The SAFE Laboratory is located in room ETB 2005B. The focus of the research in this laboratory is to provide a system engineering perspective on the safety and reliability of aerospace systems. The current main research thrust is on spacecraft occupant protection and assessment of the leading causes of general aviation aircraft accidents. Spacecraft occupant protection entails computational analysis using finite element models of anthropomorphic test dummies, integrated into aerospace seats and restraint systems, to assess injury potential to crewmembers during dynamic phases of spaceflight. The lab houses computer workstations equipped with finite element programs capable of simulating complex cockpit seating configurations as well as system safety, quality, and reliability engineering analysis software.
The SAFE Lab is always open to adding talented and collaborative undergraduate students, masters students, and Ph.D. students. If you are interested in joining us, take a look at our research focus areas and opportunities, and contact us here.
Relevant Links
The Occupant Protection (OP) team at NASA is primarily focused on keeping astronauts safe during dynamic phases of spaceflight. These phases include launch, ascent, aborts, on orbit maneuvers, re-entry, descent and landing. Lunar and other planetary missions would also require that safety measures be taken during descending to and ascending from a Planetary surface. The OP team has helped develop standards for vehicle designers that… limit the loads and accelerations that limit the loads and accelerations that crewmembers can be exposed to throughout a mission. Since time in space causes changes to astronauts’ bodies, the standards account for this by reducing exposure limits at the end of a mission.Read more…
Crew health and performance are critical to successful human exploration beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). The Human Research Program (HRP) investigates and mitigates the highest risks to human health and performance, providing essential countermeasures and technologies for human space exploration. Risks include physiological and performance effects from hazards such as radiation, altered gravity, and hostile environments, as well as unique challenges in medical support,… human factors, and behavioral health support. The HRP utilizes an Integrated Research Plan (IRP) to identify the approach and research activities planned to address these risks, which are assigned to specific Elements within the program. The Human Research Roadmap (HRR) is the web-based tool for communicating the IRP content, Evidence Reports, external reviews of HRP research, and general HRP organizational information.Read more…
EAA collaborates with the FAA’s office of Accident Investigation and Prevention to track fatal experimental aircraft accidents over the course of the federal fiscal year. Each year, the FAA sets a “not-to-exceed” number based on a 1 percent reduction from the previous three-year average of accident totals. The ultimate goal is a 10 percent decrease in 10 years, starting in fiscal year 2011 (note that the FAA has a year-end of September). The graph displays the overall not-to-exceed… line in burgundy, with total experimental fatal accidents depicted in red and experimental amateur-built alone in blue. The previous year’s accident totals are in grey. The FAA also sets monthly limits as part of the overall not-to-exceed number for the year, taking into consideration flying activity levels during each month. Monthly fatal accident totals are depicted on the second graph.Read more…
NASA’s Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) program ensures that the systems within NASA’s spaceflight programs and projects perform as required throughout their life cycles to satisfy mission objectives. Mission objectives include safety, mission success and sustainability criteria.…Read more…
NASA’s R&M program focuses on innovation and continual improvement to meet the ever-evolving demands of NASA’s programs and projects. NASA’s R&M program currently is moving from a more process-based approach to one that is more rooted in the technical objectives of stakeholders and centers.