WEIGHTLESS MAN: SINGLE-IMPULSE TRAJECTORIES FOR ORBITAL WORKERS

Abstract

While performing maintenance and assembly tasks outside of space vehicles under weightless conditions, a worker may accidentally propel himself away from his vehicle. To determine the speed of such a single-impulse launch, subjects under weightless conditions in a zero-G KC-135 aircraft propelled themselves away from a surface with their legs. They attained maximum velocities of approximately 10 mph. Using various launch speeds and directions, theoretical trajectories have been projected for both coplanar and noncoplanar launches. These trajectories indicate that any launch having a velocity component parallel to the direction of orbital motion will result in a trajectory such that the worker will never return to his vehicle. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 1962
Accession Number
AD0289257

Entities

People

  • Donald D. Mueller
  • John C. Simons

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Assembly
  • Maintenance
  • Orbits
  • Spacecraft
  • Spacecraft Orbits
  • Trajectories
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Robotics and Automation.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers