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At least 19 records
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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Crew Seat for Human Exploration in Multiple Gravity Environments

This work attempts to develop a single crew seating solution that is applicable across a range of gravity environments encountered by spacecraft proposed in several conceptual spacecraft architectures. All of these spacecraft will need to provide some sort of stationary accommodation for the crew for performing various activities such as work in science laboratories, maintenance and repair facilities, medical care facilities, and spacecraft operations centers, as well as for basic habitation in crew quarters, entertainment / relaxation facilities, and crew dining facilities. Depending on the spacecraft or architecture, this stationary accommodation may be experienced continuously in microgravity, such as would be the case for the Deep Space Exploration Vehicle. Alternately, it could be in continuous lunar or Martian gravity, such as the Common Habitat base camps. It could experience fractional gravity, such as a Pressurized Rover for In-Space Missions at a Near Earth Asteroid or one of the Martian moons. It could alternate between artificial gravity and microgravity, such as the Nautilus-X. It could alternate between microgravity and lunar or Martian gravity, such as the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System or the Blue Origin Blue Moon Block 2 Human Landing System. Or it could be in continuous Earth gravity, such as ground trainer systems. Prior human spaceflight systems for stationary accommodation have been focused on microgravity applications. These systems have their own limitations and cannot be used in a gravity environment. A public crowdsourcing campaign generated dozens of ideas, which ultimately generated a Gecko Mobility Aids system for crew translation and the Multi-Gravity Crew Seat (MGCS) for stationary accommodation. The MGCS functions in gravity as a traditional terrestrial seat, performing functions of load for the overall body and forearms, as well as head and neck load relief while positioning the body within range of an intended task. In microgravity, the MGCS functions as a body restraint, securing the body against inadvertent drifting by applying a restraining pressure at the front and back of the thighs, shoulders, and back. The initial MGCS concept was developed in a NASA hackathon and was refined through a review of dozens of terrestrial seating styles. Additionally, a review of anthropometry and biomechanics data related to the neutral body posture was conducted to help inform the microgravity configuration of the MGCS. A series of CAD models were iteratively developed, with subject matter expert reviews leading to design improvements. A scale model was constructed and used with a humanoid model to demonstrate MGCS accommodation of a human-like body in both gravity and microgravity modes. Work to develop a full-scale protype of the MGCS is discussed, including design and fabrication of the headrest, arm rest, seat back, seat pan, seat base, and the conversion mechanisms. A 1-g human-in-the-loop evaluation of the prototype assessed the acceptability of performing seated activities in the MGCS, collecting data on the usability, comfort, and ease of ingress/egress. Based on the evaluation results, design modifications needed for reduced gravity testing are documented and initial work is indicated for a reduced gravity test plan.

Restraints and Mobility Aids↗
NASA NTRS2009

Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance During Launch

The Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance During Launch (Visual Performance) investigation will determine visual performance limits during operational vibration and g-loads on the Space Shuttle, specifically through the determination of minimum readable font size during ascent using planned Orion display formats. Research Summary: The aim of the Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance during Launch (Visual Performance) investigation is to provide supplementary data to that collected by the Thrust Oscillation Seat Detailed Technical Objective (DTO) 695 (Crew Seat DTO) which will measure seat acceleration and vibration from one flight deck and two middeck seats during ascent. While the Crew Seat DTO data alone are important in terms of providing a measure of vibration and g-loading, human performance data are required to fully interpret the operational consequences of the vibration values collected during Space Shuttle ascent. During launch, crewmembers will be requested to view placards with varying font sizes and indicate the minimum readable size. In combination with the Crew Seat DTO, the Visual Performance investigation will: Provide flight-validated evidence that will be used to establish vibration limits for visual performance during combined vibration and linear g-loading. o Provide flight data as inputs to ongoing ground-based simulations, which will further validate crew visual performance under vibration loading in a controlled environment. o Provide vibration and performance metrics to help validate procedures for ground tests and analyses of seats, suits, displays and controls, and human-in-the-loop performance.

