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At least 199 records · Page 11

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

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.

Single Pilot Operations↗

Aerospace crew station design

Consideration is given to spacecraft cockpits and work stations, commercial aircraft cockpits and crew stations, high performance aircraft cockpits and crew stations, and space stations and habitat crew stations. Particular attention is given to an historical review of NASA manned spacecraft crew stations, ESA spacelab crew stations, the evolution of commercial aircraft flight station design, Boeing 757/767 flight deck, a historical review of Concorde flight deck design, trends in the cockpit design of new European fighters, and state-of-the-art applications for Space Station crew interface design.

Carr, Gerald P.↗

Analysis of Advanced Respiratory Support Onboard ISS and CCV

NASA is collaborating with private entities for the development of commercial space vehicles. The Space and Clinical Operations Division was tasked to review the oxygen and respiratory support system and recommend what capabilities, if any, the vehicle should have to support the return of an ill or injured crewmember. The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) was utilized as a data source for the development of these recommendations. The Integrated Medical Model (IMM) was used to simulate a six month, six crew, International Space Station (ISS) mission. Three medical system scenarios were considered based on the availability of (1) oxygen only, (2) oxygen and a ventilator, or (3) neither oxygen nor ventilator. The IMM analysis provided probability estimates of medical events that would require either oxygen or ventilator support. It also provided estimates of crew health, the probability of evacuation, and the probability of loss of crew life secondary to medical events for each of the three medical system scenarios. These IMM outputs were used as objective data to enable evidence‐based decisions regarding oxygen and respiratory support system requirements for commercial crew vehicles. The IMM provides data that may be utilized to support informed decisions regarding the development of medical systems for commercial crew vehicles.

Shah, Ronak V.↗

Robust Exploration and Commercial Missions to the Moon Using NTR LANTR Propulsion and Lunar-Derived Propellants

NASAs current focus is on the Journey to Mars sometime around the mid-to-late 2030s. However, it is also supporting the development of commercial cargo and crew delivery to the ISS (e.g., SpaceX, Orbital Sciences, SNC, Boeing) where inflatable habitation technology (e.g., Bigelow Aerospaces BEAM) is currently being tested Significant private sector interest in commercial lunar activities has also been expressed by Bigelow Aerospace, Golden Spike Company, Shackleton Energy Company (SEC), and most recently by United Launch Alliance (ULA) in their Cislunar-1000 plan Lunar-derived propellant (LDP) production specifically LLO2 and LLH2 offers significant mission leverage and are central themes of both SECs and ULAs plans for commercial lunar development. An efficient, proven propulsion technology with reuse capability like NTP offers the potential for affordable access through space essential to realizing commercial lunar missions.This presentation examines the performance potential of an evolutionary lunar transportation system (LTS) architecture using NTR initially, then transitioning to LANTR as LDPs(e.g., LLO2 from regolith or volcanic glass, LLO2 and LLH2 from lunar polar ice deposits) become available in lunar orbit (LO) Mission applications range from cargo delivery, to crewed landing, to routine commuter flights to and from transportation system nodes located in both lunar equatorial and lunar polar orbits. This presentation examines the performance potential of an evolutionary lunar transportation system (LTS) architecture using NTR initially, then transitioning to LANTR as LDPs (e.g., LLO2 from regolith or volcanic glass, LLO2 and LLH2 from lunar polar ice deposits) become available in lunar orbit (LO) Mission applications range from cargo delivery, to crewed landing, to routine commuter flights to and from transportation system nodes located in both lunar equatorial and lunar polar orbits.

Spacecraft Design↗

Examining the Relationship between Self-Reported Workload and Resilient Performance in Airline Flight Crews

Workload has long been associated with human performance in aviation. High workload is typically viewed as a system design problem. The aim of this work was to find observable behaviors that guard cognitive resource margins; thus, improve handling of perturbations that arise. Twelve commercial airline flight crews participated in an experiment at NASA Langley Research Center. We explored workload data (NASA Task Load Index) self-reported after completing flight simulation scenarios to see how different individuals, using the same technologies, cope with challenging situations. A trained observer from the same airline as the study participants assessed performance. We differentiated a lower workload crew from a higher workload crew and analyzed their workload and performance. Results indicate that the workload may be a component of pilots’ resilient performance. Initial strategies that reduced workload were classified and these types of behaviors, if implemented correctly, might assist pilots in maintaining functional workload resource margins.

