Engineering topics

Mukai, Chiaki

Publications and source records attributed to Mukai, Chiaki.

3 records

NASA NTRS2012

Human Exploration Missions - Maturing Technologies to Sustain Crews

Human exploration missions beyond low earth orbit will be long duration with abort scenarios of days to months. Providing crews with the essentials of life such as clean air and potable water means recycling human metabolic wastes back to useful products. Individual technologies are under development for such things as CO2 scrubbing, recovery of O2 from CO2, turning waste water into potable water, and so on. But in order to fully evaluate and mature technologies fully they must be tested in a relevant, high-functionality environment; a systems environment where technologies are challenged with real human metabolic wastes. It is for this purpose that an integrated systems ground testing capability at the Johnson Space Center is being readied for testing. The relevant environment will include deep space habitat human accommodations, sealed atmosphere of 8 psi total pressure and 32% oxygen concentration, life support systems (food, air, water), communications, crew accommodations, medical, EVA, tools, etc. Testing periods will approximate those of the expected missions (such as a near Earth asteroid, Earth ]Moon L2 or L1, the moon, and Mars). This type of integrated testing is needed not only for research and technology development but later during the mission design, development, test, and evaluation phases of preparing for the mission.

Mukai, Chiaki↗

NASA NTRS2007

Development of a Human Behavior and Performance Training Curriculum for ISS Astronauts

The paper will describe the DACUM process and summarize the core competencies that were agreed upon, internationally, as important for ISS astronauts. The paper will further discuss the ongoing work being completed by the subgroup, Human Behaviour and Performance Training Working Group, including defining the competencies and behavioural markers. Finally, an overview of remaining work will be provided, including determining which competencies require formal training and which require no formal training, developing training objectives, sequencing the training, and establishing how to assess training effectiveness. DISCUSSION: Designing a common set of goals for behavioural training has been the desire of the SHBP WG since its inception in 1998. This group, along with training specialists and astronauts, are making great strides toward defining these competencies. The road ahead will be exceedingly challenging as training objectives are defined and a training flow is proposed to the MCOP; with proposed ISS crews increasing to six people in the near future, such enhanced behavioural training may be all the more essential for mission success.

VanderArk, Steve↗

NASA NTRS1991

Orthostatic function during a stand test before and after head-up or head-down bedrest

The effects of head-down or head-up bedrest at -5, +10, +20, or +42 deg (simulating 0, 1/6, 1/3, and 2/3 g, respectively) for 6 hrs on four different days on the orthostatic tolerance were investigated by measuring relevant physiological reactions to orthostatic test taken before and after bedrest sessions. The multivariate analysis of variance statistical analyses indicates that there was no angle effect on any of the cardiovascular parameters monitored during the last 3 min of the stand test, suggesting that partial gravity loads would have no effect on the cardiovascular deconditioning exhibited postflight. There was, however, a significant elevation in the heart rate post-bedrest, and the heart rate increased on standing. Results from the stand test pre- and post-bedrest at -5 deg (but not at +10, +20, and +42 deg) were similar to those observed after space flight.

Lathers, Claire M.↗