Kritina Holden↗
NASA NTRS2008

Evaluation of a Seat Attenuation System for the Orion Crew Module

The function of the crew seat attenuation system for the Orion Crew Module (CM) is to provide the crew with a low injury-risk landing environment under a range of crew configurations and landing conditions. The current design for the seat attenuation system provides the crew with a low risk of injury environment based on the Brinkley criteria for most of the landing conditions considered. Furthermore, the stroking of the seat attenuation system is within limits, and the clearance between the seat support platform and vehicle is not exceeded. For the limited number of landing conditions where a low injury risk is exceeded, the risk is never beyond a moderate level. The results presented in this study are based on a CM structural model that is rigid except for the pallet struts, which attenuate landing loads and reduce the accelerations transferred to the astronauts. The CM simulations include a soft soil landing. Several different crew configurations are evaluated in this study. It is expected that situations where the risk is above low can be eliminated in future design iterations.

Lawrence, Charles↗
NASA NTRS1996

NASA space shuttle lightweight seat

The Space Shuttle Lightweight Seat-Mission Specialist (LWS-MS) is a crew seat for the mission specialists who fly aboard the Space Shuttle. The LWS-MS is a lightweight replacement for the mission specialist seats currently flown on the Shuttle. Using state-of-the-art analysis techniques, a team of NASA and Lockheed engineers from the Johnson Space Center (JSC) designed a seat that met the most stringent requirements demanded of the new seats by the Shuttle program, and reduced the weight of the seats by 52%.

Hansen, Chris↗
NASA NTRS1980

Conceptual design study for an advanced cab and visual system, volume 1

A conceptual design study was conducted to define requirements for an advanced cab and visual system. The rotorcraft system integration simulator is for engineering studies in the area of mission associated vehicle handling qualities. Principally a technology survey and assessment of existing and proposed simulator visual display systems, image generation systems, modular cab designs, and simulator control station designs were performed and are discussed. State of the art survey data were used to synthesize a set of preliminary visual display system concepts of which five candidate display configurations were selected for further evaluation. Basic display concepts incorporated in these configurations included: real image projection, using either periscopes, fiber optic bundles, or scanned laser optics; and virtual imaging with helmet mounted displays. These display concepts were integrated in the study with a simulator cab concept employing a modular base for aircraft controls, crew seating, and instrumentation (or other) displays. A simple concept to induce vibration in the various modules was developed and is described. Results of evaluations and trade offs related to the candidate system concepts are given, along with a suggested weighting scheme for numerically comparing visual system performance characteristics.

Rue, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2000

A Human Factors Evaluation of a Methodology for Pressurized Crew Module Acceptability for Zero-Gravity Ingress of Spacecraft

This project aimed to develop a methodology for evaluating performance and acceptability characteristics of the pressurized crew module volume suitability for zero-gravity (g) ingress of a spacecraft and to evaluate the operational acceptability of the NASA crew return vehicle (CRV) for zero-g ingress of astronaut crew, volume for crew tasks, and general crew module and seat layout. No standard or methodology has been established for evaluating volume acceptability in human spaceflight vehicles. Volume affects astronauts'ability to ingress and egress the vehicle, and to maneuver in and perform critical operational tasks inside the vehicle. Much research has been conducted on aircraft ingress, egress, and rescue in order to establish military and civil aircraft standards. However, due to the extremely limited number of human-rated spacecraft, this topic has been un-addressed. The NASA CRV was used for this study. The prototype vehicle can return a 7-member crew from the International Space Station in an emergency. The vehicle's internal arrangement must be designed to facilitate rapid zero-g ingress, zero-g maneuverability, ease of one-g egress and rescue, and ease of operational tasks in multiple acceleration environments. A full-scale crew module mockup was built and outfitted with representative adjustable seats, crew equipment, and a volumetrically equivalent hatch. Human factors testing was conducted in three acceleration environments using ground-based facilities and the KC-135 aircraft. Performance and acceptability measurements were collected. Data analysis was conducted using analysis of variance and nonparametric techniques.

