Automated Operations Development for Advanced Exploration Systems

Automated space operations command and control software development and its implementation must be an integral part of the vehicle design effort. The software design must encompass autonomous fault detection, isolation, recovery capabilities and also provide single button intelligent functions for the crew. Development, operations and safety approval experience with the Timeliner system on-board the International Space Station (ISS), which provided autonomous monitoring with response and single command functionality of payload systems, can be built upon for future automated operations as the ISS Payload effort was the first and only autonomous command and control system to be in continuous execution (6 years), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within a crewed spacecraft environment. Utilizing proven capabilities from the ISS Higher Active Logic (HAL) System [1] , along with the execution component design from within the HAL 9000 Space Operating System [2] , this design paper will detail the initial HAL System software architecture and interfaces as applied to NASA s Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) in support of the Advanced Exploration Systems, Autonomous Mission Operations project. The development and implementation of integrated simulators within this development effort will also be detailed and is the first step in verifying the HAL 9000 Integrated Test-Bed Component [2] designs effectiveness. This design paper will conclude with a summary of the current development status and future development goals as it pertains to automated command and control for the HDU

UK pension sustainability and fund manager governance: agent duties to the principal

Sustainable investing includes the application of non-financial (Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)) criteria to asset selection in institutional investor portfolios (Capelle-Blancard and Mojon 2011). The article explores the implications for applying ESG screening to the institutional investors making the asset selections. Institutional investors are a heterogeneous group of investors, with fund managers specifically being some of the largest listed organisations globally (Ingley and van der Walt 2004). Whether their own corporate management duties to fiduciary governance (the G in ESG) benefiting their shareholders has any material impact on the financial returns outcomes of the pension asset management contract, and specifically whether there is a fiduciary conflict favouring of the exclusive best interest of fund management shareholders is the question addressed by the paper

Health Disparities Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Firefighters

ABSTRACT Background: Racial/ethnic minorities are substantially underrepresented in the fire service and this situation is unique when compared to similarly mentally and physically demanding and hazardous occupations such as the military and law enforcement. There is little systematic research to provide greater clarity about this significant disparity. The purpose of this study is to examine physical and behavioral health issues of racial/ethnic minority firefighters when compared to their white, non-Hispanic counterparts and potentially identify areas for future research that might assist in improving their substantial underrepresentation. Materials and Methods: We report the results of a secondary analysis of data combining the baseline evaluations of two different firefighter health studies, the Firefighter Injury and Risk Evaluation (FIRE) and Fuel 2 Fight (F2F) studies. Male career firefighters (N=1,404) were from 31 fire departments across the US and its territories. White, non-Hispanic firefighters comprised 72.5% of the sample (n=1,018) and 27.5% classified themselves as a racial/ethnic minority. Firefighters who agreed to participate comprised 94% (F2F) and 97% (FIRE) of those available and all underwent assessments including body composition, fitness, and general/behavioral health, and job satisfaction. Results: We examined differences in health and job status between minority and non-minority firefighters and between firefighters in minority- (MDCs) and white-dominated communities (WDCs). After adjusting for potential confounds, there were significant main effects for the individual minority status vs. non-minority status on both BMI and BF%, indicating that minority firefighters had significantly higher average BMI (28.8±0.3kg/m2) and BF% (24.7± 0.7%) when compared to their white, non-Hispanic colleagues (27.7±0.2kg/m2and 23.1±0.6% for BMI and BF%, respectively). Minority firefighters also were 59% more likely to be obese (adjusted [A]OR=1.59; 95% CI=1.16-2.18). Firefighters serving in MDCs reported significantly more poor health days (Mean±SE; 3.2±0.2 days) than firefighters serving in WDCs (2.8±0.2 days; p=0.038). In addition, minority firefighters reported significantly more poor health days (3.6±0.4 days) than their non-minority colleagues (2.8±0.2 days; p=0.003), while the interaction indicates that minority firefighters in MDCs reported more poor health days than the other groups (p Conclusions: Individual and community minority status (i.e., ethnic density effect) were both significantly associated with a number of important health status indicators, with racial/ethnic minority firefighters demonstrating greater risk for unfavorable body composition and more poor physical health days. In addition, minority firefighters in WDCs reported the highest prevalence of lifetime diagnosis of depression by a physician, while minority firefighters in MDCs had the lowest. Many of these health status indicators have recently been studied within the context of experiences with discrimination, demonstrating that racial discrimination is associated with greater risk for obesity, depression, and poor physical and mental health and could be contributing to health disparities and potentially negatively impacting racial/ethnic minority firefighter health, safety, and retention

Advancing Autonomous Operations for Deep Space Vehicles

No abstract availabl

Disparities in Infant Mortality Due to Congenital Anomalies on Guam

In the 1970's and 1980's, there were large inter-village disparities in infant mortality due to congenital anomalies on Guam. A village-level analysis was conducted to determine if these disparities can be explained by behavioral (ie, median age of village females, village fertility ratio), structural (ie, population density, persons per household, single mother households per village, married females per village), and environmental (ie, living in a village where Agent Orange (AO) spraying was conducted) factors. Village-level data for live births and infant mortality due to congenital anomalies (1970–1989) was collected from Guam's Office of Vital Statistics. Data on median age of village females, village fertility ratio, population density, persons per household, single mother households, and married females were obtained from the 1980 US Census. Estimates of village-level AO use were provided through personal communications, and villages were dichotomized into AO and non-AO spray areas. Village location was classified by usual residence of the mother. Linear regression was used to determine associations between infant mortality due to congenital anomalies and the behavioral, structural, and environmental factors. The association between AO spray area and infant mortality due to congenital anomalies was statistically significant under univariable (B [95%CI] = 1.88 [0.64,3.11], P = .005) and multivariable conditions (B [95%CI] = 2.02 [0.08,3.96], P = .042). These results suggest that infants born to mothers whose usual residence was in an AO spray area on Guam are at an increased risk of mortality due to congenital anomalies. Further studies using individual-level data are needed to validate these results

Autonomous Payload Operations Onboard the International Space Station

Operating the International Space Station (ISS) involves many complex crew tended, ground operated and combined systems. Over the life of the ISS program, it has become evident that by having automated and autonomous systems on board, more can be accomplished and at the same time reduce the workload of the crew and ground operators. Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama, working in collaboration with The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory have developed an autonomous software system that uses the Timeliner User Interface Language and expert logic to continuously monitor ISS payload systems, issue commands and signal ground operators as required. This paper describes the development history of the system, its concept of operation and components. The paper also discusses the testing process as well as the facilities used to develop the system. The paper concludes with a description of future enhancement plans for use on the ISS as well as potential applications to Lunar and Mars exploration systems

Student Development and Remediation Processes for Counselors in Training in a Virtual Environment

Counselor educators are charged with training competent, ethical professionals with a strong counselor identity. Online counselor education programs are presented with unique challenges and considerations when attempting to promote student development. Explorations of these challenges, as well as a gatekeeping model to address remediation and procedural fairness, are addressed. Case examples are inclusive of multiple participant roles including counselor educator, supervisor, and student

Calculations of Neutron Reflectivity in the eV Energy Range from Mirrors made of Heavy Nuclei with Neutron-Nucleus Resonances

We evaluate the reflectivity of neutron mirrors composed of certain heavy nuclei which possess strong neutron-nucleus resonances in the eV energy range. We show that the reflectivity of such a mirror for some nuclei can in principle be high enough near energies corresponding to compound neutron-nucleus resonances to be of interest for certain scientific applications in non-destructive evaluation of subsurface material composition and in the theory of neutron optics beyond the kinematic limit.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl