The founding of the Skylab medical data center and archives as a central area to house medical data from space flights is described. Skylab program strip charts, various daily reports and summaries, experiment reports and logs, status report on Skylab data quality, raw data digital tapes, processed data microfilm, and other Skylab documents are housed in the data center. In addition, this memorandum describes how the data center acted as a central point for the coordination of preflight and postflight baseline data and how it served as coordinator for all data processing through computation and analysis. Also described is a catalog identifying Skylab medical experiments and all related data currently archived in the data center

Spross, F. R.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

JSC-09293
NASA TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NASA TM X- 58148
December 1974
SKYLAB MEDICAL DATA CENTER AND ARCHIVES
(NASA-TM-X-58148) SKYLAB MEDICAL DATA N75-17080
CENTER AND ARCHIVES (NASA) 13 p HC $3.25
CSCL 06E
Unclas
G3/52 09668
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
LYNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
HOUSTON,. TEXAS 77058
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19750009008 2020-03-22T22:51:33+00:00Z
1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient's Catalog No.
TM X-58148
4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date
December 1974
6. Performing Organization Code
SKYLAB MEDICAL DATA CENTER AND ARCHIVES JSC-09293
7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No.
Fred R. Spross 10. Work Unit No.
9. Performing Organization Name and Address 948-90-90-89-72
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 1.1. Contract or Grant No.
Houston, Texas 77058
13. Type of Report and Period Covered
12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address - Technical Memorandum
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 14. Sponsoring Agency Code
Washington, D. C. 20546
15. Supplementary Notes
16. Abstract
The founding of the Skylab Medical Data Center and Archives by the Life Sciences Directorate
as a central area to house medical data from space flights is described. Skylab Program strip
charts, various daily reports and summaries, experiment reports and logs, status reports on
Skylab data quality, raw data digital tapes, processed data microfilm, and other Skylab docu-
ments are housed in the data center. In addition, this memorandum describes how the data
center acted as a central point for the coordination of preflight and postflight baseline data and
how it served as the Life Sciences Directorate coordinator for all data processing through the
Computation and Analysis Division. Also described is a catalog identifying Skylab medical.
experiments and all related data currently archived in the data center.
17. Key Words (Suggested by Author(s)) 18. Distribution Statement
-Mission Surgeon
.Medical Data STAR Subject Category: 54 (Man/System Technology
-Trend Charts and Life Support).
*Skylab Data
19. Security Classif. (of this report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of Pages 22. Price*
Unclassified Unclassified 13 $3.25
*For sale by the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151
NASA - JSC
JSC Form 1424 (Rev Jul 74)
NASA TM X-58148
SKYLAB MEDICAL DATA CENTER AND ARCHIVES
Fred R. Spross
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas 77058
SKYLAB MEDICAL DATA CENTER AND ARCHIVES
By Fred R. Spross
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
SUMMARY
The Skylab Medical Data Center and Archives at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson
Space Center was founded by the Life Sciences Directorate to house medical 
data
from Skylab space flights. The center houses such selected Skylab documents as
strip charts, daily reports and summaries, experiment reports and logs, status
reports on data quality, raw data digital tapes, and processed data microfilm.
The Medical Data Center and Archives also served as a central point for the
coordination of preflight and postflight baseline data. In addition, the center
acted as coordinator for the Medical Experiments Hardware project engineers and
the Test Division Instrumentation Integration Branch and as Life Sciences
Directorate coordinator for all data processing through the Computation and
Analysis Division. Based on the successful operation of the Medical Data Center
and Archives during each Skylab mission and the massive amount of data accumu-
lated, a catalog was completed identifying and describing Skylab medical experi-
ments and all related data presently archived in the data center. Currently,
plans are being considered to expand the center to include researching and
obtaining medical data from past space-flight programs and setting up operations
for all future programs.
INTRODUCTION
Before the Skylab Program, medical data from space-flight programs were
stored at locations throughout the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC).
