

A healthy habitable environment onboard warships is vital to operational fleet efficiency and fit sea-warrier force. Unique man-machine-armament interface issues and consequent constraints on habitability necessitate a multi-disciplinary approach toward optimizing habitability standards. Study of the basic 'human factor', including crew awareness on what determines shipboard habitability, and its association with habitation specifications is an essential step in such an approach. The aim of this study was to assess crew awareness on shipboard habitability and the association between awareness and maintenance of optimal habitability as per specifications. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 552 naval personnel onboard warships in Mumbai. Data on crew awareness on habitability was collected using a standardized questionnaire, and correlated with basic habitability requirement specifications. Data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel, Epi-info, and SPSS version 17. Awareness level on basic habitability aspects was very good in 65.3% of crew. Area-specific awareness was maximum with respect to living area (95.3%). Knowledge levels on waste management were among the lowest (65.2%) in the category of aspect-wise awareness. Statistically significant association was found between awareness levels and habitability standards (OR = 7.27). The new benchmarks set in the form of high crew awareness levels on basic shipboard habitability specifications and its significant association with standards needs to be sustained. It entails re-iteration of healthy habitation essentials into training; and holds the key to a fit fighting force.

Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-01-01

This chart details Skylab's Time and Motion experiment (M151), a medical study to measure performance differences between tasks undertaken on Earth and the same tasks performed by Skylab crew members in orbit. Data collected from this experiment evaluated crew members' zero-gravity behavior for designs and work programs for future space exploration. The Marshall Space Flight Center had program management responsibility for the development of Skylab hardware and experiments.

Social psychology on the flight deck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, R. L.

1980-01-01

Social psychological and personality factors that can influence resource management on the flight deck are discussed. It is argued that personality and situational factors intersect to determine crew responses and that assessment of performance under full crew and mission conditions can provide the most valuable information about relevant factors. The possibility of training procedures to improve performance on these dimensions is discussed.

Skylab experimental performance evaluation manual. Appendix D: Experiment M487 habitability/crew quarters (MSFC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purushotham, K. S.

1973-01-01

This appendix contains a series of analyses for Experiment M487, Habitability/ Crew Quarters (MSFC), to be used for evaluating the performance of the Skylab corollary experiments under preflight, inflight, and post flight conditions. Experiment contingency plan workaround procedure and malfunction analyses are presented in order to assist in making the experiment operationally successful.

A Study of a Lifting Body as a Space Station Crew Exigency Return Vehicle (CERV)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

MacConochie, Ian O.

2000-01-01

A lifting body is described for use as a return vehicle for crews from a space station. Reentry trajectories, subsystem weights and performance, and costs are included. The baseline vehicle is sized for a crew of eight. An alternate configuration is shown in which only four crew are carried with the extra volume reserved for logistics cargo. A water parachute recovery system is shown as an emergency alternative to a runway landing. Primary reaction control thrusters from the Shuttle program are used for orbital maneuvering while the Shuttle verniers are used for all attitude control maneuvers.

Apollo experience report: Crew provisions and equipment subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcallister, F.

1972-01-01

A description of the construction and use of crew provisions and equipment subsystem items for the Apollo Program is presented. The subsystem is composed principally of survival equipment, bioinstrumentation devices, medical components and accessories, water- and waste-management equipment, personal-hygiene articles, docking aids, flight garments (excluding the pressure garment assembly), and various other crew-related accessories. Particular attention is given to items and assemblies that presented design, development, or performance problems: the crew optical alinement sight system, the metering water dispenser, and the waste-management system. Changes made in design and materials to improve the fire safety of the hardware are discussed.

Criteria for assessing problem solving and decision making in complex environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orasanu, Judith

1993-01-01

Training crews to cope with unanticipated problems in high-risk, high-stress environments requires models of effective problem solving and decision making. Existing decision theories use the criteria of logical consistency and mathematical optimality to evaluate decision quality. While these approaches are useful under some circumstances, the assumptions underlying these models frequently are not met in dynamic time-pressured operational environments. Also, applying formal decision models is both labor and time intensive, a luxury often lacking in operational environments. Alternate approaches and criteria are needed. Given that operational problem solving and decision making are embedded in ongoing tasks, evaluation criteria must address the relation between those activities and satisfaction of broader task goals. Effectiveness and efficiency become relevant for judging reasoning performance in operational environments. New questions must be addressed: What is the relation between the quality of decisions and overall performance by crews engaged in critical high risk tasks? Are different strategies most effective for different types of decisions? How can various decision types be characterized? A preliminary model of decision types found in air transport environments will be described along with a preliminary performance model based on an analysis of 30 flight crews. The performance analysis examined behaviors that distinguish more and less effective crews (based on performance errors). Implications for training and system design will be discussed.

A study evaluating if targeted training for startle effect can improve pilot reactions in handling unexpected situations in a flight simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillen, Michael William

Recent airline accidents point to a crew's failure to make correct and timely decisions following a sudden and unusual event that startled the crew. This study sought to determine if targeted training could augment decision making during a startle event. Following a startle event cognitive function is impaired for a short duration of time (30-90 seconds). In aviation, critical decisions are often required to be made during this brief, but critical, time frame. A total of 40 volunteer crews (80 individual pilots) were solicited from a global U.S. passenger airline. Crews were briefed that they would fly a profile in the simulator but were not made aware of what the profile would entail. The study participants were asked to complete a survey on their background and flying preferences. Every other crew received training on how to handle a startle event. The training consisted of a briefing and simulator practice. Crew members (subjects) were either presented a low altitude or high altitude scenario to fly in a full-flight simulator. The maneuver scenarios were analyzed using a series of one-way ANOVAs, t-tests and regression for the main effect of training on crew performance. The data indicated that the trained crews flew the maneuver profiles significantly better than the untrained crews and significantly better than the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) standards. Each scenario's sub factors were analyzed using regression to examine for specific predictors of performance. The results indicate that in the case of the high altitude profile, problem diagnosis was a significant factor, in the low altitude profile, time management was also a significant factor. These predicators can be useful in further targeting training. The study's findings suggest that targeted training can help crews manage a startle event, leading to a potential reduction of inflight loss of control accidents. The training was broad and intended to cover an overall aircraft handling approach rather than being aircraft specific. Inclusion of this type of training by airlines has the potential to better aid crews in handling sudden and unusual events.

Cockpit napping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graeber, R. Curtis; Rosekind, Mark R.; Connell, Linda J.; Dinges, David F.

1990-01-01

The results of a NASA-sponsored study examining the effectiveness of a brief, preplanned cockpit rest period to improve pilot alertness and performance in nonaugmented long-haul flight operations are discussed. Four regularly scheduled trans-Pacific flight legs were studied. The shortest flight legs were about 7 h and the longest about 9.5 h, with duty periods averaging about 11 h and layovers about 25 h. Three-person B747 crews were divided randomly into two volunteer pilot groups. These crews were nonaugmented, and therefore no relief pilots were available. The rest group, consisting of four crews, was allowed a 40 min opportunity to rest during the overwater cruise portion of the flight. On a preplanned, rotating basis, individual crew members were allowed to nap. It is concluded that a preplanned cockpit nap is associated with significantly better behavioral performance and higher levels of physiological alertness and that this can be accomplished without disrupting normal flight operations or compromising safety.

Pre-Study Walkthrough with a Commercial Pilot for a Preliminary Single Pilot Operations Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Connor-Dreher, Ryan; Roberts, Z.; Ziccardi, J.; Vu, K-P. L.; Strybel, T.; Koteskey, Robert William; Lachter, Joel B.; Vi Dao, Quang; Johnson, Walter W.; Battiste, V.

2013-01-01

The number of crew members in commercial flights has decreased to two members, down from the five-member crew required 50 years ago. One question of interest is whether the crew should be reduced to one pilot. In order to determine the critical factors involved in safely transitioning to a single pilot, research must examine whether any performance deficits arise with the loss of a crew member. With a concrete understanding of the cognitive and behavioral role of a co-pilot, aeronautical technologies and procedures can be developed that make up for the removal of the second aircrew member. The current project describes a pre-study walkthrough process that can be used to help in the development of scenarios for testing future concepts and technologies for single pilot operations. Qualitative information regarding the tasks performed by the pilots can be extracted with this technique and adapted for future investigations of single pilot operations.

Hubble Space Telescope Crew Rescue Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamlin, Teri L.; Canga, Michael A.; Cates, Grant R.

2010-01-01

In the aftermath of the 2003 Columbia accident, NASA removed the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Servicing Mission 4 (SM4) from the Space Shuttle manifest. Reasons cited included concerns that the risk of flying the mission would be too high. The HST SM4 was subsequently reinstated and flown as Space Transportation System (STS)-125 because of improvements in the ascent debris environment, the development of techniques for astronauts to perform on orbit repairs to damaged thermal protection, and the development of a strategy to provide a viable crew rescue capability. However, leading up to the launch of STS-125, the viability of the HST crew rescue capability was a recurring topic. For STS-125, there was a limited amount of time available to perform a crew rescue due to limited consumables (power, oxygen, etc.) available on the Orbiter. The success of crew rescue depended upon several factors, including when a problem was identified; when and what actions, such as powering down, were begun to conserve consumables; and where the Launch on Need (LON) vehicle was in its ground processing cycle. Crew rescue success also needed to be weighed against preserving the Orbiter s ability to have a landing option in case there was a problem with the LON vehicle. This paper focuses on quantifying the HST mission loss of crew rescue capability using Shuttle historical data and various power down strategies. Results from this effort supported NASA s decision to proceed with STS-125, which was successfully completed on May 24th 2009.

Formation of production structural units within a construction company using the systemic integrated method when implementing high-rise development projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapidus, Azary; Abramov, Ivan

2018-03-01

Development of efficient algorithms for designing future operations is a vital element in construction business. This paper studies various aspects of a methodology required to determine the integration index for construction crews performing various process-related jobs. The main objective of the study outlined in this paper is to define the notion of integration in respect to a construction crew that performs complete cycles of construction and assembly works in order to find the optimal organizational solutions, using the integrated crew algorithm built specifically for that purpose. As seen in the sequence of algorithm elements, it was designed to focus on the key factors affecting the level of integration of a construction crew depending on the value of each of those elements. The multifactor modelling approach is used to assess the KPI of integrated construction crews involved in large-sale high-rise construction projects. The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical recommendation and a scientific methodological provision of organizational and technological nature to ensure qualitative formation of integrated construction crews to increase their productivity during integrated implementation of multi-task construction phases. The key difference of the proposed solution from the already existing ones is that it requires identification of the degree of impact of each factor, including the change in the qualification level, on the integration index of each separate element in the organizational and technological system in construction (integrated construction crew).

