AIRSAR South American deployment: Operation plan, version 3.0

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Brazilian Commission for Space Activities (COBAE) are undertaking a joint experiment involving NASA's DC-8 research aircraft and the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) system during late May and June 1993. The research areas motivating these activities are: (1) fundamental research in the role of soils, vegetation, and hydrology in the global carbon cycle; and (2) in cooperation with South American scientists, airborne remote sensing research for the upcoming NASA Spaceborne Imaging Radar (SIR)-C/X-SAR flights on the Space Shuttle. A flight schedule and plans for the deployment that were developed are included. Maps of the site locations and schematic indications of flight routes and dates, plots showing swath locations derived from the flight requests and generated by flight planning software, and, most importantly, a calendar showing which sites will be imaged each day are included

"Let the People Have a Victory": The Politics of Transportation in Philadelphia, 1946-1984

Urban transportation planning in the United States underwent important changes in the decades after World War II. In the immediate postwar period, federal highway engineers in the Bureau of Public Roads dominated the decision-making process, creating a planning regime that focused almost entirely on the building of modern expressways to relieve traffic congestion. In the 1960s, however, local opposition to expressway construction emerged in cities across the nation, reflecting growing discontent with what many citizens perceived to be a closed planning process that resulted in the destruction of urban neighborhoods, environmental degradation, and inadequate attention paid to alternative modes of transportation. Local freeway protestors found allies in the new U.S. Department of Transportation, which moved in the mid-1960s to absorb the Bureau of Public Roads and support legislation promoting a planning process more open to local input as well as a greater emphasis on federal aid for urban mass transportation. The changing culture of transportation planning produced a series of freeway revolts, resulting in the cancellation or modification of interstate highway projects, in major American cities. Changes in transportation planning played out differently in every city, however. This dissertation examines controversies over Philadelphia's major expressway projects - the Schuylkill Expressway, the Delaware Expressway, and the never-built Crosstown Expressway, in addition to major mass transit developments such as the city's subsidization of the commuter railroads, the creation of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and the building of a railroad tunnel known as the Center City Commuter Connection, in order to trace the evolution of the city's transportation politics between 1946 and 1984. Significantly, Philadelphia's own freeway revolt succeeded in eliminating the proposed Crosstown Expressway, which would have created a daunting racial barrier while decimating several low-income African American neighborhoods. The Crosstown Expressway revolt, however, failed to change the overall trajectory of Philadelphia's transportation planning politics, which continued to be dominated by an exceptionally strong alliance between City Hall and large business interests. Philadelphia's turn to mass transit in the 1970s, in contrast to those of other cities, failed to redistribute transportation resources to its low-income residents, mainly because the city chose to devote a massive percentage of its federal funding to the Center City Commuter Connection, a downtown rail tunnel designed to serve approximately 8% of the region's commuters. The prioritization of a rail system serving predominantly affluent white suburbanites left Philadelphia's lower-income population saddled with a crumbling urban mass transit system, demonstrating that, despite a more open planning process and a greater emphasis on mass transportation, fundamental inequalities persisted

Creating an Experimental Learning and Research Driven Spacesuit Lab for ERAU

This paper evaluates key functional data parameters that must be considered for suborbital spaceflight participants wearing pressurized suits for intravehicular activity (IVA). Data parameters of an analog spacesuit worn in an analog flight environment were obtained from 40 civilian participants using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) while donning Final Frontier Design’s (FFD) fully pressurized third-generation spacesuit as part of their training for Project PoSSUM (the Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere Project). The physiological data collected included: blood pressure, electrocardiograms, heart rate, grip strength, and skin temperature. These parameters were measured using a blood pressure monitor, a Zephyr Bioharness, and a BioRadio respectively. Other data collected include participants’ motion sickness, discomfort and mobility, and stress and workload. These parameters were self-assessed using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), the Modified Cooper Harper Rating Scale, and the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) respectively. Preliminary results show that 29% of the participants experienced basic spacesuit donning discomfort, while 17% of the participants showed some doffing discomfort. Feet, shoulders, neck, arms, and ankles were the most sensitive parts in this process and throughout their use of the suit. Our results also indicate that the spacesuit limited participants by approximately 24% of their normal cross-body reach range of motion. Nevertheless, the operational capability of this suit is currently being evaluated as a viable option for supporting future suborbital, orbital, and exploration missions. This research will enhance the functionality of the suit, standardize suit testing procedures, aid in identifying key parameters for reducing physiological deconditioning in the use of emerging spacesuit technologies, and provide comparative analysis reference for future studies

Planetary benchmarks

Design criteria and technology requirements for a system of radar reference devices to be fixed to the surfaces of the inner planets are discussed. Offshoot applications include the use of radar corner reflectors as landing beacons on the planetary surfaces and some deep space applications that may yield a greatly enhanced knowledge of the gravitational and electromagnetic structure of the solar system. Passive retroreflectors with dimensions of about 4 meters and weighing about 10 kg are feasible for use with orbiting radar at Venus and Mars. Earth-based observation of passive reflectors, however, would require very large and complex structures to be delivered to the surfaces. For Earth-based measurements, surface transponders offer a distinct advantage in accuracy over passive reflectors. A conceptual design for a high temperature transponder is presented. The design appears feasible for the Venus surface using existing electronics and power components

Exploring How Social Media Can Be Used to Promote Space Awareness: A Case Study of the Yuri\u27s Night Web 2.0

Despite the importance of social media as an inexpensive and efficient means of communication, it is not clear to what degree space advocacy groups are making a strong organized effort to use the resources available to them. Moreover, there is no previous literature that specifically examines the use of social media tools by space organizations. This study seeks to start a larger dialog regarding how the space advocacy community can make use of these tools to promote their mission. Using a case study approach, this article focuses specifically on the organization of Yuri’s Night to explore how this group is using social media to accomplish its mission of building general space awareness. In addition, this article evaluates the organization’s social media presence as well as the role social media has played in the organization’s ability to accomplish its mission. Other space advocacy groups can use the lessons learned here to improve their own social media strategies

Preparing for Planetary Surface Exploration by Measuring Habitat Dust Intrusion with Filter Tests During an Analogue Mars Mission

As humans venture deeper into space more issues related to operations will become apparent. While the perils ofdust particles may not be widely recognized, it is one of the major issues astronauts will face on the surface of theMoon and Mars. Dust particles present a problem for both astronaut health and equipment as revealed during theApollo era lunar surface missions. Dust particles cling to spacesuits and field gear, which upon ingress would begincirculating throughout the spacecraft or habitat. An astronaut's health is compromised by the dust particle's potentialto embed in the lungs and cause respiratory illnesses. The extreme abrasiveness and granularity of the particles makeit near impossible to completely shield a spacecraft or habitat from dust related damage. NASA's Glenn ResearchCenter collaborated with Crew 188 at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah to measure how much dustentered the habitat during a series of extravehicular activities (EVAs), or surface excursions. A NASA GRCdeveloped multistage filter system, coined the Scroll Filter System, was tested, for its effectiveness in removing dustthat entered the airlock and habitat after the EVAs. An optical particle counter measured the ambient airlockparticulates five times including: before the start of operations; after the crew left for EVA; in the middle of the EVAwith the settled air; before the crew entered the airlock after EVA; and finally, after the crew simulated repressurizationand suit brushing off in the airlock. Data was also collected in several of the working environmentlocations around MDRS and outside the habitat in the wind. Data collected from this research will help establishfilter equipment for life support systems and prescribed operations for astronaut transition from a planetary surfaceinto a desired clean habitat. Measurements may aid in updating a baseline expected dust load for a surface habitatand further facilitate the mitigation of astronaut's exposure to dust particles on the surface of celestial bodies

Suitability Testing for PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Candidates using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator with an IVA Spacesuit