Sanchez, Merri J.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Human Tolerance to Rapidly Applied Accelerations: A Summary of the Literature

The literature is surveyed to determine human tolerance to rapidly applied accelerations. Pertinent human and animal experiments applicable to space flight and to crash impact forces are analyzed and discussed. These data are compared and presented on the basis of a trapezoidal pulse. The effects of body restraint and of acceleration direction, onset rate, and plateau duration on the maximum tolerable and survivable rapidly applied accelerations are shown. Results of the survey indicate that adequate torso and extremity restraint is the primary variable in tolerance to rapidly applied accelerations. The harness, or restraint system, must be arranged to transmit the major portion of the accelerating force directly to the pelvic structure and not via the vertebral column. When the conditions of adequate restraint have been met, then the other variables, direction, magnitude, and onset rate of rapidly applied accelerations, govern maximum tolerance and injury limits. The results also indicate that adequately stressed aft-faced passenger seats offer maximum complete body support with minimum objectionable harnessing. Such a seat, whether designed for 20-, 30-, or 40-G dynamic loading, would include lap strap, chest (axillary) strap, and winged-back seat to increase headward and lateral G protection, full-height integral head rest, arm rests (load-bearing) with recessed hand-holds and provisions to prevent arms from slipping either laterally or beyond the seat back, and leg support to keep the legs from being wedged under the seat. For crew members and others whose duties require forward-facing seats, maximum complete body support requires lap, shoulder, and thigh straps, lap-belt tie-down strap, and full-height seat back with integral head support.

Eiband, A. Martin↗
NASA NTRS2009

SDBI 1904: Human Factors Assessment of Vibration Effects on Visual Performance during Launch

The primary objective of the of Human Factors Short Duration Bioastronautics Investigation (SDBI) 1904 is to determine visual performance limits during operational vibration and g-loads, specifically through the determination of minimal usable font sizes using Orion-type display formats. Currently there is little to no data available to quantify human visual performance under these extreme conditions. Existing data on shuttle vibration magnitude and frequency is incomplete, does not address seat and crew vibration in the current configuration, and does not address human visual performance. There have been anecdotal reports of performance decrements from shuttle crews, but no structured data has been collected. The SDBI is a companion effort to the Detailed Test Objective (DTO) 695, which will measure shuttle seat accelerations (vibration) during ascent. Data from the SDBI will serve an important role in interpreting the DTO vibration data. This data will be collected during the ascent phase of three shuttle missions (STS-119, 127, and 128). Both SDBI1904 and DTO 695 are low impact with respect to flight resources, and combined they represent an efficient and focused problem solving approach. The SDBI and DTO data will be correlated to determine the nature of perceived visual performance under varying vibrations and g-loads. This project will provide: * Immediate data for developing preliminary human performance vibration requirements * Flight validated inputs for ongoing and future ground-based research * Information of functional needs that will drive Orion display format design decisions

Shelby G Thompson↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analysis of differences between seating positions in simulators and orbiters

Crew comments indicate that Space Shuttle simulator seats place crewmembers in a position different from that of the actual Orbiter seats. The crew feel that they launch in a different position, and with a different reach and visibility, from that in which they had trained. This study examined three factors in differences between training and flight positions. Key dimensions, which were considered important to spatial orientation, were compared in the Orbiters and simulators. These were dimensions such as seat back to glare shield and seat pan to overhead. The differences between flight and training crew equipment, and how these differences may contribute to the problem were discussed with engineers and technicians responsible for the equipment. Eye position measurements were taken on subjects to assess any differences that could be attributed to different ingress methods in the Orbiters and the simulators. This report presents the data, analysis, and recommendations.

Mongan, Philip T.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Orbiter Autoland reliability analysis

The Space Shuttle Orbiter is the only space reentry vehicle in which the crew is seated upright. This position presents some physiological effects requiring countermeasures to prevent a crewmember from becoming incapacitated. This also introduces a potential need for automated vehicle landing capability. Autoland is a primary procedure that was identified as a requirement for landing following and extended duration orbiter mission. This report documents the results of the reliability analysis performed on the hardware required for an automated landing. A reliability block diagram was used to evaluate system reliability. The analysis considers the manual and automated landing modes currently available on the Orbiter. (Autoland is presently a backup system only.) Results of this study indicate a +/- 36 percent probability of successfully extending a nominal mission to 30 days. Enough variations were evaluated to verify that the reliability could be altered with missions planning and procedures. If the crew is modeled as being fully capable after 30 days, the probability of a successful manual landing is comparable to that of Autoland because much of the hardware is used for both manual and automated landing modes. The analysis indicates that the reliability for the manual mode is limited by the hardware and depends greatly on crew capability. Crew capability for a successful landing after 30 days has not been determined yet.

