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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1988

A simulation system for Space Station extravehicular activity

A simulation program has been developed which addresses the human factors required to provide a crewmember with productive information during Space Station EVA. The operation of the voice recognition and control system and helmet-mounted projection display in the Space Station Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is reviewed. The features of the simulation program are discussed, including logic flow, information types, and the man-machine interface techniques used in the simulation program, voice recognizer, and helmet-mounted display.

Marmolejo, Jose A.↗
NASA NTRS1962

VISUAL CONTROL OF RENDEZVOUS

Space rendezvous involving human occupants will be required in many phases of space flight. In order that rendezvous capability be concurrent with other phases of manned space flight to insure that such tasks as the rotation and addition of crews for manned space station, supply of stations and launching complexes for deep-space probes, and the emergency rescue of personnel may be carried out, it is desirable to determine the ability of a human pilot to control the rendezvous maneuver. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has conducted a study program to determine vehicle requirements and control techniques for a number of proposed methods for performing piloted space rendezvous. The final step in each phase of the rendezvous study program has been a simulation of the man-machine combination to test its feasibility. Initially, an analytical study was conducted to determine a range of conditions that would exist at the beginning of the terminal phase of rendezvous (ref. 1). Piloted systems were investigated for rendezvous control using these initial conditions. One such study of piloted rendezvous in which all the required control information was displayed to the simulator pilot on instruments is presented in reference 2. While the control of the rendezvous maneuver by use of the instrument display was shown to be feasible, the sufficiently accurate measurement of the necessary information to operate the instrument was realized to be a difficult problem. Consideration was therefore given to the possibility of maneuvering range and range rate required for the control of the rendezvous from visual sightings made during the initial control application. To provide this capability, an analytical study was made. This analytical study, presented in reference 3, derived three techniques for obtaining range and range rate visually and conducted a simplified preliminary situation to test the three analytical techniques. The study reported herein is a continuation of the simulation work begun in reference 3, and is aimed at determining the ability of a pilot to use visual information to reduce or eliminate the need for some or all of the data that would normally be displayed on instruments.

Rendezvous↗
NASA NTRS1987

Man-machine interface issues in space telerobotics: A JPL research and development program

Technology issues related to the use of robots as man-extension or telerobot systems in space are discussed and exemplified. General considerations are presentd on control and information problems in space teleoperation and on the characteristics of Earth orbital teleoperation. The JPL R and D work in the area of man-machine interface devices and techniques for sensing and computer-based control is briefly summarized. The thrust of this R and D effort is to render space teleoperation efficient and safe through the use of devices and techniques which will permit integrated and task-level (intelligent) two-way control communication between human operator and telerobot machine in Earth orbit. Specific control and information display devices and techniques are discussed and exemplified with development results obtained at JPL in recent years.

Bejczy, A. K.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Orbital demonstration - The prelude to large operational structures in space

The paper surveys three specific large space structures which have been analyzed to determine the technology needed to achieve a fully operational system. These are the multipurpose platforms; satellite power systems, and a deployable antenna. Further attention is also given to those technology needs which can be satisfied by ground based technology (simulation), such as payload carrier modification or design, platform element connectors and fittings, data compression and storage equipment, man-machine interface and productivity assessment, and astronaut aids. Also covered are those technology and performance parameters which require demonstration in orbit.

Hagler, T.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Open control/display system for a telerobotics work station

A working Advanced Space Cockpit was developed that integrated advanced control and display devices into a state-of-the-art multimicroprocessor hardware configuration, using window graphics and running under an object-oriented, multitasking real-time operating system environment. This Open Control/Display System supports the idea that the operator should be able to interactively monitor, select, control, and display information about many payloads aboard the Space Station using sets of I/O devices with a single, software-reconfigurable workstation. This is done while maintaining system consistency, yet the system is completely open to accept new additions and advances in hardware and software. The Advanced Space Cockpit, linked to Grumman's Hybrid Computing Facility and Large Amplitude Space Simulator (LASS), was used to test the Open Control/Display System via full-scale simulation of the following tasks: telerobotic truss assembly, RCS and thermal bus servicing, CMG changeout, RMS constrained motion and space constructible radiator assembly, HPA coordinated control, and OMV docking and tumbling satellite retrieval. The proposed man-machine interface standard discussed has evolved through many iterations of the tasks, and is based on feedback from NASA and Air Force personnel who performed those tasks in the LASS.

