Aerospace & Aviation

In view of the pure oxygen atmosphere selected for Project Mercury, and in anticipation of subsequent manned space missions of increasing duration, it was apparent that there was a need to obtain more extensive physiological data on the prolonged effects of pure oxygen environments on the crews. This study, conducted by Republic Aviation Corporation under Contract NASR-92, was initiated in collaboration with General Charles Roadman, USAF (MC), Director of Aerospace Medicine (formerly the Office of Life Sciences, NASA Headquarters), and his staff in an effort to provide a greater breadth of scientific data on the prolonged effects of such an environment on human performance. Although the 5 psi environment of Project Mercury was the focal point of the study, a broader appraisal of the effects of pure oxygen in the absence of nitrogen was attempted by including studies at 7.4 psi and 3.8 psi in addition to a control group at sea level atmospheric conditions. After award of the contract, the technical monitoring of the study was provided by the Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, where Mr. Edward Michel served as monitor and coordinator for these and related studies subsequently established in laboratories of the U.S. Navy and U. S. Air Force.

Hazard of bends following rapid decompression after prolonged exposure to oxygen-nitrogen cabin atmosphere

Astrogeologic studies for space flight program - lunar geology, crater investigations, space chemistry, petrography, and photometry

Radiation reactions and chemical protection of animals exposed to high energy protons

Sensorimotor coordination in extended weightlessness in actual space flight

Effect of aircraft noise on man and noise control measures

Effect of angular rotation velocities on state of physiological systems and several visual functions

Effect of ionizing irradiation on vestibular apparatus

Electroencephalographic examination of performance of personnel during long flights

Flight control and navigation instruments

Working conditions around ultrahigh frequency generators - personnel safety

Problems of personnel selection

Effect of muscular effort reduction and lack of hydrostatic blood pressure on human blood circulation