Proceedings of the National Meeting on Manned Space Flight: Unclassified Portion
An overview of NASA's manned space programs - the X-I5, Project Mercury, Project DynaSoar, Project Gemini, and Project Apollo.
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An overview of NASA's manned space programs - the X-I5, Project Mercury, Project DynaSoar, Project Gemini, and Project Apollo.
Deep Space Network support of Manned Space Flight Network for Apollo project
Gas chromatography system for trace contaminants detection in space cabin atmosphere and suit gas during manned space flight
Spaceborne information processing for manned missions, describing layered system with fault tolerance and onboard checkout
Reverse osmosis application to wash water recovery in manned space mission life support systems, emphasizing membranes development
Dr. Aaron Cohen, Director of NASA Johnson Space Center, discusses management issues as they have appeared in the manned space flight programs.
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During the shuttle era NASA utilized a failure reporting system called the Problem Reporting and Corrective Action (PRACA) it purpose was to identify and track system non-conformance. The PRACA system over the years evolved from a relatively nominal way to identify system problems to a very complex tracking and report generating data base. The PRACA system became the primary method to categorize any and all anomalies from corrosion to catastrophic failure. The systems documented in the PRACA system range from flight hardware to ground or facility support equipment. While the PRACA system is complex, it does possess all the failure modes, times of occurrence, length of system delay, parts repaired or replaced, and corrective action performed. The difficulty is mining the data then to utilize that data in order to estimate component, Line Replaceable Unit (LRU), and system reliability analysis metrics. In this paper, we identify a methodology to categorize qualitative data from the ground system PRACA data base for common ground or facility support equipment. Then utilizing a heuristic developed for review of the PRACA data determine what reports identify a credible failure. These data are the used to determine inter-arrival times to perform an estimation of a metric for repairable component-or LRU reliability. This analysis is used to determine failure modes of the equipment, determine the probability of the component failure mode, and support various quantitative differing techniques for performing repairable system analysis. The result is that an effective and concise estimate of components used in manned space flight operations. The advantage is the components or LRU's are evaluated in the same environment and condition that occurs during the launch process.
Human adaptation to altitude, heat, cold, physical exertion, acceleration, radiation, in space flight
Four areas of research in optical communications in support of future manned space missions being carried out at Johnson Space Center are discussed. These are the Space Station Freedom proximity operations, direct LEO-to-ground communications, IR voice communications inside manned spacecraft, and deep space and lunar satellite operations. The background, requirements, and scenario for each of these areas of research are briefly described.
Plasma volume, red blood cell mass and erythrocyte survival determination before and after space flight
As the coined name Strato-Lab implies, it is a program which provides a stratospheric laboratory utilizing a plastic balloon platform for manned research investigations. The project was originated in 1954; actual work began early in 1955 and the first manned stratospheric flights were made in 1956. It was conceived and has been continued with the following three objectives: (1) Provide a high-altitude research system, a scientific laboratory, permitting man's active scientific participation (2) Provide an opportunity for studies of man's reactions to an actual environment of physiological and psychological stress (3) Allow an opportunity for man to conduct tests and evaluate specific components and/or techniques in an extremely high altitude environment.
Possible interactions among drugs contemplated for use during manned spaceflights have been studied in several animal species. The following seven drugs were investigated: nitrofurantoin, chloral hydrate, hexobarbital, phenobarbital, flurazepam, diphenoxylate, and phenazopyridine. Particular combinations included: chloral hydrate, hexabarbital or flurazepam with nitrofurantoin; phenobarbital or flurazepam with phenazopyridine; and diphenoxylate with two does formulations of nitrofurantoin. Studies were carried out in several species to determine whether induction of liver microsomal enzymes would increase the tendency of phenazopyridine to produce methemoglobin in vivo. Animals were premedicated with phenobarbital, a known inducer of azoreductase, and in a separate experiment with flurazepam, before administration of phenazopyridine. Methemoglobin production was determined in each animal after receiving phenazopyridine. No evidence was found for increased production of methemoglobin in the rat, dog, or rabbit that could be attributed to increased amounts of microsomal enzymes.
Space system design optimization based on human requirements during acceleration
In the last 20 years, the biomedical problems facing man in space have been brought into sharper focus. Space motion sickness is presently the most serious problem. Its etiology remains obscure, but the 'sensory conflict' theory appears most plausible. No valid predictive tests of susceptibility exist and presently medication for prevention or mitigation of symptoms must be relied on. Adaptation/biofeedback techniques may prove useful. Cardiovascular 'deconditioning' may be effectively attenuated by use of anti-g suits or plasma expanding techniques. Recent bedrest simulation studies would seem to indicate that concerns about chronically elevated central venous pressure during space flight are unfounded. The loss of red cell mass in space flight appears to be self-limited, independent of mission duration, and not of clinical concern, based on recent Soviet experiences. And finally, clodronate, a new diphosphonate effective in preventing hypercalciuria and negative calcium balance in normal human bedrested subjects, may prove effective in preventing or lessening skeletal mineral loss in space.
Communication and tracking relay system for manned spacecraft in orbit using synchronous altitude satellites
Technical considerations in the design, development and operation of United States manned spacecraft from Project Mercury to the Space Shuttle are reviewed. The design and mission philosophies, launch vehicle and spacecraft characteristics, mode of operation, flight results and influence on later programs are discussed for Project Mercury, and Gemini Apollo and Skylab programs, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and the Space Shuttle program. The Space Shuttle is shown to represent a major departure from the trend established in previous programs, requiring major advancements in the fields of flight control, thermal protection, and liquid-propellant rocket technology.
Nuclear safety considerations for ground checkout, launch and in-orbit operations of reactors for earth orbital manned space stations