Abstract

This paper illustrates the results of a study conducted by the author on the conditions of habitability and work of the Columbus Laboratory of the International Space Station with particular regard to the utilization on orbit of the European Microgravity that will be placed inside. Principal purpose of the study was the optimization of astronauts’ operations while running the scientific experiments. This aim has been pursued through the definition of operational scenarios and the design of innovative concepts for the improvement of the facilities’ usability and crew’s comfort. This study shows how the integrated approach of the Industrial Design discipline could be introduced in a typical engineer field of action trough the use of description and visualization of scenarios, creative and cross-fertilization of knowledge. Results of the study are the highlight of the operational problems related to each European Facility and the development of three design concepts Consulting Couch, Office Chair and Technical shoe for the improvement of the astronaut’s comfort during the performance of the experiments on board of the Columbus. This paper summarizes the study’s phases from the “Operational and the spatial analysis” to the “Definition of the operational scenarios” up to the introduction of the “Design concepts”. These first results aim to represent a first footstep toward a profitable integration of the Industrial Design approach into the aerospace field. ∗ Entitled Scenario for the Columbus European Facilities and conducted by the author at the Microgravity and Space Station Department at the ESTEC – ESA (2002). OPERATIONAL AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS The analytical phase of the study has been conducted on the operational scenario of each Columbus European Facilities: European Physiology Module (EPM), BIOLAB and Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL). In this paper the EPM Facility is held up as an example of the procedure conducted in the study. Figure 1 The EPM (European Physiology Module) is the facility designed for conducting research in human physiology under microgravity conditions. It is a multiuser facility consisting of a Carrier infrastructure that can support up to eight Science Modules, and includes storage volume for consumables and other items. 54th International Astronautical Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, the International Academy of Astronautics, and the International Institute of Space Law 29 September 3 October 2003, Bremen, Germany IAC-03-T.P.01 Copyright © 2003 by the International Astronautical Federation. All rights reserved. 2 Table 1 – One of the Data Sheets of the EPM experiment operational scenario analysis. In the columns the experiments, on the lines the evaluation parameters. Operational Analysis The first part of the research study has been conducted in order to have a qualitative overview on the complexity of the operational scenario of each single EPM experiment: BAM (Bone Analysis Module), CARDIOLAB, ELITE (Elaboratore Immagini TelevisiveSpace 2 generation) and MEEMM (MultiElectrode Electroencephalogram Mapping Module). The evaluation of the experiment complexity has been pursued with interviews to the facilities managers and to astronauts; with viewing of video on the experiment run on Earth and consulting of operational manuals. Each parameter of the investigation (see Table 1) concurs to determine the complexity of the experiment from the operator’s point of view with qualitative values. The data have been synthesized in table sheets with the intention of visualizing the results and noting the case of possible complexity factors. Also the tables allow a general view on the EPM and a comparison of the experiments. Definition of the Pertaining Area Secondly it has been conducted this part of the study on the European in order to define the space occupied by the crewmembers when working on the facility and visualize and evaluate the work conditions of the operators when the experiment sessions are run so that the possible operational problems are pointed out. To pursue this aim it has been drawn a schematic internal layout with the EPM Facility inside the Columbus with the crewmember operating the main steps of the experiment. Also the standard restrain to use and the space of door’s opening are shown to better hypothesize the possible situation. This visualization is considered to be very efficient for describing the operational scenario of each experiment facility. § The NASA-STD-3000 is the main reference document for this part of the study in particular to the Section 3 ANTHROPOMETRY AND BIOMECHANICS (3.2 General AnthropometricsB 3.3 Anthropometrics and Biomechanics Related Design Data). For the crewmember drawing the dimensions are those of a 50th percentile Body Size of the 40-year-Old American Male for Year 2000 in One Gravity Conditions referring to chapter 3.3 ANTHROPOMETRIC AND BIOMECHANICS RELATED DESIGN DATA: 3.3.1 Body Size.

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