NASA Contingency Shuttle Crew Support (CSCS) Medical Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Adrien

2010-01-01

The genesis of the space shuttle began in the 1930's when Eugene Sanger came up with the idea of a recyclable rocket plane that could carry a crew of people. The very first Shuttle to enter space was the Shuttle "Columbia" which launched on April 12 of 1981. Not only was "Columbia" the first Shuttle to be launched, but was also the first to utilize solid fuel rockets for U.S. manned flight. The primary objectives given to "Columbia" were to check out the overall Shuttle system, accomplish a safe ascent into orbit, and to return back to earth for a safe landing. Subsequent to its first flight Columbia flew 27 more missions but on February 1st, 2003 after a highly successful 16 day mission, the Columbia, STS-107 mission, ended in tragedy. With all Shuttle flight successes come failures such as the fatal in-flight accident of STS 107. As a result of the STS 107 accident, and other close-calls, the NASA Space Shuttle Program developed contingency procedures for a rescue mission by another Shuttle if an on-orbit repair was not possible. A rescue mission would be considered for a situation where a Shuttle and the crew were not in immediate danger, but, was unable to return to Earth or land safely. For Shuttle missions to the International Space Station (ISS), plans were developed so the Shuttle crew would remain on board ISS for an extended period of time until rescued by a "rescue" Shuttle. The damaged Shuttle would subsequently be de-orbited unmanned. During the period when the ISS Crew and Shuttle crew are on board simultaneously multiple issues would need to be worked including, but not limited to: crew diet, exercise, psychological support, workload, and ground contingency support

Flight performance measurement utilizing a figure of merit (FOM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mosier, Kathleen L.; Zacharias, Greg L.

1993-01-01

One of the goals of the NASA Strategic Behavior/Workload Management Program is to develop standardized procedures for constructing figures of merit (FOMs) that describe minimal criteria for flight task performance, as well as summarize overall performance quality. Such a measure could be utilized for evaluating flight crew performance, for assessing the effectiveness of new equipment or technological innovations, or for measuring performance at a particular airport. In this report, we describe the initial phases in the creation of a FOM to be employed in examining crew performance in NASA-Ames Air Ground Compatibility and Strategic Behavior/Workload Management programs.

Group 3: Performance evaluation and assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frink, A.

1981-01-01

Line-oriented flight training provides a unique learning experience and an opportunity to look at aspects of performance other types of training did not provide. Areas such as crew coordination, resource management, leadership, and so forth, can be readily evaluated in such a format. While individual performance is of the utmost importance, crew performance deserves equal emphasis, therefore, these areas should be carefully observed by the instructors as an rea for discussion in the same way that individual performane is observed. To be effective, it must be accepted by the crew members, and administered by the instructors as pure training-learning through experience. To keep open minds, to benefit most from the experience, both in the doing and in the follow-on discussion, it is essential that it be entered into with a feeling of freedom, openness, and enthusiasm. Reserve or defensiveness because of concern for failure must be inhibit participation.

Ground operation of robotics on Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wojcik, Z. Alex; Hunter, David G.; Cantin, Marc R.

1993-01-01

This paper reflects work carried out on Ground Operated Telerobotics (GOT) in 1992 to refine further the ideas, procedures, and technologies needed to test the procedures in a high latency environment, and to integrate GOT into Space Station Freedom operations. Space Station Freedom (SSF) will be in operation for 30 years, and will depend on robots to carry out a significant part of the assembly, maintenance, and utilization workload. Current plans call for on-orbit robotics to be operated by on-board crew members. This approach implies that on-orbit robotics operations use up considerable crew time, and that these operations cannot be carried out when SSF is unmanned. GOT will allow robotic operations to be operated from the ground, with on-orbit crew interventions only when absolutely required. The paper reviews how GOT would be implemented, how GOT operations would be planned and supported, and reviews GOT issues, critical success factors, and benefits.

Ground operation of robotics on Space Station Freedom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojcik, Z. Alex; Hunter, David G.; Cantin, Marc R.

1993-03-01

This paper reflects work carried out on Ground Operated Telerobotics (GOT) in 1992 to refine further the ideas, procedures, and technologies needed to test the procedures in a high latency environment, and to integrate GOT into Space Station Freedom operations. Space Station Freedom (SSF) will be in operation for 30 years, and will depend on robots to carry out a significant part of the assembly, maintenance, and utilization workload. Current plans call for on-orbit robotics to be operated by on-board crew members. This approach implies that on-orbit robotics operations use up considerable crew time, and that these operations cannot be carried out when SSF is unmanned. GOT will allow robotic operations to be operated from the ground, with on-orbit crew interventions only when absolutely required. The paper reviews how GOT would be implemented, how GOT operations would be planned and supported, and reviews GOT issues, critical success factors, and benefits.

Development of the Space Operations Incident Reporting Tool (SOIRT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minton, Jacquie

1997-01-01

The space operations incident reporting tool (SOIRT) is an instrument used to record information about an anomaly occurring during flight which may have been due to insufficient and/or inappropriate application of human factors knowledge. We originally developed the SOIRT form after researching other incident reporting systems of this type. We modified the form after performing several in-house reviews and a pilot test to access usability. Finally, crew members from Space Shuttle flights participated in a usability test of the tool after their missions. Since the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) currently has no system for continuous collection of this type of information, the SOIRT was developed to report issues such as reach envelope constraints, control operation difficulties, and vision impairments. However, if the SOIRT were to become a formal NASA process, information from crew members could be collected in a database and made available to individuals responsible for improving in-flight safety and productivity. Potential benefits include documentation to justify the redesign or development of new equipment/systems, provide the mission planners with a method for identifying past incidents, justify the development of timelines and mission scenarios, and require the creation of more appropriate work/rest cycles.

Integrated Measurement of Crew Resource Management and Technical Flying Skills

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-08-01

This report presents the findings of a study designed with two objectives: to produce a prototype performance : measurement instrument (PMI) that integrates the assessment of Crew Resource Management (CRM) and technical flying : skills and to investi...

Influenza B outbreak on a cruise ship off the São Paulo Coast, Brazil.

PubMed

Fernandes, Eder G; de Souza, Priscila B; de Oliveira, Maria Emília B; Lima, Gisele D F; Pellini, Alessandra Cristina G; Ribeiro, Manoel Carlos S A; Sato, Helena K; Ribeiro, Ana F; Yu, Ana Lucia F

2014-01-01

In February 2012, crew and passengers of a cruise ship sailing off the coast of São Paulo, Brazil, were hospitalized for acute respiratory illness (ARI). A field investigation was performed to identify the disease involved and factors associated. Information on passengers and crew with ARI was obtained from the medical records of hospitalized individuals. Active case finding was performed onboard the ship. ARI was defined as the presence of one nonspecific symptom (fever, chills, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, or malaise) and one respiratory symptom (cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, or dyspnea). A case-control study was conducted among the crew. The cases were crew members with symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) (fever and one of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, and dyspnea) in February 2012. The controls were asymptomatic crew members. The study identified 104 ARI cases: 54 (51.9%) crew members and 50 (49.1%) passengers. Among 11 ARI hospitalized cases, 6 had influenza B virus isolated in nasopharyngeal swab. One mortality among these patients was caused by postinfluenza Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia. The crew members housed in the two lower decks and those belonging to the 18- to 32-year-old age group were more likely to develop ILI [odds ratio (OR) = 2.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-5.25 and OR = 3.72, CI 1.25-11.16, respectively]. In February 2012, an influenza B outbreak occurred onboard a cruise ship. Among crew members, ILI was associated with lower cabin location and younger age group. This was the first influenza outbreak detected by Brazilian public health authorities in a vessel cruising in South American waters. © 2014 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Crew-integration and Automation Testbed (CAT)Program Overview and RUX06 Introduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-20

unlimited Crew-integration and Automation Testbed ( CAT ) Program Overview and RUX06 Introduction 26-27 July 2006 Patrick Nunez, Terry Tierney, Brian Novak...3. DATES COVERED 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Crew-integration and Automation Testbed ( CAT )Program Overview and RUX06 Introduction 5a. CONTRACT...Experiment • Capstone CAT experiment – Evaluate effectiveness of CAT program in improving the performance and/or reducing the workload for a mounted

Crew factors in the aerospace workplace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Foushee, H. C.

1990-01-01

The effects of technological change in the aerospace workplace on pilot performance are discussed. Attention is given to individual and physiological problems, crew and interpersonal problems, environmental and task problems, organization and management problems, training and intervention problems. A philosophy and conceptual framework for conducting research on these problems are presented and two aerospace studies are examined which investigated: (1) the effect of leader personality on crew effectiveness and (2) the working undersea habitat known as Aquarius.

Communication variations related to leader personality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.; Palmer, Mark T.; Veinott, Elizabeth S.

1991-01-01

While communication and captain personality type have been separately shown to relate to overall crew performance, this study attempts to establish a link between communication and personality among 12 crews whose captains represent three pre-selected personality profiles (IE+, I-, Ec-). Results from analyzing transcribed speech from one leg of a full-mission simulation study, so far indicate several discriminating patterns involving ratios of total initiating speech (captain to crew members); in particular commands, questions and observations.

Crew report. [on Skylab altitude simulation tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bobko, K. J.; Crippen, R. L.; Thornton, W. E.

1973-01-01

A 56-day chamber simulation of Skylab was successfully completed. The atmosphere (5 psi, 70 percent oxygen, 30 percent nitrogen, 5 mm carbon dioxide) and medical features including a 21-day pre- and 18-day post-test medical protocols were closely simulated. No apparent crew health problems were induced by the atmosphere, semiclosed environment, or other test features; and no appreciable crew degradation appeared over this period. The chamber and associated systems performed without major problems.

Lunar campsite concept: Space transfer concepts and analysis for exploration missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-05-01

The lunar Campsite concept responds to a perceived need to identify early manned science and exploration missions that require minimal initial funding. The Campsite concept defers the build-up of many infrastructure components without escalating total program costs. The lunar Campsite has been sized nominally for four crew for 42 days (1 lunar night and 2 lunar days), but can be modified to span two lunar nights up to 60 days. Total mission fulfillment requires five Earth-to-LEO launches, four (100 mt class launch vehicle) for the two vehicle assemblies and one (PLS or NSTS) for the crew. The lunar Campsite mission mode is tandem direct using a booster stage and a lander stage. The booster is separated from the lander after the TLI burn and is expended into the Earth's atmosphere. In the Campsite mode, the lander lands on the surface not to be returned. In the crew delivery mode, the lander is guided to a precision landing about 500 m from the Campsite, and with enough propellant to return the crew to Earth. The Campsite consists of a habitat and airlock, body mounted radiators with a surface shield, sun tracking solar arrays, and an Earth-tracking high-gain antenna. The CV is very similar to the campsite delivery vehicle. The CV does not, however, have radiators or solar arrays. The vehicle stacks are essentially common in that they utilize the same structure system and engines, the same propellant tanks, the same 'cut-out' in which the CRV and payloads are incorporated, and the same RCS locations. The booster and lander stage propellant tank propellant capacities are identical and have margins which would allow additional fueling for propulsive capture of the boost stage into Earth orbit. This contractual study was performed to identify Campsite and vehicle interfaces and vehicle requirements, and to surface issues related to the integration of the Campsite and LTV's.

VEG-01: Veggie Hardware Verification Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia; Newsham, Gary; Hummerick, Mary; Morrow, Robert; Wheeler, Raymond

2013-01-01

The Veggie plant/vegetable production system is scheduled to fly on ISS at the end of2013. Since much of the technology associated with Veggie has not been previously tested in microgravity, a hardware validation flight was initiated. This test will allow data to be collected about Veggie hardware functionality on ISS, allow crew interactions to be vetted for future improvements, validate the ability of the hardware to grow and sustain plants, and collect data that will be helpful to future Veggie investigators as they develop their payloads. Additionally, food safety data on the lettuce plants grown will be collected to help support the development of a pathway for the crew to safely consume produce grown on orbit. Significant background research has been performed on the Veggie plant growth system, with early tests focusing on the development of the rooting pillow concept, and the selection of fertilizer, rooting medium and plant species. More recent testing has been conducted to integrate the pillow concept into the Veggie hardware and to ensure that adequate water is provided throughout the growth cycle. Seed sanitation protocols have been established for flight, and hardware sanitation between experiments has been studied. Methods for shipping and storage of rooting pillows and the development of crew procedures and crew training videos for plant activities on-orbit have been established. Science verification testing was conducted and lettuce plants were successfully grown in prototype Veggie hardware, microbial samples were taken, plant were harvested, frozen, stored and later analyzed for microbial growth, nutrients, and A TP levels. An additional verification test, prior to the final payload verification testing, is desired to demonstrate similar growth in the flight hardware and also to test a second set of pillows containing zinnia seeds. Issues with root mat water supply are being resolved, with final testing and flight scheduled for later in 2013.

