Astronauts seek right vibe in Orion tests
Astronauts are seeking the right vibe in their tests of some Orion technology
NASA astronauts are helping with vibration tests and analyzing data that will be incorporated into Orion spacecraft designs.
A stronaut Mike Hopkins lay on his back with hips and knees at a 90-degree angle. Strapped into a seat in launch position, he stared at two screens displaying altitude, direction and other critical spacecraft information. His seat began vibrating, and then he set to work.
Hopkins read text on the displays. He used the hand controller to resolve caution and warning messages. All the while, his seat continued to vibrate. The feeling, described as riding in a truck down a bumpy road, simulated different portions of Orion’s eight-minute trip into space.
It was the first time an astronaut tested the visibility of the Orion spacecraft display screens under the vibration of a simulated launch.
“It’s important for us to make sure, for that phase of flight, they are able to get the information that they need and respond appropriately,” said Jennifer Boyer, the Orion human engineering system manager for NASA.
Beyond visibility, the test was also the first time an astronaut interacted with the Orion display and used the controllers while strapped in a mockup seat and spacesuit undergoing the launch-simulating vibration. The crew impact attenuation system, which reduces loads on the body during landing, was also part of the test to make sure launch and ascent vibrations wouldn’t cause it to malfunction.
Friday was an important milestone
for Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the Orion spacecraft. Its Houston office was involved in building the seats and managing the subcontractors that built the displays, controllers and impact attenuation system.
“This test is really the first time we’ve brought together multiple pieces to understand how it works together,” said Mark Baldwin, a biomechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin tasked with making sure the Orion design is safe for astronauts.
As the tests continue through Jan. 30, Baldwin will be analyzing the data with NASA and incorporating it into designs. Lockheed is currently building three Orion spacecraft: the first for an uncrewed Orion that will travel more than 40,000 miles beyond the moon, the second for a test to ensure that Orion’s design can withstand extreme temperatures and flight loads, and the third for Orion’s first mission with astronauts onboard.
To see firsthand if Lockheed’s design was safe for the crew, Baldwin was the first person to undergo the vibration test. He participated Tuesday and Wednesday and was happy with how the hardware performed.
“It’s a remarkable experience to be under vibration,” Baldwin said. “I don’t think too many people actually experience that phenomenon when your cheeks are literally trying to jump off your face.”
Hopkins was one of six astronauts who will participate in the vibration tests. These crew members are of varying weights and eyesight.
The technology they’re testing in Orion’s displays has advanced significantly since the space shuttle program.
The space shuttle had 100 panels of switches compared to just seven on Orion because more functions can now be done using the computer, said astronaut Lee Morin, chief of the Crew Interface Rapid Prototyping Lab that creates the prototype software and prototype hardware for the Orion crew displays.
“Technology has moved on,” Morin said. “The computers are a lot more powerful.”
The space shuttle also had 250 pounds of paper checklists detailing a variety of tasks. That has been reduced to just one pound on Orion as the checklists are now on the computer.
Many years ago, touchscreens were briefly considered for the display units on Orion. But they were quickly decided against.
Boyer said acceleration makes it difficult for astronauts to lift their arms, so it’d be hard to reach up and touch the screen during the launch. They instead opted for controllers near the astronauts’ arms.
Morin said the crew wasn’t keen on altering spacesuit gloves to make them touchscreen-friendly. There was also a concern that items floating around in the spacecraft could accidentally hit the screen.
“You always want to learn from the past but also move forward to the future,” Boyer said.
The vibration tests took more than six months of planning. After they’re finished, Boyer said, the data will be evaluated to see if design changes are needed.
“It’s one of many milestones to qualify the design,” Morin said.