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Prototype Development of a Tradespace Analysis Tool for Spaceflight Medical Resources
Erik L Antonsen1, Robert A Mulcahy, David Rubin
1NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
|February 22, 2018
Summary
Developing a quantitative tool helps prioritize medical resources for spaceflight missions, addressing constraints in mass, volume, and crew expertise to ensure astronaut health during exploration.
Area of Science:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Human Factors Engineering
- Medical Systems Design
Background:
- Spaceflight medical care faces significant constraints in mass, volume, power, and crew skillsets.
- Developing effective onboard medical systems is crucial for astronaut health during exploration missions.
- A quantitative approach is needed to balance risks and benefits of medical capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the utility of an early tradespace analysis tool for spaceflight medical systems.
- To identify high-priority medical resources for exploration missions.
- To inform the development of appropriate onboard medical capabilities.
Main Methods:
- Physician experts identified essential medical resources, tools, and skillsets with criticality scores.
- A database was created linking diagnostic/treatment actions and resources to mission-specific medical event probabilities.
- The system weighed resource needs against the likelihood of medical events during spaceflight.
Main Results:
- The analysis demonstrated the effectiveness of a quantitative method for comparing medical resources and skillsets.
- Database queries provided comparative estimates on resource utilization likelihood and weighted utility.
- The tool helps identify common and critical elements for future exploration medical capabilities.
Conclusions:
- This prototype tool offers a quantitative approach to the challenges of spaceflight medical systems.
- Refinements are needed for future versions, but the approach is promising.
- More advanced analysis tools can support the development of comprehensive space exploration medical systems.
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