Plant Atrium System for Food Production in NASA's Deep Space Habitat Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massa, Gioia; Simpson, Morgan S.; Newsham, Gerard; Stutte, Gary W.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2012-01-01

In preparation for future human exploration missions to space, human habitat designs and concepts need to be tested to assess integration issues, power requirements, crew operations, and technology I subsystem performance. One potential subsystem for early habitats is supplemental food production. Fresh foods, such as vegetables and small fruits, could be harvested on a continuous basis to improve the diet and quality of life. The system would need to fit conveniently into the habitat and not interfere with other components or operations. To test this concept, a plant growing "atrium" was designed to surround the lift between the lower and upper modules of the Deep Space Habitat and deployed at NASA DRA TS test site in 2011 and at NASA's JSC in 20I2. With this approach, un-utilized volume provided an area for vegetable growth. For the 20 II test, mizuna, lettuce, basil, radish and sweetpotato plants were grown in trays using commercially available red I blue LED light fixtures. Seedlings were transplanted into the atrium and cared for by the crew. Plants were then harvested two weeks later following completion of the test. In 20I2, mizuna, lettuce, and radish plants were grown similarly but under flat panel banks of white LEDs. In 20 I2, the crew went through plant harvesting, including sanitizing the leafy greens and radishes, which were then consumed. Each test demonstrated successful production of vegetables within a functional hab module. The round red I blue LEDs for the 20Il test lighting cast a purple light in the hab, and were less uniformly distributed over the plant trays. The white LED panels provided broad spectrum light with more uniform distribution. Post-test questionnaires showed that the crew enjoyed tending and consuming the plants, and that the white LED light in 2012 provided welcome extra light for the main hab area.

Development of a Contingency Gas Analyzer for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niu, Bill; Carney, Kenneth; Steiner, George; OHarra, William; Lewis, John

2010-01-01

NASA's experience with electrochemical sensors in a hand-held toxic gas monitor serves as a basis for the development of a fixed on-board instrument, the Contingency Gas Analyzer (CGA), for monitoring selected toxic combustion products as well as oxygen and carbon dioxide on the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). Oxygen and carbon dioxide are major components of the cabin environment and accurate measurement of these compounds is critical to maintaining a safe working environment for the crew. Fire or thermal degradation events may produce harmful levels of toxic products, including carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and hydrogen chloride (HCl) in the environment. These three components, besides being toxic in their own right, can serve as surrogates for a panoply of hazardous combustion products. On orbit monitoring of these surrogates provides for crew health and safety by indicating the presence of toxic combustion products in the environment before, during and after combustion or thermal degradation events. Issues identified in previous NASA experiences mandate hardening the instrument and components to endure the mechanical and operational stresses of the CEV environment while maintaining high analytical fidelity. Specific functional challenges involve protecting the sensors from various anticipated events- such as rapid pressure changes, low cabin pressures, and extreme vibration/shock exposures- and extending the sensor lifetime and calibration periods far beyond the current state of the art to avoid the need for on-orbit calibration. This paper focuses on lessons learned from the earlier NASA hardware, current testing results, and engineering solutions to the identified problems. Of particular focus will be the means for protecting the sensors, addressing well known cross-sensitivity issues and the efficacy of a novel self monitoring mechanism for extending sensor calibration periods.

Mars Surface Environmental Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Charles, John

2002-01-01

Planetary exploration by astronauts will require extended periods of habitation on a planet's surface, under the influence of environmental factors that are different from those of Earth and the spacecraft that delivered the crew to the planet. Human exploration of Mars, a possible near-term planetary objective, can be considered a challenging scenario. Mission scenarios currently under consideration call for surface habitation periods of from 1 to 18 months on even the earliest expeditions. Methods: Environmental issues associated with Mars exploration have been investigated by NASA and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) as part of the Bioastronautics Critical Path Roadmap Project (see http ://criticalpath.jsc.nasa.gov). Results: Arrival on Mars will immediately expose the crew to gravity only 38% of that at Earth's surface in possibly the first prolonged exposure to gravity other than the 1G of Earth's surface and the zero G of weightless space flight, with yet unknown effects on crew physiology. The radiation at Mars' surface is not well documented, although the planet's bulk and even its thin atmosphere may moderate the influx of galactic cosmic radiation and energetic protons from solar flares. Secondary radiation from activated components of the soil must also be considered. Ultrafine and larger respirable and nonrespirable particles in Martian dust introduced into the habitat after surface excursions may induce pulmonary inflammation exacerbated by the additive reactive and oxidizing nature of the dust. Stringent decontamination cannot eliminate mechanical and corrosive effects of the dust on pressure suits and exposed machinery. The biohazard potential of putative indigenous Martian microorganisms may be assessed by comparison with analog environments on Earth. Even in their absence, human microorganisms, if not properly controlled, can be a threat to the crew's health. Conclusions: Mars' surface offers a substantial challenge to the health and safety of future human explorers.

Understanding Crew Decision-Making in the Presence of Complexity: A Flight Simulation Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Steven D.; Daniels, Taumi S.; Evans, Emory; deHaag, Maarten Uijt; Duan, Pengfei

2013-01-01

Crew decision making and response have long been leading causal and contributing factors associated with aircraft accidents. Further, it is anticipated that future aircraft and operational environments will increase exposure to risks related to these factors if proactive steps are not taken to account for ever-increasing complexity. A flight simulation study was designed to collect data to help in understanding how complexity can, or may, be manifest. More specifically, an experimental apparatus was constructed that allowed for manipulation of information complexity and uncertainty, while also manipulating operational complexity and uncertainty. Through these manipulations, and the aid of experienced airline pilots, several issues have been discovered, related most prominently to the influence of information content, quality, and management. Flight crews were immersed in an environment that included new operational complexities suggested for the future air transportation system as well as new technological complexities (e.g. electronic flight bags, expanded data link services, synthetic and enhanced vision systems, and interval management automation). In addition, a set of off-nominal situations were emulated. These included, for example, adverse weather conditions, traffic deviations, equipment failures, poor data quality, communication errors, and unexpected clearances, or changes to flight plans. Each situation was based on one or more reference events from past accidents or incidents, or on a similar case that had been used in previous developmental tests or studies. Over the course of the study, 10 twopilot airline crews participated, completing over 230 flights. Each flight consisted of an approach beginning at 10,000 ft. Based on the recorded data and pilot and research observations, preliminary results are presented regarding decision-making issues in the presence of the operational and technological complexities encountered during the flights.

Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-01-01

This 1970 photograph shows Skylab's Time and Motion experiment (M151) control unit, a medical study to measure performance differences between tasks undertaken on Earth and the same tasks performed by Skylab crew members in orbit. Data collected from this experiment evaluated crew members' zero-gravity behavior for designs and work programs for future space exploration. The Marshall Space Flight Center had program management responsibility for the development of Skylab hardware and experiments.

MSFC Skylab airlock module, volume 2. [systems design and performance, systems support activity, and reliability and safety programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

System design and performance of the Skylab Airlock Module and Payload Shroud are presented for the communication and caution and warning systems. Crew station and storage, crew trainers, experiments, ground support equipment, and system support activities are also reviewed. Other areas documented include the reliability and safety programs, test philosophy, engineering project management, and mission operations support.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building, Jim Landy, NDE specialist, performs flash thermography on flight crew lockers. He is screening the lockers for hidden damage underneath dings and dents that might occur during handling.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building, Jim Landy, NDE specialist, performs flash thermography on flight crew lockers. He is screening the lockers for hidden damage underneath dings and dents that might occur during handling.

Mapping sequence performed during the STS-116 R-Bar Pitch Maneuver.

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-12-11

ISS014-E-09232 (11 Dec. 2006) --- This view of the nose and part of the crew cabin of Space Shuttle Discovery was provided by an Expedition 14 crewmember during a back-flip performed by the approaching STS-116 crew to the International Space Station. The Ku-band antenna, very instrumental in communications operations, is visible on the port side of the orbiter.

Use of Data Comm by Flight Crew to Conduct Interval Management Operations to Parallel Dependent Runways

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baxley, Brian T.; Hubbs, Clay; Shay, Rick; Karanian, James

2011-01-01

The Interval Management (IM) concept is being developed as a method to maintain or increase high traffic density airport arrival throughput while allowing aircraft to conduct near idle thrust descents. The Interval Management with Spacing to Parallel Dependent Runways (IMSPiDR1) experiment at NASA Langley Research Center used 24 commercial pilots to examine IM procedures to conduct parallel dependent runway arrival operations while maintaining safe but efficient intervals behind the preceding aircraft. The use of IM procedures during these operations requires a lengthy and complex clearance from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to the participating aircraft, thereby making the use of Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) highly desirable as the communication method. The use of CPDLC reduces the need for voice transmissions between controllers and flight crew, and enables automated transfer of IM clearance elements into flight management systems or other aircraft avionics. The result is reduced crew workload and an increase in the efficiency of crew procedures. This paper focuses on the subset of data collected related to the use of CPDLC for IM operations into a busy airport. Overall, the experiment and results were very successful, with the mean time under 43 seconds for the flight crew to load the clearance into the IM spacing tool, review the calculated speed, and respond to ATC. An overall mean rating of Moderately Agree was given when the crews were asked if the use of CPDLC was operationally acceptable as simulated in this experiment. Approximately half of the flight crew reported the use of CPDLC below 10,000 for IM operations was unacceptable, with 83% reporting below 5000 was unacceptable. Also described are proposed modifications to the IM operations that may reduce CPDLC Respond time to less than 30 seconds and should significantly reduce the complexity of crew procedures, as well as follow-on research issues for operational use of CPDLC during IM operations.

Identification of Fixations in Noisy Eye Movements via Recursive Subdivision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mulligan, Jeffrey B.; Kalar, Donald J.

2016-01-01

When solving problems, multi-person airline crews can choose whether to work together, or to address different aspects of a situation with a divide and conquer strategy. Knowing which of these strategies is most effective may help airlines develop better procedures and training. This paper concentrates on joint attention as a measure of crew coordination. We report results obtained by applying cross recurrence analysis to eye movement data from two-person crews, collected in a flight simulator experiment. The analysis shows that crews exhibit coordinated gaze roughly one sixth of the time, with a tendency for the captain to lead the first officers visual attention. The degree to which crews coordinate their gaze is not significantly correlated with performance ratings assigned by instructors; further research questions and approaches are discussed.

Autonomous, Computer-Based Behavioral Health Countermeasure Evaluation at HI-SEAS Mars Analog.

