Preliminary Work Domain Analysis For Human Extravehicular Activity

Abstract

Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) has the potential to offer a contextually relevant, constraint-based perspective to the extravehicular activity (EVA) work domain, which is a proven critical component of human spaceflight. A work domain analysis (WDA) emphasizing the real-time execution of EVA is presented in this study as a first step towards establishing the EVA work domain within the CWA framework and guiding EVA decision support system design development. The results presented here define the EVA work domain boundary objects and illustrate the physical and operational constraints of the environment, hardware, and life support systems of the domain. Additionally, the WDA is used to guide potential avenues and identify functional needs for future EVA decision support system development.