Abstract
Introduction
Although not often explicitly emphasized, several parallels exist between the safety critical domains of aviation and space. Both have overarching goals of safety and efficiency which guide all activities, and are heavily reliant on human operators, who need to maintain an exceptional, consistent standard of performance in order to maintain safety, and complex technical systems. In particular, significant overlaps can be seen between the air traffic controllers who are at the sharp end of the air traffic system, and the mission controllers responsible for flight crews on the International Space Station (ISS).
In the air traffic control domain, Air Traffic Controllers are responsible for the safety and efficiency of all air traffic. It is essential that controllers maintain a consistently high performance in order to sustain flight safety. Controllers work in a technological and automation-enhanced environment. Each individual component, plus the interaction between these elements can affect the overall performance of the transportation system. Similarly, in mission control centers for the International Space Station (ISS), flight controllers are responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of astronauts, both within the ISS and when engaging in extra-vehicular activities (EVAs, or spacewalks).
Within such domains, system safety and resilience are critical to prevent incidents and accidents. One of the ways of achieving this is with a thorough risk management. This can be at both the organizational level (for example, safety culture), or a local level (for example, procedures for training or initiating new technology in a specific center). As risk management is central to both domains, it is proposed that this panel provide an opportunity for exploration of the similarities of safety challenges, and risk management techniques in both air traffic control and space mission control areas, with the aim of facilitating learning between domains, and across operational and research focused roles. The panel aims to further understanding of how to enhance safety, efficiency and overall performance, by learning from cross-domain activities. Topics of discussion will include:
Risk assessment techniques and procedures
Human operator training
Human-system interaction
Human performance
Panel Members
David Korth: As a former Flight Controller for the Shuttle Program and Flight Director for the International
Space Station (ISS), David Korth has years of experience in human spaceflight operations and the challenges
ISS’s mission control center faces on a daily basis.
Marcum Reagan: As a Training Lead and CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator), Marcum Reagan can speak to the importance of communication across the flight controller teams and between Earth and the International Space Station. Additionally, for the last decade, he has served as Mission Director for NEEMO, analog environment for future exploration concepts of operations.
Barrett Caldwell: Professor Caldwell has prior work examining communications processes and event response patterns for actual spaceflight mission training and live mission operations (Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Mars Exploration Rovers), analog research settings (FINESSE, BASALT, Desert RATS), and mission planning models for future concepts of ground assembly/launch and lunar surface operations.
Katherine Berry: Katherine Berry is a Founding Partner and Principal Human Factors Engineer at Fort Hill Group. Dr. Berry leads Fort Hill Group’s Operational Human Factors Research Team on a variety of projects for the Federal Aviation Administration. These projects focus on improving human performance and safety across the National Airspace System including all air traffic control domains and technical operations. Previously, Dr. Berry has examined human factors safety issues for Air Canada, GE Energy, and GE Corporate. Dr. Berry holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University where her dissertation developed human performance safety benchmarks and identified systemic contributing factor relationships present across multiple industries.
Michael Sawyer : Michael Sawyer is a Founding Partner and Principal Human Factors Engineer at Fort Hill Group in Washington, DC. Dr. Sawyer leads Fort Hill Group’s NextGen Human Factors Research Team on a variety of projects for the Federal Aviation Administration. This work provides guidance and analysis to support the introduction of safe and usable NextGen technologies and procedures.
Dr. Sawyer has worked to analyze and mitigate the causes and impacts of human error in a variety of domains including mining, surface transportation, and commercial and general aviation. Prior to co-founding Fort Hill Group, Dr. Sawyer served as an Associate Technical Fellow for Human Systems Integration at TASC Inc. Dr. Sawyer holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University.