CAMS as a tool for human factors research in spaceflight

Area of Science:

• Human Factors and Aerospace Medicine
• Cognitive Psychology
• Environmental Psychology

Background:

• Spacecraft life support systems require complex monitoring and management.
• Sub-optimal working conditions (isolation, sleep deprivation, noise) are inherent to space missions.
• Understanding crew adaptation is crucial for mission success and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review research on crew performance in a simulated spacecraft environment (CAMS).
• To investigate crew adaptation to sub-optimal working conditions.
• To identify performance vulnerabilities under stress.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the PC-based Cabin Air Management System (CAMS) task environment.
• Simulated spacecraft life support operations with multiple priority tasks.
• Assessed performance in fault diagnosis, atmospheric control, alarm reaction, and prospective memory.
• Examined effects of isolation, confinement, sleep deprivation, and noise on crew state and performance.

Main Results:

• No decrements observed in primary task performance under adverse conditions.
• Crew members exhibited adaptive responses, including reduced information sampling frequency.
• Secondary task performance showed decrements, with prospective memory being more vulnerable than reaction time.
• Mental state (fatigue, anxiety, effort) was monitored alongside performance.

Conclusions:

• Crew adaptation strategies effectively maintained primary task performance in simulated space environments.
• Prospective memory and secondary tasks are key indicators of performance degradation under stress.
• Further research using CAMS is recommended to refine understanding of human performance limits.