Engineering topics

Homick, J. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Homick, J. L..

21 records · Page 2

NASA NTRS1975

Vestibular side effects in the orbital stage of Skylab II and III missions

None of the six astronauts were motion sick when tested (on or after Mission Day 8) in the workshop under experimental conditions which elicited motion sickness preflight and postflight. Skylab III but not Skylab II astronauts experienced motion sickness under operational conditions aloft. There were individual differences in the severity of the symptoms and susceptibility to motion sickness persisted for three to five days. The discussion centers around the reasons for the greater susceptibility to motion sickness under operational than experimental conditions aloft and the implication of Skylab findings for future manned space missions.

Graybiel, A.↗

NASA NTRS1974

Susceptibility to motion sickness among Skylab astronauts

The mechanisms causing susceptibility to motion sickness in zero gravity are not well understood. Preflight and postflight motion sickness susceptibility tests conducted on the three Skylab crews are described. Under operational conditions, the first Skylab crew experienced no motion sickness, while the other two crews did. Susceptibility was greater in the Skylab workshop than in the command module. Weightlessness in itself is a unique motion environment. Changes occur in nonrigid body parts and in the response of macular receptors in the otolith organs. Tests in parabolic flight, where zero gravity is the only significant factor in motion sickness susceptibility, indicate that some people need to adapt to weightlessness and others do not. A comparison of all US and Soviet manned missions indicates that a headward shift of fluid on transition to zero gravity is not a predisposing factor in motion sickness. Under certain conditions after adaptation susceptibility was lower in the Skylab workshop than on the ground. The anti-motion sickness drugs used in Skylab are judged effective for prevention and treatment.

Graybiel, A.↗

NASA NTRS1973

Environmental noise experiment (DTO 71-22)

Only general conclusions can be reached of the effect of Skylab simulation chamber noise on the crewmen. Two crewmen experienced a small hearing decrement in-chamber, but there was no pattern as to the ear and frequency affected. Temporary hearing threshold shifts were observed in all three crewmen postchamber. These postchamber threshold shifts were perhaps the most significant finding of the study. However, no lasting detrimental effects on the crew's hearing were found.

Homick, J. L.↗