Lessons Learned from International Space Station Crew Autonomous Scheduling Test

In 2017, our team investigated and evaluated the novel concept of operations of astronaut self-scheduling (rescheduling their own timeline without creating violations) onboard International Space Station (ISS). Five test sessions were completed for this technology demonstration called Crew Autonomous Scheduling Test (CAST). For the first time in a spaceflight operational environment, an ISS crewmember planned, rescheduled, and executed their activities in real-time on a mobile device while abiding by flight and scheduling constraints. This paper discusses the lessons learned from deployment to execution

Space Technology Innovation

There is a series of experiments and projects that have been done to support space missions, which we are now utilizing in our daily lives. The advancement of science and technology moves at a fast speed, and many of those technology advancements were thanks to the need that space missions required to make them happen. This presentation will provide information about some of those technologies developed in the international space station, in robotic missions to the moon and mars, and in earth simulations. We will touch on satellite applications, planetary defense from asteroids and meteorites, lunar structures, analog missions, and human systems integration. Similarly, we will touch on some microgravity countermeasures, such as artificial gravity, telemedicine, crew autonomy for scheduling their own activities, within others. During the presentation of each topic, we will provide suggestions on how students and young professionals can get involved to work on similar projects and in this manner be able to contribute to the scientific and technological space research

Review of Significant Incidents and Close Calls in Human Spaceflight from a Human Factors Perspective

No abstract availabl

Planetary Defense team project: READI (Roadmap for EArth Defense Initiatives)

Planetary Defense is a complex problem, not well understood by policy makers and the general public. The recent Chelyabinsk incident in Russia created temporary international attention but has failed to effectively stimulate public action. The lack of long-term attention to cosmic hazards has resulted in limited funding to defend our planet. Hence, it is hard to realistically address this challenge and achieve the high test and operational readiness needed for an effective Planetary Defense strategy. To address this problem, we have created a set of recommendations for the development of a Planetary Defense Program, for the purpose of contributing to the protection of Earth from asteroids and comets. The SSP15 READI Project focused on threats for which there is only a short-term warning, specifically a warning of two years or less from detection of the object to impact. We have provided recommendations in five areas of Planetary Defense including detection and tracking, deflection techniques, global collaboration, outreach and education, and evacuation and recovery. We have applied this set of recommendations in a narrative scenario to make our report more impactful and engaging. We contrast optimistic and pessimistic outcomes for a comet threat, differing from each other in terms of the level of readiness achieved during the years leading up to the discovery of the threat. In our optimistic scenario, the deflection system has achieved high test and operational readiness. The world’s governments have realized the importance of being prepared against cosmic hazards and put in place all of the necessary measures for a successful defense, leading to a positive deflection of the comet. In contrast, in the pessimistic scenario no preparation is done before the detection, and the comet strikes a heavily populated area releasing energy equivalent to 80 times the most powerful nuclear bomb ever detonated. The recommendations that we have identified in this report constitute a roadmap to avoid this horrible outcome, and we believe they should be taken seriously and swiftly implemented

Progress of Crew Autonomous Scheduling Test (CAST) on the ISS

No abstract availabl

Modelling IPPD for an interdisciplinary planetary defense project

Media attention on space hazards, especially potential extinction level events caused by Near Earth Objects (NEOs), have demonstrated a capacity by the general public to accept the reality of threats from NEOs. While events such as the Chelyabinsk incident temporarily grab international attention, they fail to effectively galvanize the public and policy makers to action. Numerous potential solutions have already been proposed and some concepts are even being tested. However, many of these potential solutions are incredibly expensive, require very early hazard detection, or are politically unpalatable. These are just few elements of the larger problem of planetary defense. To address these challenges, the Roadmap for EArth Defense Initiatives (READI) Team Project developed concepts in multiple areas of focus from global collaboration and education to detection and deflection engineering problems by analyzing the current state of planetary defense concepts. The project expanded ideas into less discussed realms and contributed to the overall discussion with realistic and implementable solutions for short warning time threats. The READI Team Project is highly international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural given a large number of members participated from around the world and from numerous academic backgrounds. The project was undertaken as part of a highly intensive, nine week space studies program. This meant that, as well as tackling one of humanity’s greatest problems, there were substantial time constraints and the process of managing this project was very challenging. This paper focuses on how this interdisciplinary project was successfully accomplished using the Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) as a systems engineering approach. We show how the team analyzed each of the elements of planetary defense to cover a wide range of requirements, and how the IPPD method allowed us to generate and propose realistic and feasible solutions to cosmic threats. We also provide recommendations for managing such complex project in a short time given challenging conditions, resulting in a collaborative effort to achieve successful technical results through effective management of the project

From project management to planetary defense: implementation of a systems engineering approach using integrated product and process development (IPPD) alaa adnan

