OVERHEAD AND FORWARD REACH CAPABILITY DURING EXPOSURE TO +1 TO +6 GX LOADS

The lack of reach performance data obtained under spaceflight conditio ns has led to questions regarding the operational impact of higher G l oads on crew performance. This investigation studied the effect of inc reasing G loads on reach capability. Ten subjects were exposed in a st epwise fashion to increasing accelerations resulting in G loads of fro m +1 to +6 Gx in the Brooks AFB centrifuge. Four subjects wore the pre -Challenger Launch Entry Helmet (LEH) ensemble and six the current Lau nch Entry Suit (LES). The subjects performed standardized reach sweeps at each G level. These sweeps were recorded on videotape and subseque ntly analyzed using a 3-dimensional motion analysis system. Significan t differences in forward and overhead reach were determined using the General Linear Models (GLM) procedure of the Statistical Analysis Syst em (SAS) program. The results from this study suggest that purposeful movement can be realistically performed in the LEH at the 5 G level an d in the LES up to the 4 G level.