Evidence Report: Risk of Impaired Control of Spacecraft/Associated Systems and Decreased Mobility Due to Vestibular/Sensorimotor Alterations Associated with Space flight Approved for Public Release: June 6, 2016 Human Research Program Human Health Countermeasures Element National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 1 CURRENT CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: Jacob J. Bloomberg NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Millard F. Reschke NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Gilles R. Clément Wyle Science Technology & Engineering Group, Houston, TX Ajitkumar P. Mulavara Universities Space Research Association, Houston, TX Laura C. Taylor Wyle Science Technology & Engineering Group, Houston, TX PREVIOUS CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: William H. Paloski NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Charles M. Oman Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA Scott J. Wood Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA Deborah L. Harm NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Brian T. Peters Wyle Science Technology & Engineering Group, Houston, TX James P. Locke NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Leland S. Stone NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PRD RISK TITLE: RISK OF IMPAIRED CONTROL OF SPACECRAFT/ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND DECREASED MOBILITY DUE TO VESTIBULAR/SENSORIMOTOR ALTERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SPACE FLIGHT................................................................................... 7 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................... 7 III. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 8 IV. EVIDENCE.......................................................................................................................... 8 1. Evidence Obtained from Space Flight Operations........................................................ 9 1.1. Crew Verbal Reports............................................................................................. 9 1.2. Shuttle Entry and Landing Spatial Disorientation................................................. 12 1.3. Apollo Lunar Landing Spatial Disorientation......................................................... 14 1.4. Apollo Landing Geographic Disorientation........................................................... 15 1.5. Rendezvous and Docking...................................................................................... 16 1.6. Teleoperator Tasks................................................................................................ 17 1.7. Driving Performance............................................................................................. 17 1.8. Implications for Exploration Class Vehicle Design................................................. 18 1.9. Walking on the Moon........................................................................................... 18 2. Evidence Obtained from Scientific Investigations In Flight........................................... 20 2.1. Decrements in Sensation ………………………………………………………………………….......... 21 2.1.1. Visual Acuity ............................................................................................……... 21 2.1.2. Proprioception................................................................................................. 22 2.1.3. Motion Perception.......................................................................................... 23 2.2. Decrements in Gaze Control................................................................................. 24 2.2.1. Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements..................................................................... 24 2.2.2. Vestibulo‐Ocular Reflex................................................................................... 24 2.2.3. Eye‐Head Coordination and Target Acquisition............................................... 25 2.2.4. Optokinetic Nystagmus................................................................................... 26 2.3. Decrements in Eye‐Hand Coordination Performance........................................... 26 2.3.1. Control of Aimed Arm Movements................................................................ 27 2.3.2. Reaching and Grasping................................................................................... 27 2.3.3. Manual Tracking............................................................................................. 27 2.3.4. Force Discrimination and Control................................................................... 28 2.3.5. Fine Motor Control......................................................................................... 28 2.3.6. Dual Tasking and Manual Performance.......................................................... 29 2.4. Decrements in Spatial Orientation Perception...................................................... 29 2.4.1. Spatial Disorientation in Aviation................................................................... 29 2.4.2. Geographic Disorientation and Terrain Awareness........................................ 30 2.4.3. Spatial Disorientation During Space Flight..................................................... 31 3 2.4.4. Visual Reorientation Illusion …………………………...………………….…………………….. 32 2.4.5. Tilt‐Translation and Tilt‐Gain Illusions............................................................ 33 2.4.6. Physiological Basis for Spatial Disorientation................................................. 35 2.5. Decrements in Cognitive Function....................................................................... 35 2.5.1. Mental Rotation............................................................................................. 36 2.5.2. Distance and Size Perception.......................................................................... 37 2.5.3. Time Perception.............................................................................................. 38 2.6. Space Motion Sickness......................................................................................... 39 2.6.1. History............................................................................................................ 39 2.6.2. Symptoms....................................................................................................... 39 2.6.3. Incidence........................................................................................................ 40 2.6.4. Provocative Stimuli......................................................................................... 41 2.6.5. Theories and Hypotheses............................................................................... 41 2.6.6. Predicting Susceptibility................................................................................. 42 2.7. Impacts of Vestibular Changes to Orthostatic Intolerance.................................. 42 2.8. Peripheral and Central Neural Changes Associated with Space flight.................. 43 3. Evidence Obtained from Scientific Investigations During Reentry and After Landing.... 45 3.1. Decrements in Postural Equilibrium..................................................................... 45 3.2. Decrements in Locomotion.................................................................................. 47 3.2.1. Locomotor Control and Central Activation...................................................... 47 3.2.2. Head‐Trunk Coordination................................................................................ 49 3.2.3. Dynamic Visual Acuity..................................................................................... 51 3.3. Decrements in Jump Performance........................................................................ 53 3.4. Perceptual Changes.............................................................................................. 54 3.4.1. Crew Reports................................................................................................... 54 3.4.2. Proprioceptive Changes.................................................................................. 55 3.4.3. Perceived Tilt and Translation......................................................................... 55 3.4.4. Otolith Asymmetry ……………………………………………………………………………………… 57 3.5. Gaze Changes ………………………………………………………………………………………...……….. 58 3.5.1. Vestibulo‐Ocular Reflex................................................................................... 58 3.5.2. Ocular Counterrolling...................................................................................... 59 3.5.3. Eye Movements during Coriolis and Cross‐Coupled Acceleration................... 59 3.5.4. Eye Movements during Linear Acceleration.................................................... 60 3.6. Decrements in Functional Performance............................................................... 61 3.6.1. Functional Mobility......................................................................................... 61 3.6.2. Functional Tasks.............................................................................................. 62 3.6.3. Field Tests....................................................................................................... 65 3.6.4. Navigation....................................................................................................... 65 3.7. Decrements in Manual Control ………………………………………………………………………… 65 3.8. Impacts of Vestibular Changes to Orthostatic Intolerance...................................