Habitability is one aspect of long-duration missions that becomes more impor-tant as the mission length increases. The impact of a poorly designed switch or lack of stowage area is different for a mission of six months compared to a... more
Habitability is one aspect of long-duration missions that becomes more impor-tant as the mission length increases. The impact of a poorly designed switch or lack of stowage area is different for a mission of six months compared to a mission of one week. With habitability and human factors studies which took place during the early phases of the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project (LMLSTP), each subsequent phase built on the previous, and the final designs were improved based on what was learned. Information concerning habitability issues was solicited from crewmembers dur-ing LMLSTP Phases IIa and III. One format used to obtain information was the Space Operations Issues Reporting Tool, or SOIRT. A second was a “habitability issues ” questionnaire containing 59 questions used to rate the acceptability of different habitability categories on a Likert scale, from 1 to 7. Shortly before each crew completed its mission, a debrief was held with each member individually. The completed que...
Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to the advancement of aeronautics and space science. The NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) Program Office plays a key part in helping NASA maintain this important role. The NASA... more
Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated to the advancement of aeronautics and space science. The NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) Program Office plays a key part in helping NASA maintain this important role. The NASA STI Program Office is operated by Langley Research Center, the lead center for NASA’s scientific and technical information. The NASA STI Program Office provides access to the NASA STI Database, the largest collection of aeronautical and space science STI in the world. The Program Office is also NASA’s institutional mechanism for disseminating the results of its research and development activities. These results are published by NASA in the NASA STI Report Series, which includes the following report types: TECHNICAL PUBLICATION. Reports of completed research or a major significant phase of research that present the results of NASA programs and include extensive data or theoretical analysis. Includes compilations of significant scientific and technical ...
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Research has shown that the space environment induces physiological changes in the human body, such as fluid shifts in the upper body and chest cavity, spinal lengthening, muscular atrophy, space motion sickness, cardiopulmonary... more
Research has shown that the space environment induces physiological changes in the human body, such as fluid shifts in the upper body and chest cavity, spinal lengthening, muscular atrophy, space motion sickness, cardiopulmonary deconditioning, and bone mass loss, as well as some changes in visual perception. These require a period of adaptation and can substantially affect both crew member performance and posture. These physiological effects, when work activities are conducted, have been known to impact the body's center of gravity, reach, flexibility, and dexterity. All these aspects of posture must be considered to safely and efficiently design space systems and hardware. NASA has documented its microgravity body posture in the Man-Systems Integration Standards (MSIS); the space community uses the MSIS posture to design workstations and tools for space application. However, the microgravity body posture should be further investigated for several reasons, including small sampl...
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The Electronic Procedures Experiment (EPROC) was flown as part of the Human Factors Assessment (HFA) experiment aboard the SpaceHab1/STS-57 mission. EPROC is concerned with future, longer-duration missions which will increasingly rely on... more
The Electronic Procedures Experiment (EPROC) was flown as part of the Human Factors Assessment (HFA) experiment aboard the SpaceHab1/STS-57 mission. EPROC is concerned with future, longer-duration missions which will increasingly rely on electronic procedures since they are more easily launched, updated inflight, and offer automatic or on-request capabilities not available with paper. A computer-based task simulating a Space Station Propulsion System task was completed by one crewmember. The crewmember performed the task once using paper and once using computer procedures. A soldering and desoldering task was performed by another crewmember. Soldering was completed with paper procedures and desoldering was completed using computer procedures. Objective data was collected during each task session from the computer programs, videotapes, and crew notations in the paper and computer procedures. After each task session, subjective data was collected through the use of a computer-based qu...
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Experience on International Space Station (ISS) provides many important lessons for future space flight. NASA human factors engineers have been systematically collecting lessons learned from crew debriefs, as well as working with ground... more
Experience on International Space Station (ISS) provides many important lessons for future space flight. NASA human factors engineers have been systematically collecting lessons learned from crew debriefs, as well as working with ground support teams to continuously improve crew operations. This paper describes the methods for collecting data from debriefs, lessons learned through that process, and an example of a technology development task funded through the Space Human Factors Engineering (SHFE) program element in response to an identified operational need. Each ISS increment crew spends many hours after the flight answering questions from the various subsystem leads. The Flight Crew Integration subsystem lead asks questions specific to human factors and habitability issues. In addition, crew comments on many other subsystems provide insight into interface designs, operability and maintainability. The debrief comments are unique to each crew, and must be categorized to provide op...
