Location

Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Atlantis/ Discovery Rooms

Start Date

23-4-1991 2:00 PM

End Date

23-4-1991 5:00 PM

Description

The prospect of interstellar travel challenges many of the common assumptions about long duration manned space/light, raising significant issues about how human factors requirements may change for the multigenerational space flight required for interstellar travel. Mission duration is the driving cause for most human factors issues involving isolation, confinement and exposure to weightlessness and radiation. The notion of a self-sustaining, interstellar spacecraft derives largely from the scenario of travelling O'Neillian space settlements. This article reviews this scenario in light of current developments in space human factors research and technology. The discussion concerns mission duration, spacecraft and crew size, human accommodations and requirements for habitability and safety. The human factors issues that emerge include habitability, human machine interfaces, crew training and selection, "sweat equity " and population growth.

Comments

Interstellar Initiatives

Session Chairman: Steven Hawley, Associate Director, NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

Session Organizer: Allan Drysdale, Specialist for New Technical Applications, McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company, Kennedy Space Center FL

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Apr 23rd, 2:00 PM Apr 23rd, 5:00 PM

Paper Session I-A - Human Factors Issues for Interstellar Spacecraft

Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Atlantis/ Discovery Rooms

The prospect of interstellar travel challenges many of the common assumptions about long duration manned space/light, raising significant issues about how human factors requirements may change for the multigenerational space flight required for interstellar travel. Mission duration is the driving cause for most human factors issues involving isolation, confinement and exposure to weightlessness and radiation. The notion of a self-sustaining, interstellar spacecraft derives largely from the scenario of travelling O'Neillian space settlements. This article reviews this scenario in light of current developments in space human factors research and technology. The discussion concerns mission duration, spacecraft and crew size, human accommodations and requirements for habitability and safety. The human factors issues that emerge include habitability, human machine interfaces, crew training and selection, "sweat equity " and population growth.

 

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