Michael Stewart↗

Examining the Relationship Between Workload and Resilient Performance in Airline Flight Crews

Workload has long been associated with human performance in aviation. High workload is typically viewed as a system design problem. The aim of this work was to find observable behaviors that guard cognitive resource margins; thus, improve handling of perturbations that arise. Twelve commercial airline flight crews participated in an experiment at NASA Langley Research Center. We explored workload data (NASA Task Load Index) self-reported after completing flight simulation scenarios to see how different individuals, using the same technologies, cope with challenging situations. A trained observer from the same airline as the study participants assessed performance. We differentiated a lower workload crew from a higher workload crew and analyzed their workload and performance. Results indicate that the workload may be a component of pilots’ resilient performance. Initial strategies that reduced workload were classified and these types of behaviors, if implemented correctly, might assist pilots in maintaining functional workload resource margins.

Michael Stewart↗

Exploring flight crew behaviour

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.

NASA Discipline Space Human Factors↗

Crew Selection and Training

This research addressed a number of issues relevant to the performance of teams in demanding environments. Initial work, conducted in the aviation analog environment, focused on developing new measures of performance related attitudes and behaviors. The attitude measures were used to assess acceptance of concepts related to effective teamwork and personal capabilities under stress. The behavioral measures were used to evaluate the effectiveness of flight crews operating in commercial aviation. Assessment of team issues in aviation led further to the evaluation and development of training to enhance team performance. Much of the work addressed evaluation of the effectiveness of such training, which has become known as Crew Resource Management (CRM). A second line of investigation was into personality characteristics that predict performance in challenging environments such as aviation and space. A third line of investigation of team performance grew out of the study of flight crews in different organizations. This led to the development of a theoretical model of crew performance that included not only individual attributes such as personality and ability, but also organizational and national culture. A final line of investigation involved beginning to assess whether the methodologies and measures developed for the aviation analog could be applied to another domain -- the performance of medical teams working in the operating room.

Helmreich, Robert L.↗

NASA Engineering and Safety Center Technical Bulletin No. 23-02: Safety Considerations when Repurposing Commercially Available Flight Termination Systems from Uncrewed to Crewed Launch Vehicles

Both uncrewed and crewed launch vehicles (LV) require Flight Termination Systems (FTS) for Range Safety to protect the public and ground assets in the event of a LV failure. Flight crew safety in this context is an added consideration for human spaceflight. The FTS is an electroexplosive system that activates destruct charges to rupture propellant tanks and shutdown engines during flight termination. Commercially available FTS units have been developed for uncrewed applications and are now being repurposed to crewed applications. A consequence of using these systems is that they are designed for public and ground crew safety, though inadequate for flight crew safety. Missing are Human Space Flight (HSF) design controls for inadvertent activation during crewed ascent and protection for crew emergency abort.

Flight Termination Systems↗

Learning About Routine Successful Pilot Techniques Using A Cued Retrospective Think-Aloud Task

Self-report can be a valuable method for collecting data about people’s goals and perceived motivations – data about aspects of crew thinking that are not otherwise readily observable. One of the challenges associated with collecting self-report data on routine successful performance, however, is that details may go unreported, be deemed unimportant, or may not be recalled. We report a study in which commercial airline flight crews participated in a video-cued retrospective think aloud after flying a high-fidelity simulated arrival into Charlotte airport. One day after flying the simulated arrival, crews were shown a video recording of their flight. The video was paused after each minute, and crew members were each asked to describe what they were doing and thinking during that interval. Reported data analysis focused on aspects of performance that are often ambiguously described as “pilot technique” or “airmanship,” in an attempt to provide more detail around these types of behaviors.

