Human Factors in space vehicle design

Proper consideration of human needs in the design of space vehicles results in a safe and productive environment for crewmembers. This is particularly important for crew interfaces that are used during ascent and entry due to the demanding environmental conditions. The involvement of Human Factors (HF) engineers in the design and evaluation process ensures that Human-Systems Integration (HSI) begins early, and continues throughout the lifecycle of a vehicle. This paper highlights various aspects of the HSI process: establishment of HSI standards, the use of research to develop and refine challenging requirements and verification methods, partnering with research projects to drive evidence-based designs, and the value of applying HF methods and principles to design.

► Human Factors significantly benefits design/development processes. ► Human-Systems Integration Standards play an important role in development efforts. ► Research can be used to help refine requirements and improve verification methods. ► Collaboration between research and development teams improves products. ► Human Factors methods and design principles made great contributions to Orion.