Welch, D. Phillip↗
NASA NTRS2010

Modeling the Impact of Space Suit Components and Anthropometry on the Center of Mass of a Seated Crewmember

The Crew Impact Attenuation System (CIAS) is the energy-absorbing strut concept that dampens Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) landing loads to levels sustainable by the crew. Significant COM variations across suited crew configurations would amplify the inertial effects of the pallet and potentially create unacceptable crew loading during launch and landing. The objective of this study was to obtain data needed for dynamic simulation models by quantifying the effects of posture, suit components, and the expected range of anthropometry on the COM of a seated individual. Several elements are required for the COM calculation of a suited human in a seated position: anthropometry, body segment mass, suit component mass, suit component location relative to the body, and joint angles defining the seated posture. Three-dimensional (3D) human body models, suit mass data, and vector calculus were utilized to compute the COM positions for 12 boundary manikins in two different seated postures. The analysis focused on two objectives: (1) quantify how much the wholebody COM varied from the smallest to largest subject and (2) quantify the effects of the suit components on the overall COM in each seat configuration. The location of the anterior-posterior COM varied across all boundary manikins by about 7 cm, and the vertical COM varied by approximately 9 to 10 cm. The mediolateral COM varied by 1.2 cm from the midline sagittal plane for both seat configurations. The suit components caused an anterior shift of the total COM by approximately 2 cm and a shift to the right along the mediolateral axis of 0.4 cm for both seat configurations. When the seat configuration was in the standard posture the suited vertical COM shifted inferiorly by as much as 1 cm, whereas in the CEV posture the vertical COM had no appreciable change. These general differences were due to the high proportion of suit mass located in the boots and lower legs and their corresponding distance from the body COM, as well as to the prevalence of suit components on the right side of the body.

Blackledge, Christopher↗
NASA NTRS1997

Ergonomic Chairs

Findings published in the NASA Anthropometric Source Book by Johnson Space Center helped BodyBilt, Inc. to fashion controlled comfort chairs that lessen the harmful effects of gravity on seated workers. Crew members living aboard NASA's Skylab noted that in space the human posture differs from the normal posture caused by the tug of one gravity. There has been an alarming increase in back pain and muscle fatigue in workers, along with a dramatic escalation in repetitive stress injuries. BodyBilt's ergonomically-correct line of office chairs are targeted for the average worker that sits for prolonged periods, be it in the classroom or boardroom. Their roster of national clients lists such organizations as IBM, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Hewlett-Packard, Eastman-Kodak, Boeing, Motorola, and Walt Disney Studios.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1993

Anthropometric data from launch and entry suited test subjects for the design of a recumbent seating system

Returning space crews to Earth in a recumbent position requires the design of a new seating system. Current anthropometric data are based on measurements taken while the subjects were unsuited and sitting. To be most accurate, it is necessary to design by measurements of subjects in the launch and entry suit in a recumbent position. Since the design of the recumbent seating system must meet the requirements of both 5th percentile Japanese female and 95th percentile American male crew members, a delta is reported rather than absolute measurements of the test subjects. This delta is the difference in the measurements taken with the subjects unsuited and sitting and those taken with the subjects suited and recumbent. This delta, representative of the change due to the suit, can be added to the existing Man-Systems Integration Standards (NASA-STD-3000) anthropometric data to project the measurements for 5th percentile Japanese female and 95th percentile American male crew members. A delta accounting for the spinal elongation caused by prolonged exposures to microgravity is added as well. Both unpressurized and pressurized suit conditions are considered. Background information, the test protocol and procedure, analysis of the data, and recommendations are reported.

Stoycos, Lara E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

STS-107 Flight Day 1 Highlights

This video shows the activities of the STS-107 crew on flight day 1 of the Columbia orbiter's final mission. The crew includes Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Mission Specialists Michael Anderson, David Brown, Laurel Clark, and Kalpana Chawla, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon. The video begins with a view of the space shuttle on its launch pad, while an announcer gives an overview of the mission, including its spaceborne experiments. The announcer then introduces the crew members, listing their previous experience. They are seen seated at a banquet table, and during suit up. The seating of the crew in the orbiter is shown, as are other prelaunch procedures. Dialog from during the launch is audible on the tape, and the video includes views of the ascent from different angles, as well as booster separation. The video ends with a view of Columbia in orbit, showing the Research Double Module (RDM) on the inside of its payload bay.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2009