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This 176 page report was written in circa 1966 to examine the effects of confmement during space flight. One of the topics covered was the required size of a space vehicle for extended missions. Analysis was done using size of crew and... more
This 176 page report was written in circa 1966 to examine the effects of confmement during space flight. One of the topics covered was the required size of a space vehicle for extended missions. Analysis was done using size of crew and length of time in a confmed space. The report was based on all information available at that time. The data collected and analyzed included both NASA and (when possible) Russian missions flown to date, analogs (such as submarines), and ground studies. Both psychological and physiological responses to confmement were examined. Factors evaluated in estimating the degree of impairment included the level of performance of intellectual, perceptual, manual and co-ordinated tasks, response to psychological testing, subjective comments of the participants, nature and extent of physiological change, and the nature and extent of behavioral change and the nature and extent of somatic complaints. Information was not included from studies where elements of percept...
Research Interests: Aeronautics and Crew
The focus early in the Space Station Freedom Program was on identifying viewing requirements for both direct viewing (windows) and indirect viewing (closed-circuit television). Currently, an analysis is being conducted to address the... more
The focus early in the Space Station Freedom Program was on identifying viewing requirements for both direct viewing (windows) and indirect viewing (closed-circuit television). Currently, an analysis is being conducted to address the feasibility of viewing for Space Station Freedom. The goal of this analysis is to determine the optimum location for the windows and closed-circuit television cameras in order to meet the established requirements. Additionally all viewing provisions must adequately support Space Station assembly and on-board operations once the Station is operable. PLAID, a three-dimensional graphics system developed at NASA/Johnson Space Center, was selected for use as the primary tool in this analysis. PLAID provides the capability to simulate the assembly of the Space Station Freedom, as well as to examine operations on the Station as it evolves. In addition, it is used as a tool to analyze general out-the-window viewing conditions for all Space Station components, a...
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Space Station Maintenance Workstation will be used to support equipment servicing and repair operations. The Maintenance Workstation provides different work area configurations, giving open workbench or a contained area. Up to five... more
Space Station Maintenance Workstation will be used to support equipment servicing and repair operations. The Maintenance Workstation provides different work area configurations, giving open workbench or a contained area. Up to five operators can work at the workstation simultaneously. A series of Maintenance Workstation evaluations have been conducted at NASA Johnson Space Center to determine the critical design issues relating to human-machine interfaces. A primary goal of this work was to verify whether the proposed design accommodated a wide range of users and maintenance task requirements under microgravity conditions. The tests were conducted onboard NASA's KC-135 microgravity aircraft. Three crew and six non-crew subjects participated in the studies. Tasks performed during the evaluations consisted of reach sweeps, force/torque task, soldering, handling large objects and lens replacement. Each session was videotaped for post-flight observations. In addition, subjects were ...
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The Image Access and Management System (IAMS) is being developed to provide easy access to photographic images taken by Space Shuttle astronauts. The photographs, coupled with a textual catalogue of descriptive characteristics, forms a... more
The Image Access and Management System (IAMS) is being developed to provide easy access to photographic images taken by Space Shuttle astronauts. The photographs, coupled with a textual catalogue of descriptive characteristics, forms a significant database of information about the Earth's surface. The IAMS incorporates a video laser disc containing digitized images, an electronic database containing descriptive information about each photo, and software allowing the database to be searched and the images to be viewed. The demonstration presents the IAMS and the unique interface development issues involved with a photographic image/database system.
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Analyses are continuing in the Man-Systems Division of NASA Johnson Space Center, on the restructured Space Station Freedom (SSF). Viewing requirements for the SSF indicate that assembly and extravehicular crew operations should be viewed... more
Analyses are continuing in the Man-Systems Division of NASA Johnson Space Center, on the restructured Space Station Freedom (SSF). Viewing requirements for the SSF indicate that assembly and extravehicular crew operations should be viewed by direct means whenever possible. To analyze the extent to which the Cupola meets this requirement, positions on the port side of Node 2 and the zenith side of Node 1 were evaluated. These analyses utilized the tasks from Mission Build (MB) 6 through 16 to investigate these two Node positions. The analyses conducted were based on a 4-position rating scale (Excellent, Good, Marginal, and Inadequate) which solicited data from both expert crewmembers and specialists in the field of robotic assembly operations. To remedy the potential direct viewing problems identified through this investigation, it was recommended that additional camera ports be placed along the truss and on the modules to provide indirect orthogonal viewing for berthing operations a...
