Studies of Manual Attitude Control: Control-Device/Display Content Comparisons

Experimental simulation studies were conducted to determine the effects of displayed information content and hand control device configuration on the ability of pilots to stabilize the attitude of a tumbling space vehicle and to maintain a fixed attitude while external torques were being applied. Four pilot-engineers performed both tasks in a fixed-base manned space vehicle simulator which was mechanized to provide three degrees of angular freedom. Four types of hand control devices and two display content conditions were investigated. Results indicated that the amount of displayed information was a powerful variable for both tasks. A strategy or technique for accomplishing the stabilization maneuver was evolved which approached an optimum solution in terms of energy expenditure or fuel consumption.