Jon Holbrook↗

The Evolution of On-Board Emergency Training for the International Space Station Crew

The crew of the International Space Station (ISS) receives extensive ground‐training in order to safely and effectively respond to any potential emergency event while on‐orbit, but few people realize that their training is not concluded when they launch into space. The evolution of the emergency On‐ Board Training events (OBTs) has recently moved from paper "scripts" to an intranet‐based software simulation that allows for the crew, as well as the flight control teams in Mission Control Centers across the world, to share in an improved and more realistic training event. This emergency OBT simulator ensures that the participants experience the training event as it unfolds, completely unaware of the type, location, or severity of the simulated emergency until the scenario begins. The crew interfaces with the simulation software via iPads that they keep with them as they translate through the ISS modules, receiving prompts and information as they proceed through the response. Personnel in the control centers bring up the simulation via an intranet browser at their console workstations, and can view additional telemetry signatures in simulated ground displays in order to assist the crew and communicate vital information to them as applicable. The Chief Training Officers and emergency instructors set the simulation in motion, choosing the type of emergency (rapid depressurization, fire, or toxic atmosphere) and specific initial conditions to emphasize the desired training objectives. Project development, testing, and implementation was a collaborative effort between ISS emergency instructors, Chief Training Officers, Flight Directors, and the Crew Office using commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware along with simulation software created in‐house. Due to the success of the Emergency OBT simulator, the already‐developed software has been leveraged and repurposed to develop a new emulator used during fire response ground‐training to deliver data that the crew receives from the handheld Compound Specific Analyzer for Combustion Products (CSA‐CP). This CSA‐CP emulator makes use of a portion of codebase from the Emergency OBT simulator dealing with atmospheric contamination during fire scenarios, and feeds various data signatures to crew via an iPod Touch with a flight‐like CSA‐CP display. These innovative simulations, which make use of COTS hardware with custom in‐house software, have yielded drastic improvements to emergency training effectiveness and risk reduction for ISS crew and flight control teams during on‐orbit and ground training events.

LaBuff, Skyler↗

Applications of the International Space Station Probabilistic Risk Assessment Model

Recently the International Space Station (ISS) has incorporated more Probabilistic Risk Assessments (PRAs) in the decision making process for significant issues. Future PRAs will have major impact to ISS and future spacecraft development and operations. These PRAs will have their foundation in the current complete ISS PRA model and the current PRA trade studies that are being analyzed as requested by ISS Program stakeholders. ISS PRAs have recently helped in the decision making process for determining reliability requirements for future NASA spacecraft and commercial spacecraft, making crew rescue decisions, as well as making operational requirements for ISS orbital orientation, planning Extravehicular activities (EVAs) and robotic operations. This paper will describe some applications of the ISS PRA model and how they impacted the final decision. This paper will discuss future analysis topics such as life extension, requirements of new commercial vehicles visiting ISS.

Grant, Warren↗

Psychophysiological Research Methods to Assess Airline Flight Crew Resilient Performance in High-Fidelity Flight Simulation Scenarios

New concepts in aviation system safety thinking have emerged to consider not only what may go wrong, but also what can be learned when things go right. This approach forms a more comprehensive approach to system safety thinking. A need exists for methods to enable a better understanding of human contributions to aviation safety and how they may inform Safety Management Systems (SMS). A high-fidelity 737-800 simulation study was conducted to study how current type-rated commercial airline flight crews anticipate, monitor, respond to, and learn from expected and unexpected disturbances during line operations. A number of dependent measures were collected that included traditional SMS data types, but also non-traditional safety data to include multiple psychophysiological metrics. This paper describes the psychophysiological measures results that evinced the capability of measures to help identify resilient flight crews. Implications for future research and design of future In-time Aviation Safety Management Systems are discussed.

Psychophysiology↗

Psychophysiological Research Methods to Assess Airline Flight Crew Resilient Performance in High-Fidelity Flight Simulation Scenarios

New concepts in aviation system safety thinking have emerged to consider not only what may go wrong, but also what can be learned when things go right. This approach forms a more comprehensive approach to system safety thinking. A need exists for methods to enable a better understanding of human contributions to aviation safety and how they may inform Safety Management Systems (SMS). A high-fidelity 737-800 simulation study was conducted to study how current type-rated commercial airline flight crews anticipate, monitor, respond to, and learn from expected and unexpected disturbances during line operations. A number of dependent measures were collected that included traditional SMS data types, but also non-traditional safety data to include multiple psychophysiological metrics. This paper describes the psychophysiological measures results that evinced the capability of measures to help identify resilient flight crews. Implications for future research and design of future In-time Aviation Safety Management Systems are discussed.