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Given its objective of being permanent and manned, the United States Space Station should be planned, designed and built to maximize the crew's contribution to space station effectiveness. This paper presents an overview of some of... more
Given its objective of being permanent and manned, the United States Space Station should be planned, designed and built to maximize the crew's contribution to space station effectiveness. This paper presents an overview of some of the activities, both in progress and completed, covering the concerns of crew habitability and crew productivity for the proposed United States Space Station. Various methods and tasks have been incorporated to increase the data base of man/systems information. This information will enhance habitability and crew performance during our Space Missions. A synopsis of some of the activities, designed to add data for the enhancement of the man/systems component of the proposed space station, is given. The Man-Systems Division of NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, has been the center-point for all the activities listed.
The Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory (HFEL) at the Johnson Space Center conducted an ergonomic evaluation of the General Purpose Workstation (GPWS), a glovebox-type workstation flown on one of the Spacelab Life Sciences missions.... more
The Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory (HFEL) at the Johnson Space Center conducted an ergonomic evaluation of the General Purpose Workstation (GPWS), a glovebox-type workstation flown on one of the Spacelab Life Sciences missions. The HFEL study consisted of: (1) Crew evaluations via pre-flight, in-flight questionnaire and structured post-flight interview, and (2) Video analysis. Findings indicate that the workstation design was acceptable for performing dissection tasks. The crew reported that the task distribution between operators was completely acceptable. Based on the video analysis and the crew comments, the glove interface was found to be critical for crew comfort. A follow-up evaluation is planned for an upcoming mission to evaluate a materials science glovebox and the design impact on posture. Additional microgravity evaluations are planned to obtain objective data on postural changes while working at different gloveboxes.
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My research focuses on providing systematic and mathematical methods to design, model, and analyze highly complex and integrated systems. My main areas of interest are in risk-based design, model-based design, system analysis and... more
My research focuses on providing systematic and mathematical methods to design, model, and analyze highly complex and integrated systems. My main areas of interest are in risk-based design, model-based design, system analysis and optimization, and uncertainty modeling during design, applied to complex engineering systems such as aircraft, spacecraft, automobiles, etc. Establish connections between hardware and software design Develop system and behavioral models of in-house testbed Establish foundations for verifiability analysis
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Human Factors Engineering, often referred to as Ergonomics, is a science that applies a detailed understanding of human characteristics, capabilities, and limitations to the design, evaluation, and operation of environments, tools, and... more
Human Factors Engineering, often referred to as Ergonomics, is a science that applies a detailed understanding of human characteristics, capabilities, and limitations to the design, evaluation, and operation of environments, tools, and systems for work and daily living. Human Factors is the investigation, design, and evaluation of equipment, techniques, procedures, facilities, and human interfaces, and encompasses all aspects of human activity from manual labor to mental processing and leisure time enjoyments. In spaceflight applications, human factors engineering seeks to: (1) ensure that a task can be accomplished, (2) maintain productivity during spaceflight, and (3) ensure the habitability of the pressurized living areas. DSO 904 served as a vehicle for the verification and elucidation of human factors principles and tools in the microgravity environment. Over six flights, twelve topics were investigated. This study documented the strengths and limitations of human operators in a complex, multifaceted, and unique environment. By focusing on the man-machine interface in space flight activities, it was determined which designs allow astronauts to be optimally productive during valuable and costly space flights. Among the most promising areas of inquiry were procedures, tools, habitat, environmental conditions, tasking, work load, flexibility, and individual control over work.
