An investigation of space suit mobility with applications to EVA operations

The primary aim of this thesis is to advance the current understanding of astronauts' capabilities and limitations in space-suited extravehicular activity (EVA) by compiling a detailed database of the torques needed to bend the joints of a space suit, developing models of the mechanics of space suit joints based on experimental data, and utilizing these models to estimate a human factors performance metric, the work envelope for space suited EVA work. A detailed space suit joint torque-angle database is compiled in a novel experimental approach that uses space-suited human test subjects to generate realistic, multi-joint motions, which are used to drive an instrumented robot to measure the torques required to accomplish the motions in a pressurized space suit. Based on the experimental data, a mathematical model using the Preisach hysteresis modeling technique is developed to predict joint torque from the joint angle history. Two physics-based models describing the bending load-deflection characteristics of pressurized fabric cylinders were compared to the experimental space suit data. The beam model assumes that bending deflections are completely attributable to elongation of the fabric cylinder wall, while the membrane model assumes that the fabric never stretches.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Schmidt, Patricia Barrett, 1974-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dava J. Newman.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/8105

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/8105