On-orbit performance of the Skylab astronaut maneuvering research vehicle

The present work evaluates the results of flight tests of the Astronaut Maneuvering Research Vehicle (AMRV) conducted inside the Skylab Orbital Workshop. The vehicle is an autonomous mobility aid which allows the pilot to control his position and orientation in space without the necessity of reacting against the spacecraft. The purpose of the tests was to obtain operation experience and engineering/human performance data in a zero gravity environment, to correlate on-orbit data with simulation data, and to recommend a design configuration for future operational maneuvering units. Four different techniques for controlling AMRV dynamics were tested: hand-held maneuvering unit, direct, rate gyro, and control moment gyro operating modes.