This paper evaluates key functional data parameters that must be considered for suborbital spaceflight participants wearing pressurized suits for intravehicular activity (IVA). Data parameters of an analog spacesuit worn in an analog flight environment were obtained from 40 civilian participants using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) while donning Final Frontier Design’s (FFD) fully pressurized third-generation spacesuit as part of their training for Project PoSSUM (the Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere Project). The physiological data collected included: blood pressure, electrocardiograms, heart rate, grip strength, and skin temperature. These parameters were measured using a blood pressure monitor, a Zephyr Bioharness, and a BioRadio respectively. Other data collected include participants’ motion sickness, discomfort and mobility, and stress and workload. These parameters were self-assessed using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), the Modified Cooper Harper Rating Scale, and the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) respectively. Preliminary results show that 29% of the participants experienced basic spacesuit donning discomfort, while 17% of the participants showed some doffing discomfort. Feet, shoulders, neck, arms, and ankles were the most sensitive parts in this process and throughout their use of the suit. Our results also indicate that the spacesuit limited participants by approximately 24% of their normal cross-body reach range of motion. Nevertheless, the operational capability of this suit is currently being evaluated as a viable option for supporting future suborbital, orbital, and exploration missions. This research will enhance the functionality of the suit, standardize suit testing procedures, aid in identifying key parameters for reducing physiological deconditioning in the use of emerging spacesuit technologies, and provide comparative analysis reference for future studies

Mapping of IVA Spacesuit Mobility: Design Observations and Functionality

The SUIT Lab at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a joint student-faculty project utilizing multiple high altitude pressure garments to investigate suited crew capabilities within a spacecraft during simulated spaceflight missions. The testing environment within the SUIT lab includes the use of suits in a lowfidelity capsule cabin mockup with a horizontally situated launch-positioned chair simulator. Standard videography and analytical video software are used to determine levels of achievement in ergonomic range of motion and comfort design across multiple spacesuits. Comparative analysis and testing provide data supporting the requirement for the use of particular spacesuits inside proposed commercial launch vehicles. Results of the study have indicated that the use of ergonomic and standardized dexterity tests coupled with methods for quantifiable range-of-motion data collection via motion capture and analysis, provide a useful basis for evaluating spacesuit performance for future spacecraft integration. This study presents the relevance and means for developing an academic-based suit testing environment, and the processes of providing recommendations for adjustments that may need to be considered with respect to both nominal and off-nominal crew activities while in IVA spacesuits

Validation of Proposed Metrics for Two-Body Abrasion Scratch Test Analysis Standards: In Principle, Any Scratch Can Be Analyzed by This Method

Abrasion of mechanical components and fabrics by soil on Earth is typically minimized by the effects of atmosphere and water. Potentially abrasive particles lose sharp and pointed geometrical features through erosion. In environments where such erosion does not exist, such as the vacuum of the Moon, particles retain sharp geometries associated with fracturing of their parent particles by micrometeorite impacts. The relationship between hardness of the abrasive and that of the material being abraded is well understood, such that the abrasive ability of a material can be estimated as a function of the ratio of the hardness of the two interacting materials. Knowing the abrasive nature of an environment (abrasive)/construction material is crucial to designing durable equipment for use in such surroundings

Suitability Testing for PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Candidates Using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator with an IVA Spacesuit

This paper evaluates key functional data parameters that must be considered for suborbital spaceflight participants wearing pressurized suits for intravehicular activity (IVA). Data parameters of an analog spacesuit worn in an analog flight environment were obtained from 40 civilian participants using the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) while donning Final Frontier Design’s (FFD) fully pressurized third-generation spacesuit as part of their training for Project PoSSUM (the Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere Project). The physiological data collected included: blood pressure, electrocardiograms, heart rate, grip strength, and skin temperature. These parameters were measured using a blood pressure monitor, a Zephyr Bioharness, and a BioRadio respectively. Other data collected include participants’ motion sickness, discomfort and mobility, and stress and workload. These parameters were self-assessed using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), the Modified Cooper Harper Rating Scale, and the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) respectively. Preliminary results show that 29% of the participants experienced basic spacesuit donning discomfort, while 17% of the participants showed some doffing discomfort. Feet, shoulders, neck, arms, and ankles were the most sensitive parts in this process and throughout their use of the suit. Our results also indicate that the spacesuit limited participants by approximately 24% of their normal cross-body reach range of motion. Nevertheless, the operational capability of this suit is currently being evaluated as a viable option for supporting future suborbital, orbital, and exploration missions. This research will enhance the functionality of the suit, standardize suit testing procedures, aid in identifying key parameters for reducing physiological deconditioning in the use of emerging spacesuit technologies, and provide comparative analysis reference for future studies