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At least 289 records · Page 16

Performance Support Tools for Space Medical Operations

Early Constellation space missions are expected to have medical capabilities similar to those currently on board the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS). Flight surgeons on the ground in Mission Control will direct the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) during medical situations. If the crew is unable to communicate with the ground, the CMO will carry out medical procedures without the aid of a flight surgeon. In these situations, use of performance support tools can reduce errors and time to perform emergency medical tasks. The research presented here is part of the Human Factors in Training Directed Research Project of the Space Human Factors Engineering Project under the Space Human Factors and Habitability Element of the Human Research Program. This is a joint project consisting of human factors teams from the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and the Ames Research Center (ARC). Work on medical training has been conducted in collaboration with the Medical Training Group at JSC and with Wyle that provides medical training to crew members, biomedical engineers (BMEs), and flight surgeons under the Bioastronautics contract. Human factors personnel at Johnson Space Center have investigated medical performance support tools for CMOs and flight surgeons.

Byrne, Vicky↗

The Main Pillar: Assessment of Space Weather Observational Asset Performance Supporting Nowcasting, Forecasting and Research to Operations

Space weather forecasting critically depends upon availability of timely and reliable observational data. It is therefore particularly important to understand how existing and newly planned observational assets perform during periods of severe space weather. Extreme space weather creates challenging conditions under which instrumentation and spacecraft may be impeded or in which parameters reach values that are outside the nominal observational range. This paper analyzes existing and upcoming observational capabilities for forecasting, and discusses how the findings may impact space weather research and its transition to operations. A single limitation to the assessment is lack of information provided to us on radiation monitor performance, which caused us not to fully assess (i.e., not assess short term) radiation storm forecasting. The assessment finds that at least two widely spaced coronagraphs including L4 would provide reliability for Earth-bound CMEs. Furthermore, all magnetic field measurements assessed fully meet requirements. However, with current or even with near term new assets in place, in the worst-case scenario there could be a near-complete lack of key near-real-time solar wind plasma data of severe disturbances heading toward and impacting Earth's magnetosphere. Models that attempt to simulate the effects of these disturbances in near real time or with archival data require solar wind plasma observations as input. Moreover, the study finds that near-future observational assets will be less capable of advancing the understanding of extreme geomagnetic disturbances at Earth, which might make the resulting space weather models unsuitable for transition to operations.

Extreme events↗

Command and Telemetry Latency Effects on Operator Performance during International Space Station Robotics Operations

International Space Station (ISS) operations will require the on-board crew to perform numerous robotic-assisted assembly, maintenance, and inspection activities. Current estimates for some robotically performed maintenance timelines are disproportionate and potentially exceed crew availability and duty times. Ground-based control of the ISS robotic manipulators, specifically the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), is being examined as one potential solution to alleviate the excessive amounts of crew time required for extravehicular robotic maintenance and inspection tasks.

Currie, Nancy J.↗

Overview and Results of ISS Space Medicine Operations Team (SMOT) Activities

The Space Medicine Operations Team (SMOT) was created to integrate International Space Station (ISS) Medical Operations, promote awareness of all Partners, provide emergency response capability and management, provide operational input from all Partners for medically relevant concerns, and provide a source of medical input to ISS Mission Management. The viewgraph presentation provides an overview of educational objectives, purpose, operations, products, statistics, and its use in off-nominal situations.

Johnson, H. Magee↗

Space time neural networks for tether operations in space

A space shuttle flight scheduled for 1992 will attempt to prove the feasibility of operating tethered payloads in earth orbit. due to the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and current pulsing through the tether, the tethered system may exhibit a circular transverse oscillation referred to as the 'skiprope' phenomenon. Effective damping of skiprope motion depends on rapid and accurate detection of skiprope magnitude and phase. Because of non-linear dynamic coupling, the satellite attitude behavior has characteristic oscillations during the skiprope motion. Since the satellite attitude motion has many other perturbations, the relationship between the skiprope parameters and attitude time history is very involved and non-linear. We propose a Space-Time Neural Network implementation for filtering satellite rate gyro data to rapidly detect and predict skiprope magnitude and phase. Training and testing of the skiprope detection system will be performed using a validated Orbital Operations Simulator and Space-Time Neural Network software developed in the Software Technology Branch at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

Lea, Robert N.↗

Challenges in building intelligent systems for space mission operations

The purpose here is to provide a top-level look at the stewardship functions performed in space operations, and to identify the major issues and challenges that must be addressed to build intelligent systems that can realistically support operations functions. The focus is on decision support activities involving monitoring, state assessment, goal generation, plan generation, and plan execution. The bottom line is that problem solving in the space operations domain is a very complex process. A variety of knowledge constructs, representations, and reasoning processes are necessary to support effective human problem solving. Emulating these kinds of capabilities in intelligent systems offers major technical challenges that the artificial intelligence community is only beginning to address.

Hartman, Wayne↗

Space Station Operations Capabilities in a Shoebox: Marshall Space Flight Center’s Telescience Resource Kit

The International Space Station (ISS) has provided the world an unprecedented capability, establishing a continuous human foothold in outer space for more than 22 years now. But maintaining that capability and supporting the ambitious portfolio of scientific research it hosts has required another unprecedented capability – providing groundbased operations support for the crew and a diverse manifest of research payloads, all simultaneously. To help meet this challenge, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed TReK, the Telescience Resource Kit, providing a robust solution for data, command, metadata, and file transfer capabilities. In response to an increasingly wide and diverse need for operations support resources, the TReK team has worked to find ways to make the software more flexible in order to support a wide range of missions. Today it has supported not only hundreds of ISS payloads, but also free-flying spacecraft and even aircraft-based research. This presentation will discuss how the team has modified capabilities needed to enable 24/7/365 research aboard ISS to provide the flexibility needed to support Small Sat missions, going back to one of MSFC’s first “minisatellite” missions in 2010 and beyond.

Jeff Lippincott↗

Space Station Operations Capabilities in a Shoebox Marshall Space Flight Center’s Telescience Resource Kit

The International Space Station (ISS) has provided the world an unprecedented capability, establishing a continuous human foothold in outer space for more than 22 years now. But maintaining that capability and supporting the ambitious portfolio of scientific research it hosts has required another unprecedented capability – providing groundbased operations support for the crew and a diverse manifest of research payloads, all simultaneously. To help meet this challenge, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed TReK, the Telescience Resource Kit, providing a robust solution for data, command, metadata, and file transfer capabilities. In response to an increasingly wide and diverse need for operations support resources, the TReK team has worked to find ways to make the software more flexible in order to support a wide range of missions. Today it has supported not only hundreds of ISS payloads, but also free-flying spacecraft and even aircraft-based research. This presentation will discuss how the team has modified capabilities needed to enable 24/7/365 research aboard ISS to provide the flexibility needed to support Small Sat missions, going back to one of MSFC’s first “minisatellite” missions in 2010 and beyond.

Jeff Lippincott↗

Space Station Program implications from the viewpoint of the Space Station Operations Task Force

An operational concept for the Space Station which has been developed by the Space Station Operations Task Force is described. The operations functions are described, and the relationships of these functions to the overall framework for operations are defined. Product flows for the recommended framework are discussed, and the roles and responsibilities for the proposed operations organization during both the development and the mature operations phases of the Space Station Program are examined.

Paules, Granville E.↗

Neutral buoyancy simulation of space telerobotics operations

A number of neutral buoyancy versions of space telerobots have been tested in the Space Research Laboratory to understand the potential roles for telerobotic systems in space operations. Particular attention is given to details of the well-modeled dynamic environment, the existence of sizable data base on EVA operations in neural buoyancy with correlation to flight experience, and routine access to a number of high-fidelity mockups of past and planned operational spacecraft. The compromises necessary for the design and construction of neutral buoyancy telerobotic systems are discussed, and data from a number of past simulations, including correlation of neutral buoyancy structural assembly with EVA flight data, and preliminary tests of telerobotic servicing of Hubble Space Telescope are summarized.

Akin, David L.↗

Analysis of remote operating systems for space-based servicing operations, volume 1

A two phase study was conducted to analyze and develop the requirements for remote operating systems as applied to space based operations for the servicing, maintenance, and repair of satellites. Phase one consisted of the development of servicing requirements to establish design criteria for remote operating systems. Phase two defined preferred system concepts and development plans which met the requirements established in phase one. The specific tasks in phase two were to: (1) identify desirable operational and conceptual approaches for selected mission scenarios; (2) examine the potential impact of remote operating systems incorporated into the design of the space station; (3) address remote operating systems design issues, such as mobility, which are effected by the space station configuration; and (4) define the programmatic approaches for technology development, testing, simulation, and flight demonstration.

Source record↗

Space Shuttle operational logistics plan

The Kennedy Space Center plan for logistics to support Space Shuttle Operations and to establish the related policies, requirements, and responsibilities are described. The Directorate of Shuttle Management and Operations logistics responsibilities required by the Kennedy Organizational Manual, and the self-sufficiency contracting concept are implemented. The Space Shuttle Program Level 1 and Level 2 logistics policies and requirements applicable to KSC that are presented in HQ NASA and Johnson Space Center directives are also implemented.

Botts, J. W.↗

Expert systems and advanced automation for space missions operations

Increased complexity of space missions during the 1980s led to the introduction of expert systems and advanced automation techniques in mission operations. This paper describes several technologies in operational use or under development at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center. Several expert systems are described that diagnose faults, analyze spacecraft operations and onboard subsystem performance (in conjunction with neural networks), and perform data quality and data accounting functions. The design of customized user interfaces is discussed, with examples of their application to space missions. Displays, which allow mission operators to see the spacecraft position, orientation, and configuration under a variety of operating conditions, are described. Automated systems for scheduling are discussed, and a testbed that allows tests and demonstrations of the associated architectures, interface protocols, and operations concepts is described. Lessons learned are summarized.

Durrani, Sajjad H.↗

The MSFC space station/space operations mechanism test bed

The Space Station/Space Operations Mechanism Test Bed consists of the following: a hydraulically driven, computer controlled Six Degree-of-Freedom Motion System (6DOF); a six degree-of-freedom force and moment sensor; remote driving stations with computer generated or live TV graphics; and a parallel digital processor that performs calculations to support the real time simulation. The function of the Mechanism Test Bed is to test docking and berthing mechanisms for Space Station Freedom and other orbiting space vehicles in a real time, hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment. Typically, the docking and berthing mechanisms are composed of two mating components, one for each vehicle. In the facility, one component is attached to the motion system, while the other component is mounted to the force/moment sensor fixed in the support structure above the 6DOF. The six components of the contact forces/moments acting on the test article and its mating component are measured by the force/moment sensor.

Sutton, William G.↗