PubMed

Anderson, Allison P; Fellows, Abigail M; Binsted, Kim A; Hegel, Mark T; Buckey, Jay C

Living in an isolated, confined environment (ICE) can induce conflict, stress, and depression. Computer-based behavioral health countermeasures are appealing for training and treatment in ICEs because they provide confidentiality and do not require communication with the outside environment. We evaluated the Virtual Space Station (VSS), a suite of interactive computer-delivered psychological training and treatment programs, at the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) III expedition. Six subjects (3 male, 3 female) spent 8 mo in group-isolation and used the Conflict, Stress, and Depression modules in the VSS. Survey evaluations, data collected within the program, and postdeployment interviews were collected. This crew dealt with behavioral health issues common to ICEs. The VSS proved to be a valuable resource and was used both as intended, and in unanticipated ways, to help maintain behavioral health. The Conflict and Stress Modules were rated as highly acceptable (1.8 on a 7-point Likert scale). The crew identified a total of 13 stressors and worked on 9 problems through the VSS. Opinions about the modules were highly individualized. Crewmembers identified exercises in the VSS that were applicable and not applicable to their needs. Additional content to improve the program was identified. Autonomous, confidential training and treatment for behavioral health issues will need to be a critical component of long duration spaceflight travel. This work provides an evaluation of such a tool in a relevant ICE. Anderson AP, Fellows AM, Binsted KA, Hegel MT, Buckey JC. Autonomous, computer-based behavioral health countermeasure evaluation at HI-SEAS Mars analog. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(11):912-920.

Habitability constraints/objectives for a Mars manned mission: internal architecture considerations.

PubMed

Winisdoerffer, F; Soulez-Larivière, C

1992-01-01

It is generally accepted that high quality internal environment shall strongly support crew's adaptation and acceptance to situation of long isolation and confinement. Thus, this paper is an attempt to determine to which extent the resulting stress corresponding to the anticipated duration of a trip to Mars (1 and a half years to 2 and a half years) could be decreased when internal architecture of the spacecraft is properly designed. It is assumed that artificial gravity shall be available on board the Mars spacecraft. This will of course have a strong impact on internal architecture as far as a 1-g oriented design will become mandatory, at least in certain inhabited parts of the spacecraft. The review of usual Habitability functions is performed according to the peculiarities of such an extremely long mission. A particular attention is paid to communications issues and the need for privacy. The second step of the paper addresses internal architecture issues through zoning analyses. Common, Service and Personal zones need to be adapted to the constraints associated with the extremely long duration of the mission. Furthermore, due to the nature of the mission itself (relative autonomy, communication problems, monotony) and the type of selected crew (personalities, group structure) the implementation of a "fourth zone", so-called "recreational" zone, seems to be needed. This zoning analysis is then translated into some internal architecture proposals, which are discussed and illustrated. This paper is concluded by a reflection on habitability and recommendations on volumetric requirements. Some ideas to validate proposed habitability items through simulation are also discussed.

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): FMEA/CIL assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinsdale, L. W.; Swain, L. J.; Barnes, J. E.

1988-01-01

The McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC) was selected to perform an Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL). Direction was given by the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office to perform the hardware analysis and assessment using the instructions and ground rules defined in NSTS 22206. The IOA analysis featured a top-down approach to determine hardware failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, the analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA and Prime Contractor FMEA/CIL documentation. The assessment process compared the independently derived failure modes and criticality assignments to the proposed NASA post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation. When possible, assessment issues were discussed and resolved with the NASA subsystem managers. Unresolved issues were elevated to the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office manager, Configuration Control Board (CCB), or Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) for further resolution. The most important Orbiter assessment finding was the previously unknown stuck autopilot push-button criticality 1/1 failure mode. The worst case effect could cause loss of crew/vehicle when the microwave landing system is not active. It is concluded that NASA and Prime Contractor Post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation assessed by IOA is believed to be technically accurate and complete. All CIL issues were resolved. No FMEA issues remain that have safety implications. Consideration should be given, however, to upgrading NSTS 22206 with definitive ground rules which more clearly spell out the limits of redundancy.

An Alternative Approach to Human Servicing of Crewed Earth Orbiting Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mularski, John R.; Alpert, Brian K.

2017-01-01

As crewed spacecraft have grown larger and more complex, they have come to rely on spacewalks, or Extravehicular Activities (EVA), for mission success and crew safety. Typically, these spacecraft maintain all of the hardware and trained personnel needed to perform an EVA on-board at all times. Maintaining this capability requires volume and up-mass for storage of EVA hardware, crew time for ground and on-orbit training, and on-orbit maintenance of EVA hardware. This paper proposes an alternative methodology, utilizing launch on-need hardware and crew to provide EVA capability for space stations in Earth orbit after assembly complete, in the same way that one would call a repairman to fix something at their home. This approach would reduce ground training requirements, save Intravehicular Activity (IVA) crew time in the form of EVA hardware maintenance and on-orbit training, and lead to more efficient EVAs because they would be performed by specialists with detailed knowledge and training stemming from their direct involvement in the development of the EVA. The on-orbit crew would then be available to focus on the immediate response to the failure as well as the day-to-day operations of the spacecraft and payloads. This paper will look at how current unplanned EVAs are conducted, including the time required for preparation, and offer alternatives for future spacecraft. As this methodology relies on the on-time and on-need launch of spacecraft, any space station that utilized this approach would need a robust transportation system including more than one launch vehicle capable of carrying crew. In addition, the fault tolerance of the space station would be an important consideration in how much time was available for EVA preparation after the failure. Each future program would have to weigh the risk of on-time launch against the increase in available crew time for the main objective of the spacecraft.

Operational Evaluation of VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, Gary W.; Newsham, Gerard; Morrow, Robert M.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

The 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) of the VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) was the first operational evaluation of salad crop production technology in a NASA analog test. A systematic evaluation of rooting media and nutrient delivery systems were evaluated for three lettuce cultivars that have shown promise as candidates for a surface based food production system. The VEGGIE nutrient delivery system worked well, was able to be maintained by multiple operators with a minimum of training, and supported excellent lettuce growth for the duration of the test. A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) evaluation was performed using ProSan(tm) as sanitation agent prior to consumption was approved, and the crew was allowed to consume the lettuce grown using the VEGGIE light cap and gravity based nutrient delivery system at the completion of the 14-day DRAT field test. The DRAT field test validated the crew operations; Growth of all lettuce cultivars was excellent. The operational DRAT field testing in the HDU identified light quality issues related to morphology and pigment development that will need to be addressed through additional testing. Feedback from the crew, ground support personnel, and human factors leads was uniformly positive on the psychological value of having the crop production system in the excursion module. A number of areas have been identified for future work, to minimize the "footprint" of the Food Production system through creative use of unused wall and floor space in the unit.

Operation Evaluation of the VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stutte, Gary W.; Newsham, Gerard; Morrow, Robert M.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

The 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) of the VEGGIE Food Production System in the Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) was the first operational evaluation of salad crop production technology in a NASA analog test. A systematic evaluation of rooting media and nutrient delivery systems were evaluated for three lettuce cultivars that have shown promise as candidates for a surface based food production system. The VEGGIE nutrient delivery system worked well, was able to be maintained by multiple operators with a minimum of training, and supported excellent lettuce growth for the duration of the test. A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) evaluation was performed using ProSantm as sanitation agent prior to consumption was approved, and the crew was allowed to consume the lettuce grown using the VEGGIE light cap and gravity based nutrient delivery system at the completion of the 14-day DRAT field test. The DRAT field test validated the crew operations; Growth of all lettuce cultivars was excellent. The operational DRAT field testing in the HDU identified light quality issues related to morphology and pigment development that will need to be addressed through additional testing. Feedback from the crew, ground support personnel, and human factors leads was uniformly positive on the psychological value of having the crop production system in the excursion module. A number of areas have been identified for future work, to minimize the "footprint" of the Food Production system through creative use of unused wall and floor space in the unit.

Don’t Rock the Boat: How Antiphase Crew Coordination Affects Rowing

PubMed Central

de Brouwer, Anouk J.; de Poel, Harjo J.; Hofmijster, Mathijs J.

2013-01-01

It is generally accepted that crew rowing requires perfect synchronization between the movements of the rowers. However, a long-standing and somewhat counterintuitive idea is that out-of-phase crew rowing might have benefits over in-phase (i.e., synchronous) rowing. In synchronous rowing, 5 to 6% of the power produced by the rower(s) is lost to velocity fluctuations of the shell within each rowing cycle. Theoretically, a possible way for crews to increase average boat velocity is to reduce these fluctuations by rowing in antiphase coordination, a strategy in which rowers perfectly alternate their movements. On the other hand, the framework of coordination dynamics explicates that antiphase coordination is less stable than in-phase coordination, which may impede performance gains. Therefore, we compared antiphase to in-phase crew rowing performance in an ergometer experiment. Nine pairs of rowers performed a two-minute maximum effort in-phase and antiphase trial at 36 strokes min−1 on two coupled free-floating ergometers that allowed for power losses to velocity fluctuations. Rower and ergometer kinetics and kinematics were measured during the trials. All nine pairs easily acquired antiphase rowing during the warm-up, while one pair’s coordination briefly switched to in-phase during the maximum effort trial. Although antiphase interpersonal coordination was indeed less accurate and more variable, power production was not negatively affected. Importantly, in antiphase rowing the decreased power loss to velocity fluctuations resulted in more useful power being transferred to the ergometer flywheels. These results imply that antiphase rowing may indeed improve performance, even without any experience with antiphase technique. Furthermore, it demonstrates that although perfectly synchronous coordination may be the most stable, it is not necessarily equated with the most efficient or optimal performance. PMID:23383024

Don't rock the boat: how antiphase crew coordination affects rowing.

PubMed

de Brouwer, Anouk J; de Poel, Harjo J; Hofmijster, Mathijs J

2013-01-01

It is generally accepted that crew rowing requires perfect synchronization between the movements of the rowers. However, a long-standing and somewhat counterintuitive idea is that out-of-phase crew rowing might have benefits over in-phase (i.e., synchronous) rowing. In synchronous rowing, 5 to 6% of the power produced by the rower(s) is lost to velocity fluctuations of the shell within each rowing cycle. Theoretically, a possible way for crews to increase average boat velocity is to reduce these fluctuations by rowing in antiphase coordination, a strategy in which rowers perfectly alternate their movements. On the other hand, the framework of coordination dynamics explicates that antiphase coordination is less stable than in-phase coordination, which may impede performance gains. Therefore, we compared antiphase to in-phase crew rowing performance in an ergometer experiment. Nine pairs of rowers performed a two-minute maximum effort in-phase and antiphase trial at 36 strokes min(-1) on two coupled free-floating ergometers that allowed for power losses to velocity fluctuations. Rower and ergometer kinetics and kinematics were measured during the trials. All nine pairs easily acquired antiphase rowing during the warm-up, while one pair's coordination briefly switched to in-phase during the maximum effort trial. Although antiphase interpersonal coordination was indeed less accurate and more variable, power production was not negatively affected. Importantly, in antiphase rowing the decreased power loss to velocity fluctuations resulted in more useful power being transferred to the ergometer flywheels. These results imply that antiphase rowing may indeed improve performance, even without any experience with antiphase technique. Furthermore, it demonstrates that although perfectly synchronous coordination may be the most stable, it is not necessarily equated with the most efficient or optimal performance.

Position-specific behaviors and their impact on crew performance: Implications for training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Law, J. Randolph

1993-01-01

The present study was motivated by results from a preliminary report documenting the impact of specific crewmembers on overall crew performance (Wilhelm & Law, 1992), and a cross-airline cross-fleet project investigating human factors behaviors of commercial aviation flightcrews (Helmreich, Butler, Whilhelm, & Lofaro, 1992). The purpose of the current investigation is to study how position-specific behaviors impact flightcrew performance, and how these position-specific behaviors differ between two airlines and two flying environments. Implications for training will also be addressed.

