Development of a Distributed Teaming Scenario for Future Space Operations

Abstract

The goal of the Space Challenge project is to identify the challenges faced by teams in space operations and then represent those challenges in a distributed human-machine teaming scenario that resembles typical space operations and to measure the coordination dynamics across the entire system. Currently, several challenges have been identified through semi-structured interviews with nine subject matter experts (SMEs) who were astronauts or those who have experienced or have been involved with interplanetary space exploration. We conducted a thematic analysis on the interviews through an iterative process. Challenges were categorized into four categories, including, communication, training, distributed teaming, and complexity. Based on the findings, challenges and key teamwork characteristics of space operations were integrated into the initial scenario development. In addition to the scenario, we plan to use dynamical system methods to analyze team activity in real time.