Much of the data was in the personal files of researchers and not readily acces-
sible to other interested individuals within or outside NASA. Additionally,
because of the massive quantity of medical data that was expected to be genera-
ted during the Skylab missions, a central area was needed to ensure that these
data were properly collected, processed, verified, cataloged, distributed, and
archived in a timely manner to support the Skylab Program and also to provide a
central working area for medical research based on these data. Thus, the Skylab
Medical Data Center and Archives was established.
Currently, the data center contains the Skylab Medical Experiment Altitude
Test and Skylab-related medical data including medical experiment and opera-
tional systems hardware data. Later, the center may be expanded to include
medical data from previous and future programs. The overall intent is to estab-
lish a central area where NASA personnel, contractors, or independent research
representatives can retrieve and study space-flight-related medical data and
where valuable research data can be stored to avoid their loss through personnel
changes.
As an aid to the reader, where necessary the original units of measure
have been converted to the equivalent value in the Systlme International
d'Unit6s (SI). The SI units are written first, and the original units are writ-
ten parenthetically thereafter.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
During the Skylab Program, the Skylab Medical Data Center and Archives.was
located in building 36 and consisted of two rooms totaling 139 square meters
(1500 square feet).
The primary room served as a central point and work area for receiving,
processing, and distributing all experiment- and mission-related data. This
area contained support contractor personnel desks, work tables, drafting tables,
and numerous filing and storage cabinets. Data contained in this room consisted
of strip charts, all the various daily reports and summaries, experiment reports
and logs (which were used extensively to maintain data flow), and status reports
on data quality during each phase of the Skylab mission.
The second room was used to store raw data digital tapes, processed data
microfilm, and selected Skylab documents. Also, a working area was set up with-
in this room for visiting Principal Investigators. It contained a desk, work
table, strip-chart scanner, microfilm reader/printer, and a programable desk
calculator.
Operation of the data center was supervised by the NASA Life Sciences
Directorate (LSD) medical data manager, supported by five contractor personnel.
These included an assistant data manager, responsible for carrying out tasks
assigned by the NASA data manager; a data clerk/typist, responsible for logging
data, maintaining status charts, and doing general typing and data filing; two
graphics data plotters, responsible for maintaining crew-health-trend charts
and other selected graphic presentation material; and a data messenger, respon-
sible for the pickup, delivery, and distribution of all raw and processed data
and reports.
The data center was staffed on a one-shift operation, 5 days a week, un-
less otherwise required for special projects or unusual data processing.
Another JSC contractor also supported the data center by establishing, review-
ing, and processing new medical requirements from the Principal Investigators
and by assisting in troubleshooting data-processing problems.
2
DISCUSSION
The operation of the data center was initiated with the development of the
following documents.
1. Skylab Medical Data and Calibration Management Plan, April 1973
2. Skylab Medical Requirements, April 1973
3. Skylab Medical Operations Reporting Plan, March 1973
4. Data Management Handling Standard Operating Procedures, June. 1973
The Skylab Medical Operations Reporting Plan served as a major guide and
driving force because it outlined the data types to be generated, the general
data flow, and the organization or individual responsible for each data item.
The.plan identified the methods and forms to be used by all groups reporting
on all data aspects from quick-look data transmittals to final data-evaluation
reports.
After the completion of the Skylab mission, all medically related data
contained within the data center were summarized in the Skylab Medical Data
Center and Archives catalog, including a brief description of all documentation,
data, and reports.
OPERATIONS
The data center acted as a central point for the coordination of preflight
and postflight baseline data sessions. As such, the data center maintained
close contact with the Crew Training Office, the Principal Investigators and
their representative, the Medical Data System experiment raw-data-recording
personnel,. the Skylab Mobile Laboratory experiment raw-data-recording personnel,
and the Computation and Analysis Division (CAD) data-processing personnel. This
liaison ensured that acceptable baseline data were scheduled, generated, record-
ed, processed according to the established requirements, distributed to the
appropriate investigators, and archived.for future research. Also, selected
end-products or verified data were returned from the Principal Investigators for
use in maintaining timeliness of data and for gross indications of each crew-
man's health forLSD and NASA Headquarters management.