Space Station crew workload - Station operations and customer accommodations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shinkle, G. L.

1985-01-01

The features of the Space Station which permit crew members to utilize work time for payload operations are discussed. The user orientation, modular design, nonstressful flight regime, in space construction, on board control, automation and robotics, and maintenance and servicing of the Space Station are examined. The proposed crew size, skills, and functions as station operator and mission specialists are described. Mission objectives and crew functions, which include performing material processing, life science and astronomy experiments, satellite and payload equipment servicing, systems monitoring and control, maintenance and repair, Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle and Mobile Remote Manipulator System operations, on board planning, housekeeping, and health maintenance and recreation, are studied.

Team Performance and Error Management in Chinese and American Simulated Flight Crews: The Role of Cultural and Individual Differences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Donald D.; Bryant, Janet L.; Tedrow, Lara; Liu, Ying; Selgrade, Katherine A.; Downey, Heather J.

2005-01-01

This report describes results of a study conducted for NASA-Langley Research Center. This study is part of a program of research conducted for NASA-LARC that has focused on identifying the influence of national culture on the performance of flight crews. We first reviewed the literature devoted to models of teamwork and team performance, crew resource management, error management, and cross-cultural psychology. Davis (1999) reported the results of this review and presented a model that depicted how national culture could influence teamwork and performance in flight crews. The second study in this research program examined accident investigations of foreign airlines in the United States conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The ability of cross-cultural values to explain national differences in flight outcomes was examined. Cultural values were found to covary in a predicted way with national differences, but the absence of necessary data in the NTSB reports and limitations in the research method that was used prevented a clear understanding of the causal impact of cultural values. Moreover, individual differences such as personality traits were not examined in this study. Davis and Kuang (2001) report results of this second study. The research summarized in the current report extends this previous research by directly assessing cultural and individual differences among students from the United States and China who were trained to fly in a flight simulator using desktop computer workstations. The research design used in this study allowed delineation of the impact of national origin, cultural values, personality traits, cognitive style, shared mental model, and task workload on teamwork, error management and flight outcomes. We briefly review the literature that documents the importance of teamwork and error management and its impact on flight crew performance. We next examine teamwork and crew resource management training designed to improve teamwork. This is followed by discussion of the potential influence of national culture on teamwork and crew resource management. We then examine the influence of other individual and team differences, such as personality traits, cognitive style, shared mental model, and task workload. We provide a heuristic model that depicts the influence of national culture and individual differences on teamwork, error management and flight outcomes. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the model for future research.

A Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA) of Human Space Missions for the Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry W.; Dillon-Merrill, Robin L.; Thomas, Gretchen A.

2003-01-01

The Advanced Integration Matrix (AIM) Project u7ill study and solve systems-level integration issues for exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), through the design and development of a ground-based facility for developing revolutionary integrated systems for joint human-robotic missions. This paper describes a Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA) of human space missions that was developed to help define the direction and priorities for AIM. Risk analysis is required for all major NASA programs and has been used for shuttle, station, and Mars lander programs. It is a prescribed part of early planning and is necessary during concept definition, even before mission scenarios and system designs exist. PRA cm begin when little failure data are available, and be continually updated and refined as detail becomes available. PRA provides a basis for examining tradeoffs among safety, reliability, performance, and cost. The objective of AIM's PRA is to indicate how risk can be managed and future human space missions enabled by the AIM Project. Many critical events can cause injuries and fatalities to the crew without causing loss of vehicle or mission. Some critical systems are beyond AIM's scope, such as propulsion and guidance. Many failure-causing events can be mitigated by conducting operational tests in AIM, such as testing equipment and evaluating operational procedures, especially in the areas of communications and computers, autonomous operations, life support, thermal design, EVA and rover activities, physiological factors including habitation, medical equipment, and food, and multifunctional tools and repairable systems. AIM is well suited to test and demonstrate the habitat, life support, crew operations, and human interface. Because these account for significant crew, systems performance, and science risks, AIM will help reduce mission risk, and missions beyond LEO are far enough in the future that AIM can have significant impact.

An Illumination Modeling System for Human Factors Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huynh, Thong; Maida, James C.; Bond, Robert L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Seeing is critical to human performance. Lighting is critical for seeing. Therefore, lighting is critical to human performance. This is common sense, and here on earth, it is easily taken for granted. However, on orbit, because the sun will rise or set every 45 minutes on average, humans working in space must cope with extremely dynamic lighting conditions. Contrast conditions of harsh shadowing and glare is also severe. The prediction of lighting conditions for critical operations is essential. Crew training can factor lighting into the lesson plans when necessary. Mission planners can determine whether low-light video cameras are required or whether additional luminaires need to be flown. The optimization of the quantity and quality of light is needed because of the effects on crew safety, on electrical power and on equipment maintainability. To address all of these issues, an illumination modeling system has been developed by the Graphics Research and Analyses Facility (GRAF) and Lighting Environment Test Facility (LETF) in the Space Human Factors Laboratory at NASA Johnson Space Center. The system uses physically based ray tracing software (Radiance) developed at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories, a human factors oriented geometric modeling system (PLAID) and an extensive database of humans and environments. Material reflectivity properties of major surfaces and critical surfaces are measured using a gonio-reflectometer. Luminaires (lights) are measured for beam spread distribution, color and intensity. Video camera performances are measured for color and light sensitivity. 3D geometric models of humans and the environment are combined with the material and light models to form a system capable of predicting lighting conditions and visibility conditions in space.

Moon-Mars Analogue Mission (EuroMoonMars 1 at the Mars Desert Research Station)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lia Schlacht, Irene; Voute, Sara; Irwin, Stacy; Foing, Bernard H.; Stoker, Carol R.; Westenberg, Artemis

The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) is situated in an analogue habitat-based Martian environment, designed for missions to determine the knowledge and equipment necessary for successful future planetary exploration. For this purpose, a crew of six people worked and lived together in a closed-system environment. They performed habitability experiments within the dwelling and conducted Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVAs) for two weeks (20 Feb to 6 Mar 2010) and were guided externally by mission support, called "Earth" within the simulation. Crew 91, an international, mixed-gender, and multidisciplinary group, has completed several studies during the first mission of the EuroMoonMars campaign. The crew is composed of an Italian designer and human factors specialist, a Dutch geologist, an American physicist, and three French aerospace engineering students from Ecole de l'Air, all with ages between 21 and 31. Each crewmember worked on personal research and fulfilled a unique role within the group: commander, executive officer, engineer, health and safety officer, scientist, and journalist. The expedition focused on human factors, performance, communication, health and safety pro-tocols, and EVA procedures. The engineers' projects aimed to improve rover manoeuvrability, far-field communication, and data exchanges between the base and the rover or astronaut. The crew physicist evaluated dust control methods inside and outside the habitat. The geologist tested planetary geological sampling procedures. The crew designer investigated performance and overall habitability in the context of the Mars Habitability Experiment from the Extreme-Design group. During the mission the crew also participated in the Food Study and in the Ethospace study, managed by external groups. The poster will present crew dynamics, scientific results and daily schedule from a Human Factors perspective. Main co-sponsors and collaborators: ILEWG, ESA ESTEC, NASA Ames, Ecole de l'Air, SKOR, Extreme-Design, Universit` di Torino, MMS TU-Berlin, Space Florida, DAAD, Uni-a versity of Utrecht, The Mars Society.

STS-96 FD Highlights and Crew Activities Report: Flight Day 05

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

On this fifth day of the STS-96 Discovery mission, the flight crew, Commander Kent V. Rominger, Pilot Rick D. Husband, and Mission Specialists Ellen Ochoa, Tamara E. Jernigan, Daniel T. Barry, Julie Payette, and Valery Ivanovich Tokarev are seen performing logistics transfer activities within the Discovery/International Space Station orbiting complex. The crew transfers supplies, equipment, and water. Payette and Tokarev perform maintenance activities on the storage batteries in the Zarya module. Barry and Tokarev install acoustic insulation around some of the fans inside Zarya. Jernigan and Husband install shelving in 2 soft stowage racks. Husband and Barry troubleshoot and perform maintenance activities on the Early Communications System. At the end of the workday, Rominger, Jernigan, and Barry discussed the progress of the mission with NBC's "Today," CBS "This Morning," and CNN.

NASA - easyJet Collaboration on the Human Factors Monitoring Program (HFMP) Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivistava, Ashok N.; Barton, Phil

2012-01-01

This is the first annual report jointly prepared by NASA and easyJet on the work performed under the agreement to collaborate on a study of the many factors entailed in flight - and cabin-crew fatigue and documenting the decreases in performance associated with fatigue. The objective of this Agreement is to generate reliable, automated procedures that improve understanding of the levels and characteristics of flight - and cabin-crew fatigue factors, both latent and proximate, whose confluence will likely result in unacceptable flight crew performance. This study entails the analyses of numerical and textual data collected during operational flights. NASA and easyJet are both interested in assessing and testing NASA s automated capabilities for extracting operationally significant information from very large, diverse (textual and numerical) databases, much larger than can be handled practically by human experts.

Second Interim Report NASA - easyJet Collaboration on the Human Factors Monitoring Program (HFMP) Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivistava, Ashok N.; Barton, Phil

2012-01-01

This is the second interim report jointly prepared by NASA and easyJet on the work performed under the agreement to collaborate on a study of the factors entailed in flight and cabin-crew fatigue, and decreases in performance associated with fatigue. The objective of this Agreement is to generate reliable procedures that aid in understanding the levels and characteristics of flight and cabin-crew fatigue factors, both latent and proximate, whose confluence will likely result in unacceptable crew performance. This study entails the analyses of numerical and textual data collected during operational flights. NASA and easyJet are both interested in assessing and testing NASA s automated capabilities for extracting operationally significant information from very large, diverse (textual and numerical) databases; much larger than can be handled practically by human experts.

Innovative Method in Improving Communication Issues by Applying Interdisciplinary Approach. Psycholinguistic Perspective to Mitigate Communication Troubles During Cislunar Travel.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anikushina, V.; Taratukhin, V.; Stutterheim, C. v.; Gushin, V.

2018-02-01

A new psycholinguistic view on the crew communication, combined with biochemical and psychological data, contributes to noninvasive methods for stress appraisal and proposes alternative approaches to improve in-group communication and cohesion.