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The performance of complex tasks on the International Space Station (ISS) requires significant preflight crew training commitments and frequent skill and knowledge refreshment. This report documents a recently developed just-in-time... more
The performance of complex tasks on the International Space Station (ISS) requires significant preflight crew training commitments and frequent skill and knowledge refreshment. This report documents a recently developed just-in-time training methodology, which integrates preflight hardware familiarization and procedure training with an on-orbit CD-ROM-based skill enhancement. This just-in-time concept was used to support real-time remote expert guidance to complete medical examinations using the ISS Human Research Facility (HRF). An American md Russian ISS crewmember received 2-hours of hands on ultrasound training 8 months prior to the on-orbit ultrasound exam. A CD-ROM-based Onboard Proficiency Enhancement (OPE) interactive multimedia program consisting of memory enhancing tutorials, and skill testing exercises, was completed by the crewmember six days prior to the on-orbit ultrasound exam. The crewmember was then remotely guided through a thoracic, vascular, and echocardiographic examination by ultrasound imaging experts. Results of the CD ROM based OPE session were used to modify the instructions during a complete 35 minute real-time thoracic, cardiac, and carotid/jugular ultrasound study. Following commands from the ground-based expert, the crewmember acquired all target views and images without difficulty. The anatomical content and fidelity of ultrasound video were excellent and adequate for clinical decision-making. Complex ultrasound experiments with expert guidance were performed with high accuracy following limited pre-flight training and CD-ROM-based in-flight review, despite a 2-second communication latency.
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NASA now has a focused mission for space exploration. We will continue to use ground based analogs and simulators, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station as research and development platforms, but the challenges of time,... more
NASA now has a focused mission for space exploration. We will continue to use ground based analogs and simulators, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station as research and development platforms, but the challenges of time, distance and very hostile ...
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PLAID is a computer-aided design tool for human factors engineering which has been used successfully in the Space Shuttle program and for design analysis of Space Station Freedom. PLAID capability includes analysis of visual fields of... more
PLAID is a computer-aided design tool for human factors engineering which has been used successfully in the Space Shuttle program and for design analysis of Space Station Freedom. PLAID capability includes analysis of visual fields of view, of the ability to reach a specified point, and of spatial conflicts. It enables the creation of animations which depict whole sequences of motions of astronauts and equipment. The PLAID graphics capability is described and its application to man-systems integration is briefly examined. The use of PLAID for maintainability is addressed, and future plans for PLAID are discussed.
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Analyses are currently being conducted in the Man-Systems Division of the NASA Johnson Space Center, on the restructured Space Station Freedom configuration to determine viewing requirements for both robotic tasks and for extravehicular... more
Analyses are currently being conducted in the Man-Systems Division of the NASA Johnson Space Center, on the restructured Space Station Freedom configuration to determine viewing requirements for both robotic tasks and for extravehicular crew activities. The use of the PLAID software, a 3D modeling simulation tool, provides a simulation of the environment and the system hardware to identify potential problem areas needing further refinement in design development. This process enables human factor considerations and issues to be explored during the design process to identify and correct problems before hardware is actually constructed. Preliminary results have identified several potential viewing problem areas with the available lighting for both robotic and EVA tasks. To rectify the potential viewing problems identified through simulation, additional cameras and lighting enhancements are being proposed at various sites along the truss and on the Shuttle to provide more complete coverage of work task sites. Supplementing the existing cameras with color coded alignment aids will also help reduce the workload involved with robotic tasks.
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Space Station maintenance workstation will be used to support equipment servicing and repair operations. The maintenance workstation provides different work area configurations, giving open workbench or a contained area. In the conceptual... more
Space Station maintenance workstation will be used to support equipment servicing and repair operations. The maintenance workstation provides different work area configurations, giving open workbench or a contained area. In the conceptual design evaluated, up to five operators can work at the workstation simultaneously. A series of maintenance workstation evaluations have been conducted at NASA Johnson Space Center to determine
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Human factors assessments of the STS-57 SpaceHab-1 mission. FRANCESE MOUNT, SUE ADAM, TIM MCKAY, MIHRIBAN WHITMORE, DARLENE MERCED-MOORE, TINAHOLDEN, CHARLES WHEELWRIGHT, ANTON KOROS 1994. ...
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Page 1. SPACE HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING CHALLENGES IN LONG DURATION SPACE FLIGHT Daniel J. Garland (Panel Chair) Mica R. Endsley (Panel CoChair) SA Technologies SA Technologies Woodstock, GA Marietta, GA June Ellison Barrett S. Caldwell... more
Page 1. SPACE HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING CHALLENGES IN LONG DURATION SPACE FLIGHT Daniel J. Garland (Panel Chair) Mica R. Endsley (Panel CoChair) SA Technologies SA Technologies Woodstock, GA Marietta, GA June Ellison Barrett S. Caldwell ...