The data center served as the LSD coordinator for all data processing
through the CAD. Coordination included the physical delivery, pickup, and dis-
tribution of data products, maintenance of data-processing status, verification
of acceptance by the Principal Investigators, and management of any necessary
reprocessing software changes or modifications based on final output data anal-
ysis by the Principal Investigators.
3
Major off-line software changes were submitted to the CAD through the use
of a formal Software Change Request. The Software Change Request was approved
for submittal to the CAD through either a division- or a directorate-level sig-
nature, depending on the extent of the change and the potential effect on
programing and processing schedules. Minor changes with little or no schedule
impact were handled at the branch level.
As part of the data-processing function, the data center also served as
coordinator between the Medical Experiments Hardware project engineers and the
Test Division Instrumentation Integration Branch to ensure that all hardware
calibrations were processed and current. These calibrations included each piece
of individual equipment in the one-g trainer, in the Skylab Mobile Laboratory,
and in the Skylab orbital workshop. These calibrations were necessary for
proper data processing by the CAD.
Final data verification was performed by each respective Principal Inves-
tigator or his representative and reported to the data center through the use
of the Experiments Data Collection Report (fig. 1). If the data were not
accepted, this report briefly outlined the necessary corrective action.
Selected medical parameters from each experiment run were verified by the
Principal Investigators and reported on the Experiments Data Summary Report
(fig. 2). These parameters were summarized, transmitted to the crew surgeon
by the data center, and plotted on crew-health-trend charts for use by the
Medical Management Team.
The data center served as a central coordinator for all data flow during
the preflight and postflight phases of each mission. A typical data flow is
illustrated in figure 3. Duplicate copies of all data distributed were main-
tained in the Skylab Medical Data Center and Archives for future use. Current
charts and logs were maintained throughout each phase of the data flow to allow
visibility of the overall transfer and distribution of data.
The data center maintained close liaison with the Mission Control Center
medical staff support room, the mission surgeon, and the Medical Management
Team during the flight phase of each mission. The staff support room served
as the central point of contact during the flight portion of the mission; how-
ever, the data center maintained an active role in keeping the data flow cur-
rent, in distributing data'outputs, in ensuring proper data verification or
validation by the Principal Investigators or principal coordinating scientists,
and in implementing any necessary processing corrections. In addition, this
effort included maintaining the crew surgeon's medical data log, which contained
a daily chronological tabulation of selected medical parameters from each
experiment; reviewing all data-processing status with the medical staff support
room and the Principal Investigators to ensure rapid distribution and valida-
tion of the data; and supporting the Medical Management Team through the daily
maintenance and updating of crew-health-trend charts (fig. 4).
14
The crew-health-trend charts consisted of individual graphic plots of
selected medical parameters (.for each experiment and for each crewman) for quick
identification of any significant changes from a preflight range. Two sets
of 18 trend charts were used during the mission. One set was on permanent dis-
play in the Mission Control Center medical team conference room, and the dupli-
cate set was used as a master copy for weekly photographic reproduction.
During the second and third manned missions, nine additional color charts were
maintained; these charts combined data for all crewmen and all missions to
show a direct and immediate comparison between individuals and missions. These
charts were also photographically reproduced each week.
Specifically for LSD management use, the data center coordinated special
graphic computer data processing of.,each individual hardware experiment run.
Copies of the trend charts and of the special computer processing were routinely
delivered to the LSD office and mailed to NASA Headquarters every week through-
out the preflight, inflight, and postflight phases of all missions.
These crew-health-trend charts and the computer-processed graphics data
served as very useful tools not only for delineating crew performance during
a test but also for depicting scheduling and data-flow problems and status.