Keslowitz, Saul↗
NASA NTRS1987

An overview of the artificial intelligence and expert systems component of RICIS

Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems are the important component of RICIS (Research Institute and Information Systems) research program. For space applications, a number of problem areas that should be able to make good use of the above tools include: resource allocation and management, control and monitoring, environmental control and life support, power distribution, communications scheduling, orbit and attitude maintenance, redundancy management, intelligent man-machine interfaces and fault detection, isolation and recovery.

Feagin, Terry↗
NASA NTRS1985

Automated subsystems control development

NASA has the objective to launch a Space Station in the 1990s. It has been found that the success of the Space Station engineering development, the achievement of initial operational capability (IOC), and the operation of a productive Space Station will depend heavily on the implementation of an effective automation and control approach. For the development of technology needed to implement the required automation and control function, a contract entitled 'Automated Subsystems Control for Life Support Systems' (ASCLSS) was awarded to two American companies. The present paper provides a description of the ASCLSS program. Attention is given to an automation and control architecture study, a generic automation and control approach for hardware demonstration, a standard software approach, application of Air Revitalization Group (ARG) process simulators, and a generic man-machine interface.

Block, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Skylab materials processing facility experiment developer's report

The development of the Skylab M512 Materials Processing Facility is traced from the design of a portable, self-contained electron beam welding system for terrestrial applications to the highly complex experiment system ultimately developed for three Skylab missions. The M512 experiment facility was designed to support six in-space experiments intended to explore the advantages of manufacturing materials in the near-zero-gravity environment of Earth orbit. Detailed descriptions of the M512 facility and related experiment hardware are provided, with discussions of hardware verification and man-machine interfaces included. An analysis of the operation of the facility and experiments during the three Skylab missions is presented, including discussions of the hardware performance, anomalies, and data returned to earth.

Parks, P. G.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Science aspects of a remotely controlled Mars surface roving vehicle.

Particular attention is given to aspects pertinent to teleoperation, remote control, onboard control, and man-machine relationships in carrying out scientific operations with such a vehicle. It is assumed that landed operations would comprise one Martian year and that the traverse would extend across an area approximately 500 km wide. The mission is assumed to be planned for the early 1980s. Its objective is to obtain data which will aid in answering a number of questions regarding the history of the solar system, the formation of Mars, and the evolution of life on Mars. A series of candidate rover payloads is proposed to meet the requirements. The smallest payload includes a TV camera, a general-purpose manipulator arm, a crusher and siever, an X-ray diffractometer-spectrometer, a gravimeter, a magnetometer, meteorological instruments, and a radio transponder.

Choate, R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Distributed intelligence for supervisory control

Supervisory control systems must deal with various types of intelligence distributed throughout the layers of control. Typical layers are real-time servo control, off-line planning and reasoning subsystems and finally, the human operator. Design methodologies must account for the fact that the majority of the intelligence will reside with the human operator. Hierarchical decompositions and feedback loops as conceptual building blocks that provide a common ground for man-machine interaction are discussed. Examples of types of parallelism and parallel implementation on several classes of computer architecture are also discussed.

Wolfe, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

A space systems perspective of graphics simulation integration

Creation of an interactive display environment can expose issues in system design and operation not apparent from nongraphics development approaches. Large amounts of information can be presented in a short period of time. Processes can be simulated and observed before committing resources. In addition, changes in the economics of computing have enabled broader graphics usage beyond traditional engineering and design into integrated telerobotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications. The highly integrated nature of space operations often tend to rely upon visually intensive man-machine communication to ensure success. Graphics simulation activities at the Mission Planning and Analysis Division (MPAD) of NASA's Johnson Space Center are focusing on the evaluation of a wide variety of graphical analysis within the context of present and future space operations. Several telerobotics and AI applications studies utilizing graphical simulation are described. The presentation includes portions of videotape illustrating technology developments involving: (1) coordinated manned maneuvering unit and remote manipulator system operations, (2) a helmet mounted display system, and (3) an automated rendezous application utilizing expert system and voice input/output technology.

