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Training Astronauts using Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulations and Virtual RealityThe commercial market has recently started giving significant attention to virtual and augmented reality, even though the technology has been around for many years. The Virtual Reality Training Lab (VRL) at the NASA Johnson Space Center has been using virtual reality to train astronauts for decades. This paper will focus on describing three major Hardware-in-the-Loop VR simulation systems, the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) system known as the "jetpack", the Mass Handling System nicknamed Charlotte, and a simulated robotics environment for collaborative mission evaluation. Two of these systems are critical for astronaut training. Crew must certify on SAFER and go through the Charlotte Mass Handling training prior to flying to the International Space Station (ISS). Typically, they also complete at least one collaborative visualization session to review any planned Extra Vehicular Activities (EVAs), or spacewalks, before an assigned flight. Given the volatility of new technologies, the graphics and simulation environments used are maintained to be hardware agnostic to preserve a high level of fidelity. Utilizing VR for astronaut training has proved to be effective and essential for these specific systems.
Document ID
20200011545
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Angelica D. Garcia
(CACI International (United States) Arlington, Virginia, United States)
Jonathan Schlueter
(CACI International (United States) Arlington, Virginia, United States)
Eddie Paddock
(Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas, United States)
Date Acquired
May 26, 2020
Subject Category
Cybernetics, Artificial Intelligence And Robotics
Report/Patent Number
JSC-E-DAA-TN75439
Report Number: JSC-E-DAA-TN75439
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA SciTech Forum
Location: Orlando, Florida
Country: US
Start Date: January 6, 2020
End Date: January 10, 2020
Sponsors: Bastion Technologies, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Lockheed Martin (United States), Northrop Grumman (United States), Boeing (United States)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNJ14HA04B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
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