A task-based reach-zone analysis of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle controls

Abstract

The Function Allocation Matrix Tool (FAMT) is applied as the basis of a reach zone analysis for the controls of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. NASA's Constellation Program intends to return humans to the moon by 2020, followed by exploration to Mars and beyond. Orion will serve as the primary crew transport vehicle, and will be equipped with a modern ‘glass cockpit’ to allow operators to command and control all of the vehicle's systems from one of two operator stations. It will have a fraction of the buttons, switches, and dials found on the Space Shuttle flight deck. Instead, operators will monitor and command the vehicle's systems via graphics-based displays; thus the design of Orion's displays and controls places an increased emphasis on human-computer interaction and usability. It is therefore necessary to place controls in appropriate reach zones, defined as three-dimensional envelopes that define reach limits and boundaries within the Orion cockpit operator station. The FAMT is a systematic analysis tool with which to determine the appropriate location of cockpit controls and displays needed to support mission priorities. While the tool was originally designed for investigating incremental functionality additions to existing cockpits, it has been applied to Orion toward design of a completely new cockpit, and has played a crucial role in determining the minimum recommended reach zones for each control needed by the operator to complete their assigned tasks.