Human Factors in Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woolford, Barbara J.; Mount, Frances

2005-01-01

After forty years of experience with human space flight (Table 1), the current emphasis is on the design of space vehicles, habitats, and missions to ensure mission success. What lessons have we learned that will affect the design of spacecraft for future space exploration, leading up to exploring Mars? This chapter addresses this issue in four sections: Anthropometry and Biomechanics; Environmental Factors; Habitability and Architecture; and Crew Personal Sustenance. This introductory section introduces factors unique to space flight. A unique consideration for design of a habitable volume in a space vehicle is the lack of gravity during a space flight, referred to as microgravity. This affects all aspects of life, and drives special features in the habitat, equipment, tools, and procedures. The difference in gravity during a space mission requires designing for posture and motion differences. In Earth s gravity, or even with partial gravity, orientation is not a variable because the direction in which gravity acts defines up and down. In a microgravity environment the working position is arbitrary; there is no gravity cue. Orientation is defined primarily through visual cues. The orientation within a particular crew station or work area is referred to as local vertical, and should be consistent within a module to increase crew productivity. Equipment was intentionally arranged in various orientations in one module on Skylab to assess the efficiency in use of space versus the effects of inconsistent layout. The effects of that arrangement were confusion on entering the module, time spent in re-orientation, and conflicts in crew space requirements when multiple crew members were in the module. Design of a space vehicle is constrained by the three major mission drivers: mass, volume and power. Each of these factors drives the cost of a mission. Mass and volume determine the size of the launch vehicle directly; they can limit consumables such as air, water, and propellant; and they impact crew size and the types of activities the crew performs. Power is a limiting factor for a space vehicle. All environmental features (e.g., atmosphere, temperature, lighting) require power to maintain them. Power can be generated from batteries, from fuel cells, or from solar panels. Each of these sources requires lifting mass and volume from Earth, driving mission cost. All engineering decisions directly impact the design for habitation design and usage. For instance, if fuel cells are used they produce water, which is used for drinking and food preparation. If a different power source is used water has to be carried and stored on the vehicle which then directly impacts the food system choice as well as the launch weight of the vehicle.

Aviation accidents and the theory of the situation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolman, L.

1980-01-01

Social-psychological factors effecting the performance of flight crews are examined. In particular, a crew member's perceptual-psychological constructs of the flight situation (theories of the situation) are discussed. The skills and willingness of a flight crew to be alert to possible errors in the theory become critical to their effectiveness and their ability to ensure a safe flight. Several major factors that determine the likelihood that a faulty theory will be detected and revised are identified.

International Space Station USOS Crew Quarters Ventilation and Acoustic Design Implementation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broyan, James Lee, Jr.

2009-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) United States Operational Segment (USOS) has four permanent rack sized ISS Crew Quarters (CQ) providing a private crewmember space. The CQ uses Node 2 cabin air for ventilation/thermal cooling, as opposed to conditioned ducted air from the ISS Temperature Humidity Control System or the ISS fluid cooling loop connections. Consequently, CQ can only increase the air flow rate to reduce the temperature delta between the cabin and the CQ interior. However, increasing airflow causes increased acoustic noise so efficient airflow distribution is an important design parameter. The CQ utilized a two fan push-pull configuration to ensure fresh air at the crewmember s head position and reduce acoustic exposure. The CQ interior needs to be below Noise Curve 40 (NC-40). The CQ ventilation ducts are open to the significantly louder Node 2 cabin aisle way which required significantly acoustic mitigation controls. The design implementation of the CQ ventilation system and acoustic mitigation are very inter-related and require consideration of crew comfort balanced with use of interior habitable volume, accommodation of fan failures, and possible crew uses that impact ventilation and acoustic performance. This paper illustrates the types of model analysis, assumptions, vehicle interactions, and trade-offs required for CQ ventilation and acoustics. Additionally, on-orbit ventilation system performance and initial crew feedback is presented. This approach is applicable to any private enclosed space that the crew will occupy.

Behavioral Health and Performance Operations During the Space Shuttle Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beven, G.; Holland, A.; Moomaw, R.; Sipes, W.; Vander Ark, S.

2011-01-01

Prior to the Columbia STS 107 disaster in 2003, the Johnson Space Center s Behavioral Health and Performance Group (BHP) became involved in Space Shuttle Operations on an as needed basis, occasionally acting as a consultant and primarily addressing crew-crew personality conflicts. The BHP group also assisted with astronaut selection at every selection cycle beginning in 1991. Following STS 107, an event that spawned an increased need of behavioral health support to STS crew members and their dependents, BHP services to the Space Shuttle Program were enhanced beginning with the STS 114 Return to Flight mission in 2005. These services included the presence of BHP personnel at STS launches and landings for contingency support, a BHP briefing to the entire STS crew at L-11 months, a private preflight meeting with the STS Commander at L-9 months, and the presence of a BHP consultant at the L-1.5 month Family Support Office briefing to crew and family members. The later development of an annual behavioral health assessment of all active astronauts also augmented BHP s Space Shuttle Program specific services, allowing for private meetings with all STS crew members before and after each mission. The components of each facet of these BHP Space Shuttle Program support services will be presented, along with valuable lessons learned, and with recommendations for BHP involvement in future short duration space missions

Workshop on Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). Volume 2. Plenary Session with Presentations and Proposed Action Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

programs have several common functional components dealing with: attention , crew, stress, mental attitude, and risk issues. The role which the five...five interrelated concept areas furnish "rules and tools" to help prevent common errors. For instance: 1. Attention management issues include...pilots must manage his/her attention in a timely manor and sequentially employ the other cockpit management tools (for controlling stress etc.). The text

Integrated Testing Approaches for the NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, James L.; Cockrell, Charles E.; Tuma, Margaret L.; Askins, Bruce R.; Bland, Jeff D.; Davis, Stephan R.; Patterson, Alan F.; Taylor, Terry L.; Robinson, Kimberly L.

2008-01-01

The Ares I crew launch vehicle is being developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide crew and cargo access to the International Space Station (ISS) and, together with the Ares V cargo launch vehicle, serves as a critical component of NASA's future human exploration of the Moon. During the preliminary design phase, NASA defined and began implementing plans for integrated ground and flight testing necessary to achieve the first human launch of Ares I. The individual Ares I flight hardware elements - including the first stage five segment booster (FSB), upper stage, and J-2X upper stage engine - will undergo extensive development, qualification, and certification testing prior to flight. Key integrated system tests include the upper stage Main Propulsion Test Article (MPTA), acceptance tests of the integrated upper stage and upper stage engine assembly, a full-scale integrated vehicle ground vibration test (IVGVT), aerodynamic testing to characterize vehicle performance, and integrated testing of the avionics and software components. The Ares I-X development flight test will provide flight data to validate engineering models for aerodynamic performance, stage separation, structural dynamic performance, and control system functionality. The Ares I-Y flight test will validate ascent performance of the first stage, stage separation functionality, validate the ability of the upper stage to manage cryogenic propellants to achieve upper stage engine start conditions, and a high-altitude demonstration of the launch abort system (LAS) following stage separation. The Orion 1 flight test will be conducted as a full, un-crewed, operational flight test through the entire ascent flight profile prior to the first crewed launch.

Integrated System Test Approaches for the NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, Charles E., Jr.; Askins, Bruce R.; Bland, Jeffrey; Davis, Stephan; Holladay, Jon B.; Taylor, James L.; Taylor, Terry L.; Robinson, Kimberly F.; Roberts, Ryan E.; Tuma, Margaret

2007-01-01

The Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) is being developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to provide crew access to the International Space Station (ISS) and, together with the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV), serves as one component of a future launch capability for human exploration of the Moon. During the system requirements definition process and early design cycles, NASA defined and began implementing plans for integrated ground and flight testing necessary to achieve the first human launch of Ares I. The individual Ares I flight hardware elements: the first stage five segment booster (FSB), upper stage, and J-2X upper stage engine, will undergo extensive development, qualification, and certification testing prior to flight. Key integrated system tests include the Main Propulsion Test Article (MPTA), acceptance tests of the integrated upper stage and upper stage engine assembly, a full-scale integrated vehicle dynamic test (IVDT), aerodynamic testing to characterize vehicle performance, and integrated testing of the avionics and software components. The Ares I-X development flight test will provide flight data to validate engineering models for aerodynamic performance, stage separation, structural dynamic performance, and control system functionality. The Ares I-Y flight test will validate ascent performance of the first stage, stage separation functionality, and a highaltitude actuation of the launch abort system (LAS) following separation. The Orion-1 flight test will be conducted as a full, un-crewed, operational flight test through the entire ascent flight profile prior to the first crewed launch.

Analysis of Crew Fatigue in AIA Guantanamo Bay Aviation Accident

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosekind, Mark R.; Gregory, Kevin B.; Miller, Donna L.; Co, Elizabeth L.; Lebacqz, J. Victor; Statler, Irving C. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Flight operations can engender fatigue, which can affect flight crew performance, vigilance, and mood. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) requested the NASA Fatigue Countermeasures Program to analyze crew fatigue factors in an aviation accident that occurred at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There are specific fatigue factors that can be considered in such investigations: cumulative sleep loss, continuous hours of wakefulness prior to the incident or accident, and the time of day at which the accident occurred. Data from the NTSB Human Performance Investigator's Factual Report, the Operations Group Chairman's Factual Report, and the Flight 808 Crew Statements were analyzed, using conservative estimates and averages to reconcile discrepancies among the sources. Analysis of these data determined the following: the entire crew displayed cumulative sleep loss, operated during an extended period of continuous wakefulness, and obtained sleep at times in opposition to the circadian disposition for sleep, and that the accident occurred in the afternoon window of physiological sleepiness. In addition to these findings, evidence that fatigue affected performance was suggested by the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcript as well as in the captain's testimony. Examples from the CVR showed degraded decision-making skills, fixation, and slowed responses, all of which can be affected by fatigue; also, the captain testified to feeling "lethargic and indifferent" just prior to the accident. Therefore, the sleep/wake history data supports the hypothesis that fatigue was a factor that affected crewmembers' performance. Furthermore, the examples from the CVR and the captain's testimony support the hypothesis that the fatigue had an impact on specific actions involved in the occurrence of the accident.

Fatigue in trans-Atlantic airline operations: diaries and actigraphy for two- vs. three-pilot crews.

PubMed

Eriksen, Claire A; Akerstedt, Torbjörn; Nilsson, Jens P

2006-06-01

The aim was to compare intercontinental flights with two-pilot and three-pilot crews with respect to fatigue/sleepiness and sleep, as there is considerable economic pressure on the airlines to use two-pilot crews. Twenty pilots participated. Data were collected before, during, and after outbound and homebound flights using a sleep/wake diary (sleepiness ratings every 2-3 h) and wrist actigraphy. The duration of flights was approximately 8 h, and six time zones were crossed. The same pilots participated in both conditions. Napping during the outbound flight was 26 min for the two-pilot crew, and 48 min for the three-pilot crew. Napping during the homebound flight was 54 min and 1 h 6 min, respectively, and the difference was directly related to the time allotted for sleep. Subjective sleepiness was significantly higher for the two-pilot condition in both directions, peaking a few hours into the flight. Performance at top of descent for the two-pilot condition was rated as lower than the three-pilot condition. In the overall evaluation questionnaire there was a significant negative attitude toward two-crew operations. Sleep, sleepiness, subjective performance, boredom, mood, and layover sleep were assessed as having deteriorated in the two-pilot condition. The homebound flight was associated with considerably higher levels of sleepiness than the outbound flight. The study indicates that the reduction of crew size by one pilot is associated with moderately increased levels of sleepiness. It is also suggested that time allotted to sleep in the two-pilot condition might be somewhat extended to improve alertness.

Space Rescue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muratore, John F.

