Aerospace Medicine

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Aerospace Medicine
Objective Know the history of aerospace medicine
and human engineering.
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Overview

• Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine
• Care of Flyers
• Man and Machine
• Research on the Fringe of Space

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• Established in 1918 with the founding of the Army
  Aviation Medical Research Laboratory at
  Hazelhurst Field in New York.
• Research was conducted to support flyers in WW I.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• The study of flight physiology started with the
  balloon ascension of Joseph and Etienne
  Montgolfier.
• In 1783 they sent up a hot-air balloon in a
  demonstration for Louis XVI of France and his
  court at Versailles. This was an unmanned flight
  made with a sheep, a rooster, and a duck.
• The balloon rose to an altitude of 1,500 feet and
  returned to the Earth with the animals unharmed.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• French physicist Jacques Charles made a flight
  in a hydrogen balloon that floated freely.
• When he ascended to an altitude of 9,000 feet,
  he suffered a severe pain in his right ear.
• He correctly attributed his pain to gas trapped
  in the middle ear.
• In about 1787 he defined Charless Law the
  volume of a gas is directly proportional to the
  temperature of that gas.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• In 1785 the American doctor John Jeffries and
  French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard became
  the first to cross the English Channel in
  hydrogen balloon.
• However, the journey.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• Coxwell and Glaisher made a flight of special
  scientific interest in 1862.
• When they reached an altitude of 18,000 feet
  they became weak because of a lack of oxygen.
• In total darkness at 29,000 feet they lapsed
  into unconsciousness. He later regained
  consciousness and continued to observe his
  symptoms.
• Coxwell was finally able to grasp the balloon
  cord with his teeth and release enough gas to
  allow the balloon to descend.

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Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine

• The Father of Aviation Medicine-Paul Bert
• Conducted over 700 experiments with barometric
  pressure.
• Proved the principle effects of altitude on the
  body.
• Made the first low-pressure altitude chamber.
• Schools of Aviation Medicine
• The Signal Corp established an Aeronautical
  Division in 1907.

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Care of Flyers

• The Armed Forces have doctors with special
  training in the care of flyers.
• Flight surgeons perform periodic examinations on
  fliers to evaluate their physical and mental
  fitness.
• The flight surgeon is not only concerned about
  the pilot but also the conditions the pilot finds
  in the cockpit.

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Man and Machine

• The matching of man and machine is constantly
  under study by human engineering.
• Every control and instrument in the aircraft must
  be developed with regard to the pilots needs.
• Another area of importance in human engineering
  is in designing protective equipment for flight.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Balloons
• In 1931, Auguste Piccard perfected the
  oxygen-pressure gondola for balloons.
• In 1935, Captains Anderson and Stevens ascended
  to 72,395 feet.
• In 1957 Major Simons ascended to 102,000 feet.
• In 1959, Captain Kittinger ascended to 102,000
  feet and jumped safely to test high altitude
  parachute procedures
• Then in 2012..

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-1
• The first U.S. rocket aircraft.
• Chuck Yeager became the first man to fly faster
  the speed of sound in 1947

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-15
• The X-15 reached a speed of 4,534 mph and an
  altitude of 354,200 feet.
• Several pilots received astronaut ratings.

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Research on the Fringe of Space

• Research Aircraft X-24B
• Wingless with a flat undersurface.
• X-24B research program was conducted with NASA.
• Altitudes 70,000 ft at Mach 1.57

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Research in Space

• Animal Astronauts
• Mice and other small animals were used for the
  early experiments.
• As rockets became more powerful, larger payloads
  could be sent into space.
• Before American astronauts were rocketed into
  space, two chimpanzees (Ham and Enos) were used
  to test the mercury spacecraft and the flight
  plan.

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Summary

• Beginnings of Aerospace Medicine
• Care of Flyers
• Man and Machine
• Research on the Fringe of Space