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HABITABILITY IN SPACE STATIONSWhat does habitability mean? This word is commonly used and is bandied about as a thing which is necessary and desirable for all manned flight vehicles. But what does it really mean? A serious examination of the meaning of the term soon leads to attempts at definition into discussions of the interplay of such factors as the mission, the size and makeup of the crew, the jobs within the mission, the flight duration, the stress loads, the vehicle to be used, the comfort, and the deprivations inherent in the mission, the flight environment, et cetera. In other words, habitability might be considered the resultant of the interplay of all of the factors related to the man, his machine, his environment, and the mission to be accomplished. It is more easily visualized as the state of being at the completion of the interaction of all of the-factors rather than a discrete entity itself. Therefore, the provisions made to meet the habitability requirements can contribute to or be detrimental in meeting the program objectives. The requirement placed upon the space vehicle may be eased if necessary through the proper selection and training of the crewmen, The motivation of the crew may be an additional aid in providing a satisfactory solution to the habitability needs. The design and development of the space vehicle should avoid depending upon special selection and unusual training to meet the basic provisions needed to support the men in the space environment. The vehicle provisions should stand upon their own merit. Difficult and hazardous missions can he made more tolerable through augmentation of the provisions for habitability. For the sake of this discussion of habitability in a space station, this concept will be considered. This paper will emphasize a discussion of the interplay of some of these broader and little discussed factors as they reflect themselves in the development and operation of the space stations, rather than represent a list of items which have been established as essential for crew provisions. Ignoring these allied factors can lead to a successful mechanical system that will operate in space, yet a complete failure in providing the working, relaxing, and living areas so necessary for man if he is to maintain his productivity.
Document ID
19630008464
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Stanley C White
(Manned Spacecraft Center Houston, Texas, United States)
John H Reed, Jr
(Manned Spacecraft Center Houston, Texas, United States)
Date Acquired
August 1, 2013
Publication Date
May 2, 1963
Publication Information
Publication: Manned Space Laboratory Conference
Publisher: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER-63-138
Report Number: AIAA PAPER-63-138
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA/ASMA Manned Space Laboratory Conference
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Country: US
Start Date: May 2, 1963
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aerospace Medical Association
Accession Number
63N18341
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
Space station
Acclimatization
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