Based on the successful operation of the Medical Data Center and Archives
during each Skylab mission and the massive amount of data accumulated, a cata-
log was completed at the end of the Skylab Program. The catalog identifies
and describes the Skylab medical experiments and all related data presently
archived in the data center. The catalog includes, but is not limited to, all
related documentation of the mission, requirements, hardware specifications,
and operational procedures; it also outlines the procedure for researchers to
request data for use and study.
Because the potential for this centralized medical data research area is
so great, plans for expansion are being considered. Areas for expansion
include researching and obtaining medical data from past space-flight programs
as well as planning for continued active operation during all future programs.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The Skylab Medical Data Center and Archives was established before the
Skylab Program to provide a central repository for-space-flight medical data.
Data contained in the center include strip charts, all the various daily reports
and summaries, experiment reports and logs on data flow, and status reports on
data quality for each phase of the Skylab Program. In addition, raw data
digital tapes, processed data microfilm, and other selected Skylab documents
are housed in the data center. The data center acted as a central point for
the coordination of preflight and postflight baseline data. During the Skylab
Program, the data center also served as the Life Sciences Directorate coordi-
nator for all data processing through the Computation and Analysis Division.
The center -also coordinated the Medical Experiments Hardware project engineers
5
and the Test Division Instrumentation Integration Branch. Based on the success-
ful operation of the data center during each Skylab mission and the massive
amount of data accumulated, a catalog was completed to identify and describe
Skylab medical experiments and all related data presently archived in the data
center. Plans are being considered to expand the data center to include
researching and obtaining medical data from past space-flight programs and
setting up operation for all future programs.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Houston, Texas, December 20, 1974
948-90-90-89-72
6
1. Experiment ID: M092 : M093 ; M131- ; M171 ; Other
2. Mission: SL-2 ; SL-3 ; SL-4 _ ; Other
3. Phase: Preflight ; Inflight ; Postflight
4. Subject ID: 1 CDR ; 2 SPT ; 3 PLT (Prime Crew)
4 CDR- ; 5 SPT ; 6 PLT (Backup Crew)
Other
5. Date of Experiment: Run No.
.6. Experiment data acceptable: Yes No
If no, complete Items 7, 8, 9, and 10 listed below.
7. Equipment or measurement anomalies:
8. Procedural anomalies:
9. Data processing anomalies:
10. Recommended corrective action to Items'7, 8, and 9:
Reference No. Signature, PCS Date Signature, Mission Manager
Figure-l.- Experiments Data Collection Report.
SL-
Subject ID PI/PCS Signature, Date
CDR SPT PLT M092
Subject Name: Test Start Time: Test Julian Day
Report Time (MSC Local
OPERATIONAL VERIFIED DATA SUMMARY
Test (Control Phase)
Mean Heart Rate BPM
Mean Syst/Diast BP mmHg
Max. LBNP AP (-50 mmHg- Period 4)
Mean Heart Rate BPM
Mean Syst/Diast BP mmHg
Recovery Phase (Period 5)
Mean Heart Rate BPM.
Mean Syst/Diast BP mmHg
Waveform Data (ECG) (Event of Arrh hmia During Test)
Uplink Medical Data Log
Max. LBNP AP (-50 mmHg- Period 4)
Mean ALeg Volme -
Resting Left Leg Calf Circ. Y Inches
Comment
Reference No. Signature, Mission Manager I Date
Figure 2.- Experiments Data Summary Report.
a. Digital tape Medical
Medical b. Strip chart Data a. Digitaltape
experiment b c. Voice log Center b. CDigitalib tape
data generation d. Calibration . ration
and collection e. Raw data tab Archives
Medical
CAD a. Analysis microfilm Data a. Analysis microfilm
data 0 b. Trend mitrofilm Center b. Computer tape
processing c. Computer tape Archives
Trend microfilm
Principal Investigator/ Medical
principal coordinating a. Experiments Data Collection Report Data a. Trend chart
scientist b. Experiments Data Summary Report Center b. Surgeon's log
analysis and verification c. Final report Archives
LSD/Headquarters
management
Figure 3.- Typical data flow during each Skylab mission.
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