Performance Risks During Surface Extravehicular Activity and Potential Mitigation Using Multimodal Displays.

Area of Science:

• Human spaceflight operations
• Astronaut performance and safety
• Human-computer interaction in extreme environments

Background:

• Surface extravehicular activity (sEVA) is crucial for lunar missions, presenting unique risks distinct from microgravity operations.
• Astronaut performance during sEVA is challenged by task demands, physiology, environment, and operational differences on the lunar surface.
• Multimodal spacesuit informatics displays are proposed to enhance astronaut autonomy and mitigate risks.

Approach:

• A comprehensive literature review of 95 sources was performed.
• Analysis included the evolution of U.S. spacesuit technology from Apollo to current designs (e.g., xEMU Z-2.5).
• The potential of multimodal display applications for supporting sEVA operations was assessed.

Key Points:

• Twenty-five distinct performance impairments related to sEVA were identified through the literature review.
• Spacesuit-induced performance impairments represent the most significant challenges for astronauts during sEVA.
• Multimodal displays demonstrated potential to aid approximately 36% of identified performance impairments.

Conclusions:

• Multimodal display interfaces offer a promising approach to alleviate astronaut performance impairments during sEVA.
• The benefits of multimodal displays are particularly pronounced for addressing spacesuit-related performance challenges.
• Integrating advanced display technologies is key to enhancing astronaut safety and mission success in lunar surface operations.