Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Lewis, J. L..
Viewgraphs on man-systems distributed system for Space Station Freedom are presented. Topics addressed include: description of man-systems (definition, requirements, scope, subsystems, and topologies); implementation (approach, tools); man-systems interfaces (system to element and system to system); prime/supporting development relationship; selected accomplishments; and technical challenges.
Force and torque data aid operator. Report describes experiments with system that displays data on forces and torques acting on end effector of remote manipulator. Demonstrated usefulness of display in manipulation tasks with narrow geometric and dynamic tolerances. Such tasks encountered in manufacturing and in operations requiring use of tools.
NASA's Space Station Human Productivity and Man/System Integration Standards programs are described. The data collection methodologies and analyses utilized in the productivity study are examined. The study reveals that attention to habitability is required in order to maximize human productivity for on-orbit operations. The nine program tasks used to develop standards for man/system integration are discussed.
The performance and productivity of astronauts in space are studied. The effects of the space and spacecraft environments, man/machine interaction, work-rest cycles, and psychological factors on man's performance in space are examined. The objectives of the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab programs and the performance data collected on these missions are analyzed.
An enhanced proximity sensor and display system was developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and tested on the full scale Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) Manipulator Development Facility (MDF). The sensor system, integrated with a four-claw end effector, measures range error up to 6 inches, and pitch and yaw alignment errors within + or 15 deg., and displays error data on both graphic and numeric displays. The errors are referenced to the end effector control axes through appropriate data processing by a dedicated microcomputer acting on the sensor data in real time. Both display boxes contain a green lamp which indicates whether the combination of range, pitch and yaw errors will assure a successful grapple. More than 200 test runs were completed in early 1980 by three operators at JSC for grasping static and capturing slowly moving targets. The tests have indicated that the use of graphic/numeric displays of proximity sensor information improves precision control of grasp/capture range by more than a factor of two for both static and dynamic grapple conditions.
A pilot voice control system developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to test and evaluate the feasibility of controlling the shuttle TV cameras and monitors by voice commands utilizes a commercially available discrete word speech recognizer which can be trained to the individual utterances of each operator. Successful ground tests were conducted using a simulated full-scale space shuttle manipulator. The test configuration involved the berthing, maneuvering and deploying a simulated science payload in the shuttle bay. The handling task typically required 15 to 20 minutes and 60 to 80 commands to 4 TV cameras and 2 TV monitors. The best test runs show 96 to 100 percent voice recognition accuracy.
A description is given of a video kinesimeter, a device for the automatic real-time collection of kinematic and dynamic data. Based on the detection of a single bright spot by three TV cameras, the system provides automatic real-time recording of three-dimensional position and force data. It comprises three cameras, two incandescent lights, a voltage comparator circuit, a central control unit, and a mass storage device. The control unit determines the signal threshold for each camera before testing, sequences the lights, synchronizes and analyzes the scan voltages from the three cameras, digitizes force from a dynamometer, and codes the data for transmission to a floppy disk for recording. Two of the three cameras face each other along the 'X' axis; the third camera, which faces the center of the line between the first two, defines the 'Y' axis. An image from the 'Y' camera and either 'X' camera is necessary for determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the point.
The Operator Station Design System is resident in NASA's Johnson Space Center Spacecraft Design Division Performance Laboratory. It includes stand-alone minicomputer hardware and Panel Layout Automated Interactive Design and Crew Station Assessment of Reach software. The data base consists of the Shuttle Transportation System Orbiter Crew Compartment (in part), the Orbiter payload bay and remote manipulator (in part), and various anthropometric populations. The system is utilized to provide panel layouts, assess reach and vision, determine interference and fit problems early in the design phase, study design applications as a function of anthropometric and mission requirements, and to accomplish conceptual design to support advanced study efforts.
This paper considers multiple access techniques for a mobile radio system which incorporates a geosynchronous orbiting satellite repeater through which mobile terminals communicate. The communication capacities of FDMA, TDMA and CDMA systems are examined for a 4 MHz bandwidth system to serve up to 10,000 users. An FDMA system with multibeam coverage is analyzed in detail. The system includes an order-wire network for demand-access control and reassignment of satellite channels. Satellite and terminal configurations are developed to a block diagram level and system costs and implementation requirements are discussed.
A quantitative cost for various Spacelab flight hardware configurations is provided along with varied software development options. A cost analysis of Spacelab computer hardware and software is presented. The cost study is discussed based on utilization of a central experiment computer with optional auxillary equipment. Groundrules and assumptions used in deriving the costing methods for all options in the Spacelab experiment study are presented. The groundrules and assumptions, are analysed and the options along with their cost considerations, are discussed. It is concluded that Spacelab program cost for software development and maintenance is independent of experimental hardware and software options, that distributed standard computer concept simplifies software integration without a significant increase in cost, and that decisions on flight computer hardware configurations should not be made until payload selection for a given mission and a detailed analysis of the mission requirements are completed.
For abstract, see volume 1 N77-13097.
For abstract, see volume 1 N77-13097.
For abstract, see volume 1 N77-13097.
For abstract, see volume 1 N77-13097.
The present state of knowledge concerning the planet Venus is examined. It is pointed out that Venus, even with our present data, remains enigmatic and contradictory. A summary is given of seven major areas in which further studies are needed. The rewards of such studies would be related to an emergence of basic principles and processes which shape the origin and evolution of planets in general. Present plans for exploring Venus include earth-based radar observations, the Pioneer Venus entry probes, and Orbiter missions. NASA missions after Pioneer depend upon the results of a scientific analysis of the data which will be available at that time. Attention is given to buoyant stations in the Venus atmosphere, survivable landers, and the observation of the Venus surface with the aid of orbiting imaging radar.
Apollo Lunar Excursion Module /LEM/ scheduled for lunar landing and landing site selected