Philosophy
"NASA Books Reveal Wisdom Gained from Failure"
by
Jim Banke
April 2nd, 2013
SPACE MART
Preventing future aviation accidents is the motive behind two books published by NASA, one brand new and one that is a year old and has been so popular a second printing was ordered.
Both of the aviation safety-related books are available online at no cost as e-books, while printed versions of the book may be purchased from NASA's Information Center.
The new book is "Crash Course: Lessons Learned from Accidents Involving Remotely Piloted and Autonomous Aircraft."
The 183-page book reveals details of past accidents involving NASA and Air Force Remotely Piloted Research Vehicles such as the X-43A hypersonic test bed, Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology aircraft, Perseus and Theseus science platforms, Helios solar-powered flying wing and four others.
"Learning from past experience is fundamental to the development of safe and efficient new systems and to improving existing systems as well," said Peter Merlin, the book's author. "It's important to pass on this knowledge to future generations."
According to Merlin, while some factors affecting aircraft safety detailed in the book are unique to remotely piloted vehicles, most are common to all aircraft operations, especially where human factors are more to blame than the technology itself.
"Use of the term 'unmanned' to describe any sort of autonomous or remotely piloted aircraft is often misunderstood to mean that there is little or no human-systems integration involved. In fact, remotely piloted aircraft operations involve numerous people in every aspect of control, operation, and maintenance regardless of the vehicles level of autonomy," Merlin said.
"Crash Course" is a companion to the highly popular NASA book "Breaking the Mishap Chain," which Merlin co-authored with Dr. Gregg Bendrick, NASA's chief medical officer at the Dryden Flight Research Center in California; and Dr. Dwight Holland, a principal partner in Human Factors Associates who has served as president of the International Association of Military Flight Surgeon Pilots and the Space Medicine Association.
Published in June 2012, "Breaking the Mishap Chain" offers nine examples from aviation and space history in which accidents were primarily caused by non-technical, human-related events.
For example, in 1967 an X-15 rocketplane crashed, killing the pilot, Mike Adams. In detailing the events surrounding the mishap, the authors explain how the pilot's history with spatial disorientation - what was generally called vertigo back then - and confusion about what one of his instruments was telling him contributed to the accident.
"Anybody involved in flying needs to learn the lessons of the past," Bendrick said.
"This book is unique because it integrates aerospace history, medicine, human factors, and system design issues in a compelling multi-level examination of some truly fascinating stories of aerospace exploration," Holland added.
"Breaking the Mishap Chain" has been so well received that NASA ordered an additional print run to help meet the demand for the book.
"We have had lots of nice comments, good reviews, and an overwhelmingly positive response to the book," Merlin said.
Publication of "Crash Course" and "Breaking the Mishap Chain" was sponsored and funded by the communications and education department of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
Crash Course: Lessons Learned from Accidents Involving Remotely Piloted and Autonomous Aircraft
by
Peter W. Merlin
Free
Breaking the Mishap Chain: Human Factors Lessons Learned from Aerospace Accidents and Incidents in Research, Flight Test, and Development
by
Peter W. Merlin, Gregg A. Bendrick, and Dwight A. Holland
Free
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Philosophy
NASA is learning from mistakes--two books
Helios Solar-Powered Flying Wing
"NASA Books Reveal Wisdom Gained from Failure"
by
Jim Banke
April 2nd, 2013
SPACE MART
Preventing future aviation accidents is the motive behind two books published by NASA, one brand new and one that is a year old and has been so popular a second printing was ordered.
Both of the aviation safety-related books are available online at no cost as e-books, while printed versions of the book may be purchased from NASA's Information Center.
The new book is "Crash Course: Lessons Learned from Accidents Involving Remotely Piloted and Autonomous Aircraft."
The 183-page book reveals details of past accidents involving NASA and Air Force Remotely Piloted Research Vehicles such as the X-43A hypersonic test bed, Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology aircraft, Perseus and Theseus science platforms, Helios solar-powered flying wing and four others.
"Learning from past experience is fundamental to the development of safe and efficient new systems and to improving existing systems as well," said Peter Merlin, the book's author. "It's important to pass on this knowledge to future generations."
According to Merlin, while some factors affecting aircraft safety detailed in the book are unique to remotely piloted vehicles, most are common to all aircraft operations, especially where human factors are more to blame than the technology itself.
"Use of the term 'unmanned' to describe any sort of autonomous or remotely piloted aircraft is often misunderstood to mean that there is little or no human-systems integration involved. In fact, remotely piloted aircraft operations involve numerous people in every aspect of control, operation, and maintenance regardless of the vehicles level of autonomy," Merlin said.
"Crash Course" is a companion to the highly popular NASA book "Breaking the Mishap Chain," which Merlin co-authored with Dr. Gregg Bendrick, NASA's chief medical officer at the Dryden Flight Research Center in California; and Dr. Dwight Holland, a principal partner in Human Factors Associates who has served as president of the International Association of Military Flight Surgeon Pilots and the Space Medicine Association.
Published in June 2012, "Breaking the Mishap Chain" offers nine examples from aviation and space history in which accidents were primarily caused by non-technical, human-related events.
For example, in 1967 an X-15 rocketplane crashed, killing the pilot, Mike Adams. In detailing the events surrounding the mishap, the authors explain how the pilot's history with spatial disorientation - what was generally called vertigo back then - and confusion about what one of his instruments was telling him contributed to the accident.
"Anybody involved in flying needs to learn the lessons of the past," Bendrick said.
"This book is unique because it integrates aerospace history, medicine, human factors, and system design issues in a compelling multi-level examination of some truly fascinating stories of aerospace exploration," Holland added.
"Breaking the Mishap Chain" has been so well received that NASA ordered an additional print run to help meet the demand for the book.
"We have had lots of nice comments, good reviews, and an overwhelmingly positive response to the book," Merlin said.
Publication of "Crash Course" and "Breaking the Mishap Chain" was sponsored and funded by the communications and education department of NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
Crash Course: Lessons Learned from Accidents Involving Remotely Piloted and Autonomous Aircraft
by
Peter W. Merlin
Free
Breaking the Mishap Chain: Human Factors Lessons Learned from Aerospace Accidents and Incidents in Research, Flight Test, and Development
by
Peter W. Merlin, Gregg A. Bendrick, and Dwight A. Holland
Free
- In The Beginning...when Nasa Was Created
"Check Out The Document That Created NASA" The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 started it all. Happy birfday, NASA! by Joey Carmichael July 30th, 2013 POPSCI This document is the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, which created...
- Faster Than A Speeding Bullet?--you Bet
"Aircraft set to reach 20 times the speed of sound in test flight" by W.J. Hennigan August 9th, 2011 Los Angeles Times An experimental, arrowhead-shaped aircraft that could reach blistering speeds of 13,000 mph above the Pacific Ocean...
- Shuttle Discovery--the End
Suitable for printing and framing. "Ode to Discovery: Space shuttle ends a successful mission, career" Space shuttle Discovery taxied to a stop at Kennedy Space Center just before noon Wednesday, ending a triumphant 13-day mission and 27-year career....
- Case In Point--privatization Of Nasa
Crew Space Transportation-100 [CST-100] "Boeing unveils its commercial capsule spacecraft" July 22nd, 2010 PhysOrg.com Boeing won an award worth $18 million from NASA under the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Space Act Agreement, which was intended...
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Maj. Gen. Charlie Bolden "Bolden Reacts To Reports of His Impending NASA Nomination" by Becky Iannotta May 15th, 2009 space.com WASHINGTON — U.S. President Barack Obama's science adviser told Congress May 14 a NASA administrator will be announced...