Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing

Crewed lunar landings require astronauts to interact with automated systems to identify a location that is level and free of hazards and to guide the vehicle to the lunar surface through a controlled descent. However, vestibular limitations resulting from exposure to lunar gravity after short-term a...

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Main Authors: Clark, Torin K., Stimpson, Alexander James, Young, Laurence Retman, Oman, Charles M., Duda, Kevin R.
Other Authors: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2011
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66194
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5732-4389
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9345-9712
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5576-3510
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author Clark, Torin K.
Stimpson, Alexander James
Young, Laurence Retman
Oman, Charles M.
Duda, Kevin R.
author2 Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
author_facet Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
Clark, Torin K.
Stimpson, Alexander James
Young, Laurence Retman
Oman, Charles M.
Duda, Kevin R.
author_sort Clark, Torin K.
collection MIT
description Crewed lunar landings require astronauts to interact with automated systems to identify a location that is level and free of hazards and to guide the vehicle to the lunar surface through a controlled descent. However, vestibular limitations resulting from exposure to lunar gravity after short-term adaptation to weightlessness, combined with acceleration profiles unique to lunar landing trajectories may result in astronaut spatial disorientation. A quantitative mathematical model of human spatial orientation previously developed was adopted to analyze disorientation concerns during lunar landing conditions that cannot be reproduced experimentally. Vehicle acceleration and rotation rate profiles of lunar landing descent trajectories were compiled and entered as inputs to the orientation model to predict astronaut perceived orientations. Both fully automated trajectories and trajectories with pilot interaction were studied. The latter included both simulated landing point redesignation and direct manual control. The lunar descent trajectories contain acceleration and rotation rate profiles producing attitude perceptions that differ substantially from the actual vehicle state. In particular, a somatogravic illusion is predicted that causes the perceived orientation to be nearly upright compared to the actual vehicle state which is pitched back. Furthermore, astronaut head location within the vehicle is considered for different vehicle designs to determine the effect on perceived orientation. The effect was found to be small, but measureable (0.3-4.1 degrees), and larger for the new Altair vehicle design compared to the Apollo Lunar Module.
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spelling mit-1721.1/661942022-10-01T05:42:45Z Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing Clark, Torin K. Stimpson, Alexander James Young, Laurence Retman Oman, Charles M. Duda, Kevin R. Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Young, Laurence Retman Clark, Torin K. Stimpson, Alexander James Young, Laurence Retman Oman, Charles M. Duda, Kevin R. Crewed lunar landings require astronauts to interact with automated systems to identify a location that is level and free of hazards and to guide the vehicle to the lunar surface through a controlled descent. However, vestibular limitations resulting from exposure to lunar gravity after short-term adaptation to weightlessness, combined with acceleration profiles unique to lunar landing trajectories may result in astronaut spatial disorientation. A quantitative mathematical model of human spatial orientation previously developed was adopted to analyze disorientation concerns during lunar landing conditions that cannot be reproduced experimentally. Vehicle acceleration and rotation rate profiles of lunar landing descent trajectories were compiled and entered as inputs to the orientation model to predict astronaut perceived orientations. Both fully automated trajectories and trajectories with pilot interaction were studied. The latter included both simulated landing point redesignation and direct manual control. The lunar descent trajectories contain acceleration and rotation rate profiles producing attitude perceptions that differ substantially from the actual vehicle state. In particular, a somatogravic illusion is predicted that causes the perceived orientation to be nearly upright compared to the actual vehicle state which is pitched back. Furthermore, astronaut head location within the vehicle is considered for different vehicle designs to determine the effect on perceived orientation. The effect was found to be small, but measureable (0.3-4.1 degrees), and larger for the new Altair vehicle design compared to the Apollo Lunar Module. National Space Biomedical Research Institute United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA NCC9-58-11, Project SA01604) 2011-10-05T21:21:48Z 2011-10-05T21:21:48Z 2010-03 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/ConferencePaper 978-1-4244-3887-7 1095-323X INSPEC Accession Number: 11258444 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66194 Clark, T.K. et al. “Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing.” Aerospace Conference, 2010 IEEE. 2010. 1-13. Copyright © 2010, IEEE https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5732-4389 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9345-9712 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5576-3510 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/AERO.2010.5447026 IEEE Aerospace Conference 2010 Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers IEEE
spellingShingle Clark, Torin K.
Stimpson, Alexander James
Young, Laurence Retman
Oman, Charles M.
Duda, Kevin R.
Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
title Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
title_full Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
title_fullStr Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
title_short Analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
title_sort analysis of human spatial perception during lunar landing
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/66194
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5732-4389
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9345-9712
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5576-3510
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