Human Factors Role in Equipment Definition and Facility Layout for the Space Computational Center and the Norad Computer System Improvement Program

Abstract

The purpose of the 427M Improvement Program is to replace and update the computer, communications, and display facility used to support the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) and the Aerospace Defense Command in accomplishing their assigned missions, through 1980. The interface between the human operators and the several complete computer systems of the Space Computational Center (SCC) and NORAD is the Interactive Display Console. The SCC/NCS (NORAD Computer System) Graphic Display Console must meet specific Air Force readability, look-angle, accessibility, and maintenance requirements, as well as the restrictive space, weight, and power requirements. Both the SCC and NCS display presentations require extensive use of display vectors to construct maps and backgrounds in addition to presenting the data. The problems of legibility require evaluating the advantages of stroke-generation techniques over the raster-scan technology in producing straight, clearly defined vectors. Also, the system requires a highly reliable, modularly expandable, high-throughput system which would apply to both the SCC and NCS man/machine interface requirements. To effectively maintain the display console hardware, it should be identical for both the SCC and NCS segments; however, the segments must be addressable for different functional operations and displayed information. Thus the operational parameters were assigned to software programs. Functions of the SCC include space catalog maintenance, space sensor system status, space weapons support, system control and support, programming support, and personnel subsystem support. To perform these functions within the allowable time constraints, a highly automated and highly interactive computer system is needed. The Human Factors role in console definition, man/computer interface considerations, and facility layout problems will be discussed in the paper.