Psychophysiology↗

Results of a Loran-C flight test using an absolute data reference

A closed circuit flight test was conducted in the Boston area using VOR's and NDB's as reference points. The Loran-C data collected during the flight was then compared against a reference provided by the Discrete Address Beacon System (DABS) facility at Lincoln Laboratories. A MIT crew used a commercial receiver and recorded Loran-C time differences which would also be compared with the data provided by the DABS facility and eventually with the data collected by Ohio University. The Ohio University low-cost receiver was used for this test which was conducted in the Ohio University DC-3 flying laboratory. The Loran-C time-difference data was recorded with a microcomputer data collection system and stored on magnetic tape for subsequent analysis. The MIT receiver was also on board the DC-3, and recorded its data on a cassette tape which was later used by the MIT crew for data analysis. The equipment configuration in the aircraft, the flight procedure and the results obtained from the data collected with Ohio University's receiver and recording system are described.

Fischer, J. P.↗

SPE(R)-OBOGS: On-board oxygen generating sustem

Regulations require oxygen usage by commercial airline flight crews during check out and during certain aircraft configurations. This oxygen is drawn from a high pressure onboard pressure cylinder storage system. In a typical aircraft oxygen cylinder removal for oxygen ground servicing is conducted every 4 to 6 weeks. An on board oxygen generating system has been developed to eliminate the need for oxygen ground servicing. The SPE-OBOGS supplies oxygen during flight in a 'trickle charge' mode to replenish the consumed oxygen at pressures up to 1850 psi. The Electrochemical cell stack is the fundamental SPE-OBOGS system component. The same basic proton exchange membrane technology, previously used for the Gemini program fuel cells and currently used in nuclear submarines as oxygen generators, is used in the SPE-OBOGS. An in-serivce evaluation of the SPE-OBOGS is in the planning stage and a zero gravity version is being promoted for on orbit space suit oxygen system recharge. Summary results of the SPE-OBOGS development will be addressed.

Mcelroy, J.↗

Free Flight Simulation: An Initial Examination of Air-Ground Integration Issues

The concept of "free flight" is intended to emphasize more flexibility for operators in the National Airspace System (RTCA, 1995). This may include the potential for aircraft self-separation. The purpose of this simulation was to begin examining some of the communication and procedural issues associated with self-separation in an integrated air-ground environment. Participants were 10 commercial U.S. flight crews who flew the B747-400 simulator and 10 Denver ARTCC controllers who monitored traffic in an ATC simulation. A prototypic airborne alerting logic and flight deck display features were designed to allow for increased traffic and maneuvering information. Eight different scenarios representing different conflict types were developed. The effects of traffic density (high and low) and different traffic convergence angles (obtuse, acute, and right) were assessed. Conflict detection times were found to be lower for the flight crews in low density compared to high density scenarios. For the controllers, an interaction between density and convergence angle was revealed. Analyses on the controller detection times found longer detection times in the obtuse high density compared to obtuse low density, as well as the shortest detection times in the high density acute angle condition. Maneuvering and communication events are summarized, and a discussion of future research issues is provided.

Lozito, Sandra↗

STS-107 Flight Day 12 Highlights

This video shows the activities of the STS-107 crew (Rick Husband, Commander; William McCool, Pilot; Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Mission Specialists; Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist) during flight day 12 of the Columbia orbiter's final mission. The primary activities are spaceborne experiments in the SpaceHab RDM (Research Double Module). Experiments shown in the video include SOFBALL (Structure of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-Number), an experiment to grow cancer cells in microgravity, and the STARS (Space Technology and Research Students) experiments, including bees, ants, chemical gardens, fish, and spiders. Crew Members are shown working on MIST (Water Mist Fire Suppression), a commercial experiment. Red Team crew members (Husband, Chawla, Clark, Ramon) are shown conversing through a handset with the Expedition 6 crew (Kenneth Bowersox, Commander; Donald Pettit, Nikolai Budarin; Flight Engineers) of the ISS (International Space Station).

Source record↗