Brown, R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Design outline for a new multiman ATC simulation facility at NASA-Ames Research Center

A new and unique facility for studying human factors aspects in aeronautics is being planned for use in the Man-Vehicle Systems Research Division at the NASA-Ames Research Center. This facility will replace the existing three cockpit-single ground controller station and be expandable to include approximately seven cockpits and two ground controller stations. Unlike the previous system, each cockpit will be mini-computer centered and linked to a main CPU to effect a distributed computation facility. Each simulator will compute its own flight dynamic and flight path predictor. Mechanical flight instruments in each cockpit will be locally supported and CRT cockpit displays of (e.g.) traffic and or RNAV information will be centrally computed and distributed as a means of extending the existing computational and graphical resources. An outline of the total design is presented which addresses the technical design options and research possibilities of this unique man-machine facility and which may also serve as a model for other real time distributed simulation facilities.

Kreifeldt, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS1974

A man in the loop trajectory optimization program (MILTOP)

An interactive trajectory optimization program is developed for use in initial fixing of launch configurations. The program is called MILTOP for Man-In-the-Loop-Trajectory Optimization-Program. The program is designed to facilitate quick look studies using man-machine decision combinations to reduce the time required to solve a given problem. MILTOP integrates the equations of motion of a point-mass in 3-Dimensions with drag as the only aerodynamic force present. Any point in time at which an integration step terminates, may be used as a decision-break-point, with complete user control over all variables and routines at this point. Automatic phases are provided for different modes of control: vertical rise, pitch-over, gravity turn, chi-freeze and control turn. Stage parameters are initialized from a separate routine so the user may fly as many stages as his problem demands. The MILTOP system uses both interactively on storage scope consoles, or in batch mode with numerical output on the live printer.

Reinfields, J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Multiple man-machine interfaces

The multiple man machine interfaces inherent in military pilot training, their social implications, and the issue of possible negative feedback were explored. Modern technology has produced machines which can see, hear, and touch with greater accuracy and precision than human beings. Consequently, the military pilot is more a systems manager, often doing battle against a target he never sees. It is concluded that unquantifiable human activity requires motivation that is not intrinsic in a machine.

Stanton, L.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Space Station man-machine automation trade-off analysis

The man machine automation tradeoff methodology presented is of four research tasks comprising the autonomous spacecraft system technology (ASST) project. ASST was established to identify and study system level design problems for autonomous spacecraft. Using the Space Station as an example spacecraft system requiring a certain level of autonomous control, a system level, man machine automation tradeoff methodology is presented that: (1) optimizes man machine mixes for different ground and on orbit crew functions subject to cost, safety, weight, power, and reliability constraints, and (2) plots the best incorporation plan for new, emerging technologies by weighing cost, relative availability, reliability, safety, importance to out year missions, and ease of retrofit. A fairly straightforward approach is taken by the methodology to valuing human productivity, it is still sensitive to the important subtleties associated with designing a well integrated, man machine system. These subtleties include considerations such as crew preference to retain certain spacecraft control functions; or valuing human integration/decision capabilities over equivalent hardware/software where appropriate.

Zimmerman, W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

NASA's life sciences program

NASA space missions from the Mercury through the Shuttle program have provided successively more data on the ability of humans to function in space for progressively longer periods of time. The Skylab program encouraged cooperation between medical and engineering personnel in the design of space suits, diet, food preparation, and cleanliness procedures and equipment, and the man-machine interface. Research is now concentrated on supporting man in space, evaluating the effects of the microgravity environment on humans, and modeling encounters with extraterrestrial life and the effects of human activities on terrestrial biota. Current levels of understanding of the physiological causes of human health problems produced by long-duration spaceflight are summarized. Experiments planned for the Shuttle, Spacelab, and the Space Station are outlined, noting the long-term goal of configuring the Space Station so that only food and hydrazine are needed to complete the life support system cycle.

Soffen, Gerald A.↗