Simulation and human factors in modeling of spaceflight mission control teams

This paper describes a recently completed project to develop a human factors informed simulation of team-based expert coordination and knowledge sharing tasks in a complex and resilient control system. The project explores processes of anomaly response in NASA spaceflight mission control teams, using as a baseline example the mission profile and anomalies experienced during the final Space Shuttle flight, STS-135. While controllers in this simulation work to detect and resolve anomalies using technical decision criteria, their performance is subject to stochastic and non-rational dynamics of information availability and flow affecting situation awareness and hypothesis generation. The initial goal of this work is to assist in analysis of alternatives for future mission control room designs, and to develop increased simulation capability in the area of distributed expertise and problem solving in teams.