2007-01-01

Space Rescue has been a topic of speculation for a wide community of people for decades. Astronauts, aerospace engineers, diplomats, medical and rescue professionals, inventors and science fiction writers have all speculated on this problem. Martin Caidin's 1964 novel Marooned dealt with the problems of rescuing a crew stranded in low earth orbit. Legend at the Johnson Space Center says that Caidin's portrayal of a Russian attempt to save the American crew played a pivotal role in convincing the Russians to join the real joint Apollo-Soyuz mission. Space Rescue has been a staple in science fiction television and movies portrayed in programs such as Star Trek, Stargate-SG1 and Space 1999 and movies such as Mission To Mars and Red Planet. As dramatic and as difficult as rescue appears in fictional accounts, in the real world it has even greater drama and greater difficulty. Space rescue is still in its infancy as a discipline and the purpose of this chapter is to describe the issues associated with space rescue and the work done so far in this field. For the purposes of this chapter, the term space rescue will refer to any system which allows for rescue or escape of personnel from situations which endanger human life in a spaceflight operation. This will span the period from crew ingress prior to flight through crew egress postlanding. For the purposes of this chapter, the term primary system will refer to the spacecraft system that a crew is either attempting to escape from or from which an attempt is being made to rescue the crew.

Lunar Surface Operations with Dual Rovers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horz, Friedrich; Lofgren, Gary E.; Eppler, Dean E.; Ming, Douglas

2010-01-01

Lunar Electric Rovers (LER) are currently being developed that are substantially more capable than the Apollo vehicle (LRN ,"). Unlike the LRV, the new LERs provide a pressurized cabin that serves as short-sleeve environment for the crew of two, including sleeping accommodations and other provisions that allow for long tern stays, possibly up to 60 days, on the hear surface, without the need to replenish consumables from some outside source, such as a lander or outpost. As a consequence, significantly larger regions may be explored in the future and traverse distances may be measured in a few hundred kilometers (1, 2). However, crew safety remains an overriding concern, and methods other than "walk back", the major operational constraint of all Apollo traverses, must be implemented to assure -at any time- the safe return of the crew to the lander or outpost. This then causes current Constellation plans to envision long-tern traverses to be conducted with 2 LERs exclusively, each carrying a crew of two: in case one rover fails, the other will rescue the stranded crew and return all 4 astronauts in a single LER to base camp. Recent Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) analog field tests simulated a continuous 14 day traverse (3), covering some 135 km, and included a rescue operation that transferred the crew and diverse consumables from one LER to another these successful tests add substantial realism to the development of long-term, dual rover operations. The simultaneous utilization of 2 LERs is of course totally unlike Apollo and raises interesting issues regarding science productivity and mission operations, the thrust of this note.

Design of Launch Abort System Thrust Profile and Concept of Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litton, Daniel; O'Keefe, Stephen A.; Winski, Richard G.; Davidson, John B.

2008-01-01

This paper describes how the Abort Motor thrust profile has been tailored and how optimizing the Concept of Operations on the Launch Abort System (LAS) of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) aides in getting the crew safely away from a failed Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV). Unlike the passive nature of the Apollo system, the Orion Launch Abort Vehicle will be actively controlled, giving the program a more robust abort system with a higher probability of crew survival for an abort at all points throughout the CLV trajectory. By optimizing the concept of operations and thrust profile the Orion program will be able to take full advantage of the active Orion LAS. Discussion will involve an overview of the development of the abort motor thrust profile and the current abort concept of operations as well as their effects on the performance of LAS aborts. Pad Abort (for performance) and Maximum Drag (for separation from the Launch Vehicle) are the two points that dictate the required thrust and shape of the thrust profile. The results in this paper show that 95% success of all performance requirements is not currently met for Pad Abort. Future improvements to the current parachute sequence and other potential changes will mitigate the current problems, and meet abort performance requirements.

The Armys M-1 Abrams, M-2/M-3 Bradley, and M-1126 Stryker: Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-05

smoothbore gun 1 x coaxial mounted 7.62 mm M-240 machine gun 1 x roof mounted 12.7 mm M-2 HB machine gun 1 x roof mounted 7.62 mm M-240 machine gun 12...Bradley Fighting Vehicle Table 2. Selected Basic Characteristics— M2 /3-A2 Armament 1 x turret mounted M-242 25mm “Bushmaster” chain gun 2 x turret...mounted TOW anti-tank missiles 1 x coaxial mounted 7.62 mm M-240C machine gun 8 x turret mounted smoke grenade launchers Crew M-2: 3 crew, 6

78 FR 79287 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-30

...We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that traces of oil could be found in the crew oxygen system due to the use of incorrect pressure testing procedures during manufacturing. This AD requires cleaning the crew oxygen system. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct oil contaminants, which could cause an ignition and result in a fire in the oxygen system.

The Interaction of the Space Shuttle Launch and Entry Suits and Sustained Weightless on Astronaut Egress Locomotion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenisen, M. C.; Bishop, P. A.; Sothmann, M.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the consequences of extended periods of weightlessness during space missions on astronauts f ability to perform a simulated contingency egress while wearing either of the Launch and Entry suits immediately after space flight. In our previous lab-based study of simulated contingency egress, we found only 4 of 12 non-astronauts wearing the Launch and Entry Suit (LES) successfully completed the simulated egress. However, 4 of 4 of the previous failures (when tested wearing the LES), were then successful in completing the test wearing the Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES). Therefore, this study tested 21 Astronaut Volunteers wearing either the LES or ACES while performing a simulated egress on a treadmill (TM) onboard the Crew Transportation Vehicle immediately after space flight at either the Kennedy Space Center or Edwards AFB. Astronauts walked for 400 meters at 1.6m/sec with g-suit inflation level set to preflight testing levels, visor down, breathing from the suit emergency O2 supply. Metabolic, heartrate, and perceived exertion data were collected during these post-flight tests. Exactly the same preflight simulated egress tests on a TM were performed in the lab at NASA/JSC by each crewmember at L-60. Preflight testing found 2 of the 21 crewmembers were unable to complete the simulated contingency egress. Postflight, 9 crew (8 ACES, 1 LES) completed the simulated contingency egress of 400 meters at 1.6m/sec. and 12 failed to meet that standard (7 ACES, 5 LES). Preflight physiological response tests failed to identify crew capable of performing the egress vs. those who failed. However, 18 of the 21 crew did make at least 2.67 minutes into the postflight egress testing. At that point in time, heartrate was higher (P <=.20) for the failures compared to the finishers. These findings indicate that NASA fs switch to the ACES for space flight crews should be expedited.

Methodology issues concerning the accuracy of kinematic data collection and analysis using the ariel performance analysis system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilmington, R. P.; Klute, Glenn K. (Editor); Carroll, Amy E. (Editor); Stuart, Mark A. (Editor); Poliner, Jeff (Editor); Rajulu, Sudhakar (Editor); Stanush, Julie (Editor)

1992-01-01

Kinematics, the study of motion exclusive of the influences of mass and force, is one of the primary methods used for the analysis of human biomechanical systems as well as other types of mechanical systems. The Anthropometry and Biomechanics Laboratory (ABL) in the Crew Interface Analysis section of the Man-Systems Division performs both human body kinematics as well as mechanical system kinematics using the Ariel Performance Analysis System (APAS). The APAS supports both analysis of analog signals (e.g. force plate data collection) as well as digitization and analysis of video data. The current evaluations address several methodology issues concerning the accuracy of the kinematic data collection and analysis used in the ABL. This document describes a series of evaluations performed to gain quantitative data pertaining to position and constant angular velocity movements under several operating conditions. Two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional data collection and analyses were completed in a controlled laboratory environment using typical hardware setups. In addition, an evaluation was performed to evaluate the accuracy impact due to a single axis camera offset. Segment length and positional data exhibited errors within 3 percent when using three-dimensional analysis and yielded errors within 8 percent through two-dimensional analysis (Direct Linear Software). Peak angular velocities displayed errors within 6 percent through three-dimensional analyses and exhibited errors of 12 percent when using two-dimensional analysis (Direct Linear Software). The specific results from this series of evaluations and their impacts on the methodology issues of kinematic data collection and analyses are presented in detail. The accuracy levels observed in these evaluations are also presented.

The Challenges in the Development of a Long Duration Space Mission Food System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perchonok, Michele H.; Swango, Beverly; Toerne, Mary E.; Russo, Dane M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Advanced Food System at Johnson Space Center/NASA will be responsible for supplying food to the crew for long duration exploratory missions. These missions require development of both a Transit Food System and of a Planetary Food System. The Transit Food System will consist of pre-packaged food of extended shelf life. It will be supplemented with salad crops that will be consumed fresh. The challenge is to develop a food system with a shelf life of 3 - 5 years that will use minimal power and create minimal waste from the food packaging. The Planetary Food System will allow for food processing of crops grown on the planetary surface due to the presence of some gravitational force. Crops will be processed to final products to provide a nutritious and acceptable diet for the crew. The food system must be flexible due to crop variation, availability, and shelf life. Crew meals, based on thesc: crops, must be nutritious, high quality, safe, and contain variety. The Advanced Food System becomes a fulcrum creating the right connection from crops to crew meals while dealing with issues of integration within a closed self-regenerative system (e.g., safety, waste production, volumes, water usage, etc.).

On-Orbit Evaluation of a New Treadmill Harness for Improved Crewmember Comfort and Load Distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perusek, G. P.; Sheehan, C. C.; Savina, M. C.; Owings, T. M.; Davis, B. L.; Ryder, J. W.

2011-01-01

The current design of the International Space Station (ISS) Treadmill Harness has been reported to cause pain and discomfort to crewmembers during exercise. The Harness Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) provided participating crewmembers (n = 6) with a new harness design, the "Glenn Harness," to evaluate for comfort and loading as compared to the current Treadmill Harness. A novel suite of load-sensing instrumentation was developed to noninvasively measure load distribution and provided a first-ever quantification of actual dynamic loads during treadmill exercise. In addition, crew debriefs provided feedback on harness preference and overall impressions. Conclusions: Post-flight analysis in returned Glenn Harnesses (n = 3) showed minimal wear and tear. Four of the six subjects found the Glenn Harness to be more comfortable in this on-orbit, side-by-side comparison as measured by the crew comfort questionnaire and crew debriefs. Specific areas for improvement have been identified, and forward recommendations will be provided to the Human Research Program. The protocol developed for the SDTO provided valuable insight into crew comfort issues, design improvements, and loading preferences for exercise harnessing, which lays the groundwork for better harnessing systems and training protocols.

Achieving the Proper Balance Between Crew and Public Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gowan, John; Rosati, Paul; Silvestri, Ray; Stahl, Ben; Wilde, Paul

2011-01-01

A paramount objective of all human-rated launch and reentry vehicle developers is to ensure that the risks to both the crew onboard and the public are minimized within reasonable cost, schedule, and technical constraints. Past experience has shown that proper attention to range safety requirements necessary to ensure public safety must be given early in the design phase to avoid additional operational complexities or threats to the safety of people onboard. This paper will outline the policy considerations, technical issues, and operational impacts regarding launch and reentry vehicle failure scenarios where crew and public safety are intertwined and thus addressed optimally in an integrated manner. Historical examples and lessons learned from both the Space Shuttle and Constellation Programs will be presented. Using these examples as context, the paper will discuss some operational, design, and analysis approaches to mitigate and balance the risks to people onboard and in the public. Manned vehicle perspectives from the FAA and Air Force organizations that oversee public safety will also be summarized. Finally, the paper will emphasize the need to factor policy, operational, and analysis considerations into the early design trades of new vehicles to help ensure that both crew and public safety are maximized to the greatest extent possible.