Thirty-four participants from seventeen countries participated in the Planetary Defense Team Project at the International Space University's 2015 Space Studies Program (ISU-SSP15) to find solutions for short-term warning cosmic threats. The team spent nine weeks working intensively on departmental and lecture activities alongside this project. Space agencies and institutions around the world have discussed cosmic threats, including planetary defense. However, not enough attention has been given to a potentially catastrophic event; what has been done is limited to possible long-term cosmic threats. Having no specific pathway on how to tackle this global challenging task at the beginning of the project, the Integrated Product and Process Development (IPPD) methodology was used to enable the team to identify main elements of the project, starting from developing the mission statement, needs and requirements, and to proposing solutions to planetary defense. These elements include detection and tracking, deflection, collaboration, outreach and education, evacuation and recovery

Architecture for mitigating short-term warning cosmic threats: READI project

Earth is being constantly bombarded by a large variety of celestial bodies and has been since its formation 4.5 billion years ago. Among those bodies, mainly asteroids and comets, there are those that have the potential to create large scale destruction upon impact. The only extinction-level impact recorded to date was 65 million years ago, during the era of dinosaurs. The probability of another extinction-level, or even city-killer, impact may be negligible, but the consequences can be severe for the biosphere and for our species. Therefore it is highly imperative for us to be prepared for such a devastating impact in the near future, especially since humanity is at the threshold of wielding technologies that allow us to do so. Majority of scientists, engineers, and policymakers have focused on long-term strategies and warning periods for Earth orbit crossing Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), and have suggested methods and policies to tackle such problems. However, less attention has been paid to short warning period NEO threats. Such NEOs test current technological and international cooperation capabilities in protecting ourselves, and can create unpredictable devastation ranging from local to global scale. The most recent example is the Chelyabinsk incident in Russia. This event has provided a wakeup call for space agencies and governments around the world towards establishing a Planetary Defense Program. The Roadmap for EArth Defense Initiative (READI) is a project by a team of international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary participants of the International Space University's Space Studies Program 2015 hosted by Ohio University, Athens, OH proposing a roadmap for space agencies, governments, and the general public to tackle NEOs with a short warning before impact. Taking READI as a baseline, this paper presents a technical description of methodologies proposed for detection and impact mitigation of a medium-sized comet (up to 800m across) with a short-warning period of two years on a collision course with Earth. The hypothetical comet is on a highly-inclined orbit having a high probability for Earth impact after its perihelion. For detection, we propose a space-based infrared detection system consisting of two satellites located at the Earth-Moon Lagrange points L1 and L2 coupled with space observatories, like the James Webb telescope and the Centennial telescope. These telescopes are supported by ground-based telescopes, like the Arecibo and Green Bank telescope, in the search for NEOs. Upon detection, the comet is tracked constantly using space- and ground-based telescopes. The deflection system is two-pronged, firstly involving the use of a high energy Directed Energy Laser Terminals (DELT) placed at Sun-Earth Lagrange points L4 and L5 so as to initiate and increase the ablation rate of the comet and deviate it from its collision trajectory, and secondly by the Hypervelocity Comet Intercept Vehicle (HCIV), a space-borne system combining a kinetic impactor with a thermonuclear device. The policy and international collaboration aspects to implement these methods are also outlined in the paper. The techniques mentioned could also be applied to mitigate medium-to-large sized asteroids (up to 2km across)

Implementation of Human System Integration Workshop at NASA for Human Spaceflight

The human is a key element in the complex system of systems underlying space exploration missions. As a critical system, its operating bands and requirements need to be characterized and integrated with other systems. Optimal integration of the human system with hardware and software elements has an impact on multiple aspects of mission execution, including human health and performance, risk mitigation, effective design and functionality, enhanced safety, and reduced lifecycle costs. The field of Human Systems Integration (HSI) represents an interdisciplinary and comprehensive cross-cutting approach encompassing technical and management processes for integrating human as a system consideration and objective within and across all other system components and multiple domains. In addition to human activities, HSI covers training, operations and support dimensions. Moreover, HSI is an essential enabler to systems engineering practice, emphasizing human system aspects toward optimizing fully integrated system of systems performance while systematically infusing the needs of all users during the earliest stages of development. Consistent with the National Space Exploration Campaign, NASA is developing the Gateway, a lunar orbiting platform that will serve as astronaut habitat, support transit to deep space, validate new technologies and systems, and function as a science laboratory and communications hub, among other uses. It is an essential element of a phase that will extend human exploration into deep space through evolvable infrastructure and advanced technology, supporting assembly and logistics of other exploration architecture elements. In an effort to explore the current status and forward plan of HSI implementation in the mission (system of systems) lifecycle, the HSI Employee Resource Group conducted an HSI workshop using the Gateway Program as a case study. It revealed how different organizations at the Johnson Space Center incorporate HSI in their processes in preparation for the development and operation of the Gateway. The workshop focused on HSI methodology for implementation of the six NASA HSI domains: Human Factors Engineering, Operations Resources, Habitability and Environment, Maintainability and Supportability, Safety, and Training. Results from the workshop are reported on this paper, as well as some historical background of HSI at NASA, and the success in using an Employee Resource Group to promote technical knowledge. The authors hope that this information can be used to disseminate best practices for translational applications to other space exploration systems