HFES releases Policy Statement on Human Space Flight

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) has issued a new Policy Statement on Human Space Flight and Exploration Programs. As both government and commercial space operations continue to evolve and expand, this statement highlights the urgency and fundamental necessity to focus more attention on human factors engineering and human performance in the design of the technologies, training and operational procedures of space travel. It is critical that human systems design issues be considered early during system design to reduce subsequent operations and maintenance costs, minimize accidents and incidents that negatively impact safety and costs, and improve the effectiveness of the combined human-system for achieving mission outcomes.

"Humanity is pushing the boundaries and evolving the possibilities of people living and working in space," said Mica Endsley, Chair of HFES Government Relations Committee. "Both government organizations such as NASA as well as a growing list of commercial entities have several active proposals for extended operations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), the moon and even Mars. These represent some of the most challenging endeavors our species has ever attempted. Safely and effectively operating space vehicles and conducting crewed missions require that human factors science and practices be incorporated from beginning to end in the design, testing, certification and ultimate operation of all associated systems. In other words, it is critical that the human aspect of human space travel be never forgotten or diminished in any way."

As programs and priorities evolve, new challenges will arise that even those involved in previous space missions have never encountered. These include interacting with artificial intelligence and more autonomous software systems; delays in communications with Earth (e.g., as much as 20 minutes from Mars), which can negatively affect crew health and wellbeing and require greater crew independence and agile decision-making; unforeseen events in new, unexplored environments; and considerable increases in psychological, physiological, psychosocial, and environmental interface challenges in long duration space flight.

To address these issues and more, HFES had five recommendations for all NASA and Commercial Space Programs:

1. HSI Processes and Standards: NASA should require the application of human-system integration (HSI) processes and standards in all system development programs: including the procurement of systems and services from commercial space companies that involve human operators and/or maintainers, and in the flight certification of all vehicles that contain human occupants, including the latest version of the Space Flight Human-System Standard (NASA-STD3001), and the Human Integration Design Handbook (NASA/SP-2010-3407/Rev 1). This includes those featuring AI and autonomous systems, which pose special human-interaction considerations.

2) Human Readiness Levels: All programs supporting the development, acquisition, or procurement of services involving crewed space vehicles and habitats should be required to report to NASA the Human Readiness Level (HRL) of their systems on an annual basis (HFES/ANSI Standard 400). HRLs provide a useful correlate to Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). The HRL should be used to identify deficiencies and areas where additional attention to human-system integration is warranted to reduce risks to program schedules and human safety and effectiveness.

3) Safety Reporting System: Companies developing systems for operations in space should be required to maintain an active safety management and confidential safety reporting system for employees, consistent with the standards and recommended practices contained in Annex 19 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (61 Stat. 1180). This is important for avoiding problems and declines in safety culture that were significant contributors to the Challenger and Columbia accidents.

4) Personnel: Qualified Human-System Integration professionals, including those with expertise in human factors (from government and/or private space operators), should be assigned responsibility for the conduct or oversight of human-system integration activities related to crewed spaceflight for human operators, mission controllers, system maintenance personnel and occupants.

5) Conduct Research to Develop Best Practices and Standards: NASA should be directed to conduct increased levels of research (through its Centers, academic institutions, contractors or some mixture of all three) on new and emerging technologies and issues that may affect the safe performance of new space missions. Current research on these topics has been minimal to date. Increased research focus should be appropriately funded and specifically include: a) Human interaction with autonomous software systems; b) Team performance on long-distance space missions; c) Fitness for duty qualifications; and, d) Human-system integration across systems-of-systems for long-duration space missions.

Related Links
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Space Medicine Technology and Systems

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