A Dual Launch Robotic and Human Lunar Mission Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, David L.; Mulqueen, Jack; Percy, Tom; Griffin, Brand; Smitherman, David

2010-01-01

This paper describes a comprehensive lunar exploration architecture developed by Marshall Space Flight Center's Advanced Concepts Office that features a science-based surface exploration strategy and a transportation architecture that uses two launches of a heavy lift launch vehicle to deliver human and robotic mission systems to the moon. The principal advantage of the dual launch lunar mission strategy is the reduced cost and risk resulting from the development of just one launch vehicle system. The dual launch lunar mission architecture may also enhance opportunities for commercial and international partnerships by using expendable launch vehicle services for robotic missions or development of surface exploration elements. Furthermore, this architecture is particularly suited to the integration of robotic and human exploration to maximize science return. For surface operations, an innovative dual-mode rover is presented that is capable of performing robotic science exploration as well as transporting human crew conducting surface exploration. The dual-mode rover can be deployed to the lunar surface to perform precursor science activities, collect samples, scout potential crew landing sites, and meet the crew at a designated landing site. With this approach, the crew is able to evaluate the robotically collected samples to select the best samples for return to Earth to maximize the scientific value. The rovers can continue robotic exploration after the crew leaves the lunar surface. The transportation system for the dual launch mission architecture uses a lunar-orbit-rendezvous strategy. Two heavy lift launch vehicles depart from Earth within a six hour period to transport the lunar lander and crew elements separately to lunar orbit. In lunar orbit, the crew transfer vehicle docks with the lander and the crew boards the lander for descent to the surface. After the surface mission, the crew returns to the orbiting transfer vehicle for the return to the Earth. This paper describes a complete transportation architecture including the analysis of transportation element options and sensitivities including: transportation element mass to surface landed mass; lander propellant options; and mission crew size. Based on this analysis, initial design concepts for the launch vehicle, crew module and lunar lander are presented. The paper also describes how the dual launch lunar mission architecture would fit into a more general overarching human space exploration philosophy that would allow expanded application of mission transportation elements for missions beyond the Earth-moon realm.

Crew referrals to dentists and medical specialist ashore: a descriptive study of practice on three passenger vessels during one year.

PubMed

Dahl, Eilif

2006-01-01

To study crew referrals to out-patient port services from 3 passenger ships during 12 months (2004), with focus on dentist appointments. The median number of crew on Ship A was 561, on Ship B 534 and on Ship C 614. Crew referrals were registered continuously and after each cruise segment recorded in the ship's doctor's medical cruise report, from which the data were retrieved and reviewed. During 2004 the doctors of the 3 sister ships had a total of 8888 crew consultations (Table 1). Mean number of doctor consultations for crew was 17.5 a day. On Ship A 50%, on B 59% and on C 70% of the port referrals were dentist appointments. A crew member was referred to a dentist every 7 (Ship C) to 10 days (Ships A + B). Among the specified dental referrals, 18% were extraction requests. The ship's doctors had a busy crew practice, but were neither trained nor equipped to do elective dentistry aboard. Crew referral rate to services ashore was low, but 50-70% of the referrals for out-patient port services concerned dentistry. Inadequate health insurance caused low-wage crew to request free extractions instead of expensive repair in high-cost ports. As dentistry in local ports is a poor substitute for the person's own dentist, doctors performing seafarer examinations should ensure that dental problems are solved before sign-on.

[Some approaches to the countermeasure system for a mars exploration mission].

PubMed

Kozlovskaia, I B; Egorov, A D; Son'kin, V D

2010-01-01

In article discussed physiological and methodical principles of the organization of training process and his (its) computerization during Martian flight in conditions of autonomous activity of the crew, providing interaction with onboard medical means, self-maintained by crew of the their health, performance of preventive measures, diagnostic studies and, in case of necessity, carrying out of treatment. In super long autonomous flights essentially become complicated the control of ground experts over of crew members conditions, that testifies to necessity of a computerization of control process by a state of health of crew, including carrying out of preventive actions. The situation becomes complicated impossibility of reception and transfer aboard the necessary information in real time and emergency returning of crew to the Earth. In these conditions realization of problems of physical preventive maintenance should be solved by means of the onboard automated expert system, providing management by trainings of each crew members, directed on optimization of their psychophysical condition.

STS-107 Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT)activities at SPACEHAB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At SPACEHAB, Cape Canaveral, Fla., STS-107 Mission Specialist Laurel Blair Salton Clark manipulates a piece of equipment. She and other crew members are at SPACEHAB, Port Canaveral, Fla., for Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) activities that enable the crew to perform certain flight operations, operate experiments in a flight-like environment, evaluate stowage locations and obtain additional exposure to specific experiment operations. As a research mission, STS-107 will carry the Spacehab Double Module in its first research flight into space and a broad collection of experiments ranging from material science to life science. Other STS-107 crew members are Commander Rick Douglas Husband, Pilot William C. McCool; Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson; and Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, David M. Brown and Ilan Ramon, of Israel. STS-107 is scheduled for launch May 23, 2002

Group 2: Real time LOFT operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cavanagh, D.

1981-01-01

All LOFT scenarios should be constructed so as to provide the highest degree of realism that is economically, technically, and operationally feasible. The more realistic the situation, the faster the crew will adjust their thinking and provide reactions which would be typical of a line-flight orientation. The goal is to produce crew performance which would be typical of a crew on an actual line flight, given the same set of circumstances that were developed during the scenario. The briefing which is provided to the crew before entering the simulator for LOFT, the trip papers, the communications throughout the flight, the role played by the instructor, and so on, are important factors, crucial to the establishment and maintenance of a high degree of realism. Crews should have all manuals and other required equipment for a normal line-flight.

ORION - Crew Module Side Hatch: Proof Pressure Test Anomaly Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evernden, Brent A.; Guzman, Oscar J.

2018-01-01

The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle program was performing a proof pressure test on an engineering development unit (EDU) of the Orion Crew Module Side Hatch (CMSH) assembly. The purpose of the proof test was to demonstrate structural capability, with margin, at 1.5 times the maximum design pressure, before integrating the CMSH to the Orion Crew Module structural test article for subsequent pressure testing. The pressure test was performed at lower pressures of 3 psig, 10 psig and 15.75 psig with no apparent abnormal behavior or leaking. During pressurization to proof pressure of 23.32 psig, a loud 'pop' was heard at 21.3 psig. Upon review into the test cell, it was noted that the hatch had prematurely separated from the proof test fixture, thus immediately ending the test. The proof pressure test was expected be a simple verification but has since evolved into a significant joint failure investigation from both Lockheed Martin and NASA.

78 FR 58965 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-25

... November 26, 2012. Zodiac Services has issued the following service bulletins. Zodiac Services Service... electrical status indications on the push button annunciators and the engine instrument and crew alerting system. Certain of those reported incidents resulted in the airplane experiencing a momentary loss of...

NASA S and MA at the Crossroads; The Role of NASA Quality Insight/Oversight for Commercial Crewed Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, Roy W., Jr.

2010-01-01

The presentation slides examine: The Journey, Current Safety and Mission Assurance (S and MA) Oversight/Insight, The Change, The Issue, Potential NASA relationship with Commercial Partners, and Commercial "X" FRR - Are you Go.

Space Medicine: Shuttle - Space Station Crew Health and Safety Challenges for Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dervay, Joseph

2010-01-01

This slide presentation combines some views of the shuttle take off, and the shuttle and space station on orbit, and some views of the underwater astronaut training , with a general discussion of Space Medicine. It begins with a discussion of the some of the physiological issues of space flight. These include: Space Motion Sickness (SMS), Cardiovascular, Neurovestibular, Musculoskeletal, and Behavioral/Psycho-social. There is also discussion of the space environment and the issues that are posed including: Radiation, Toxic products and propellants, Habitability, Atmosphere, and Medical events. Included also is a discussion of the systems and crew training. There are also artists views of the Constellation vehicles, the planned lunar base, and extended lunar settlement. There are also slides showing the size of earth in perspective to the other planets, and the sun and the sun in perspective to other stars. There is also a discussion of the in-flight changes that occur in neural feedback that produces postural imbalance and loss of coordination after return.

Thermoregulatory models of safety-for-flight issues for space operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisacane, V. L.; Kuznetz, L. H.; Logan, J. S.; Clark, J. B.; Wissler, E. H.

2006-10-01

This study investigates the use of a mathematical model for thermoregulation as a tool in safety-of-flight issues and proposed solutions for mission operations of the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. Specifically, this study assesses the effects of elevated cabin temperature and metabolic loads on astronauts wearing the Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) and the Liquid Cooled Ventilation Garment (LCVG). The 225-node Wissler model is validated by comparison with two ground-based human subject tests, firefighters, and surrogate astronauts under anomalous conditions that show good agreement. Subsequent simulations indicate that the performance of the ACES/LCVG is marginal. Increases in either workload or cabin temperature from the nominal will increase rectal temperature, stored heat load, heart rate, and sweating leading to possible deficits in the ability of the astronauts to perform cognitive and motor tasks that could affect the safety of the mission, especially the safe landing of the Shuttle. Specific relationships are given between cabin temperature and metabolic rate that define the threshold for decreased manual dexterity and loss of tracking skills. Model results indicate that the most effective mitigation strategy would be to decrease the LCVG inlet temperature. Methods of accomplishing this are also proposed.

Crew considerations in the design for Space Station Freedom modules on-orbit maintenance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stokes, Jack W.; Williams, Katherine A.

1992-01-01

The paper presents an approach to the maintenance process currently planned for the Space Station Freedom modules. In particular, it describes the planned crew interfaces with maintenance items, and the anticipated implications for the crew in performing the interior and exterior maintenance of modules developed by U.S., ESA, and NASDA. Special consideration is given to the maintenance requirements, allocations, and approach; the maintenance design; the Maintenance Workstation; the robotic mechanisms; and the developemnt of maintenance techniques.

Digital Systems Validation Handbook. Volume 2. Chapter 19. Pilot - Vehicle Interface

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

checklists, and other status messages. Voice interactive systems are defi-ed as "the interface between a cooperative human and a machine, which involv -he...Pilot-Vehicle Interface 19-85 5.6.1 Crew Interaction and the Cockpit 19-85 5.6.2 Crew Resource Management and Safety 19-87 5.6.3 Pilot and Crew Training...systems was a "stand-alone" component performing its intended function. Systems and their cockpit interfaces were added as technological advances were

Considerations associated with the introduction of female crewmembers in spacecraft and space stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, J. W.

1979-01-01

This paper examines considerations of inclusion of female crewmembers in spacecraft and space stations. The anthropometric and physiological differences between males and females as related to spaceflight such as body dimensions, muscle strength characteristics, body posture, reach, and physiological differences are discussed. Crew provisions including inflight garments, hair style, cosmetics, personal hygiene, waste management, and personal privacy are described. Impacts on hardware design and crew performance, examples of effects on Orbiter systems, data on females and their performance under conditions analogous to spaceflight, and earth-based simulation experience are examined. It is concluded that no major problems have been found which would preclude females from space, and in the future the novelty of mixed crews will significantly decrease.

STS-87 crew participates in Crew Equipment Interface Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

STS-87 astronaut crew members participate in the Crew Equipment Integration Test (CEIT) in Kennedy Space Centers (KSC's) Vertical Processing Facility. From left are Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Ph.D.; Pilot Steven Lindsey; Mission Specialist Takao Doi , Ph.D., of the National Space Development Agency of Japan; and Mission Specialist Winston Scott. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity to get a hands-on look at the payloads with which they will be working on- orbit. STS-87 will be the fourth United States Microgravity Payload and flight of the Spartan-201 deployable satellite. During the STS-87 mission, scheduled for a Nov. 19 liftoff from KSC, Dr. Doi and Scott will both perform spacewalks.