Spinal Elongation and its Effects on Seated Height in a Microgravity Environment (Spinal)

The primary objective of this project is to provide information pertaining to changes in seated height due to spinal elongation in a microgravity environment. The proposed experiment aims to collect seated height data for subjects exposed to microgravity environments, provide information relating to seated height rate of change over time, and feed new information regarding the elongation of the spine forward into the design of Constellation systems. Historical data indicates that spinal elongation occurs when crewmembers are subjected to microgravity. In as little as two days, the typical crewmember will exhibit increases in stature of up to 3 percent. However, data has been collected only for crewmembers in standing postures, and a limited pool of subjects was available. Due to the criticality of seated height in the design of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), a better understanding of the effects of microgravity on seated height is necessary. Small changes in seated height that may not have impacted crew accommodation in previous programs will have significant effects on crew accommodation due to the layout of seats in the CEV. The proposed study will directly measure changes in seated height for crewmembers in the Shuttle cockpit. An anthropometer will be used to record measurements to the top of the head of a seated subject, and an orthogonal photograph will be taken in order to measure seated height based on scaling references of known sizes as well as verify the posture and positioning remained consistent throughout the study. Data gained from this study will provide better information to CEV designers. Accurate measurements of crew seated height will be valuable for vehicle and habitation designers for future programs as well.

Rajulu, Sudhakar↗
NASA NTRS2024

Overview of Integrated Random Vibration Testing of the NASA Orion Crew Survival Suit

The launch ascent and abort random vibration environments from NASA’s Orion spacecraft drove the need to test the NASA Orion Crew Survival Suit as an integrated system with exposure to the design levels. In order to properly characterize component responses, a series of integrated tests were designed to incorporate the interaction between a crew member, suit, seat, and the attenuation system. The first Development Test (2017) included human subjects, and was performed with early development seat and suit components, and low level inputs. It provided a baseline for frequency response and behavior of the integrated system. The next two tests, Development Test (2019) and Qualification Test (2020), used manikin surrogates to represent the crew member and increasing levels of component hardware fidelity in order to test to higher input levels. Testing was performed at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Vibration Labs and provided the input levels required to represent the ascent and abort vehicle profiles as well as recorded component response behavior from accelerometer instrumentation and high speed cameras. Inspection of the suit and related components showed that for all seat orientations, and input environments, no damage occurred. Additional pre and post-test checks confirmed the functionality of all suited hardware. Response data of the suited components generally showed heavy attenuation across most of the tested frequency range. Transmissibility plots showed some amplification of components at lower frequency ranges. Overall this series of integrated tests showed that 1) the use of surrogate manikins in the tests were adequate for representing crew in a vibration environment, 2) full vibration levels for ascent and abort were heavily attenuated in the suit components and were non-damaging, and 3) the suit and related components are qualified for the Orion random vibration environments.

Jeffrey D Suhey↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of Integrated Random Vibration Testing of the NASA Orion Crew Survival Suit

The launch ascent and abort random vibration environments from NASA’s Orion spacecraft drove the need to test the NASA Orion Crew Survival Suit as an integrated system with exposure to the design levels. In order to properly characterize component responses, a series of integrated tests were designed to incorporate the interaction between a crew member, suit, seat, and the attenuation system. The first Development Test (2017) included human subjects, and was performed with early development seat and suit components, and low level inputs. It provided a baseline for frequency response and behavior of the integrated system. The next two tests, Development Test (2019) and Qualification Test (2020), used manikin surrogates to represent the crew member and increasing levels of component hardware fidelity in order to test to higher input levels. Testing was performed at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Vibration Labs and provided the input levels required to represent the ascent and abort vehicle profiles as well as recorded component response behavior from accelerometer instrumentation and high speed cameras. Inspection of the suit and related components showed that for all seat orientations, and input environments, no damage occurred. Additional pre and post-test checks confirmed the functionality of all suited hardware. Response data of the suited components generally showed heavy attenuation across most of the tested frequency range. Transmissibility plots showed some amplification of components at lower frequency ranges. Overall this series of integrated tests showed that 1) the use of surrogate manikins in the tests were adequate for representing crew in a vibration environment, 2) full vibration levels for ascent and abort were heavily attenuated in the suit components and were non-damaging, and 3) the suit and related components are qualified for the Orion random vibration environments.

Jeffrey Suhey↗