Meeting the Challenge of Transmission Delay: Communication Protocols for Space Operations

Abstract

Objective

Several studies were conducted to assess media-specific communication protocols as a countermeasure to challenges of asynchronous space–ground communication.

Background

Previous research demonstrated that transmission delay can negatively impact space–ground communication, collaboration, and task performance. We created media-specific protocols designed to mitigate identified problems associated with asynchronous communication and examined their effects on team communication and task performance.

Methods

The lab study included 24 teams of three who collaborated remotely via voice or text on computer-based tasks simulating failures in a spacecraft’s life support system. Training and availability of communication protocols was the between-groups variable. Perceived usability, criticality, and effectiveness of the communication protocols were also assessed in space–analog simulations.

Results

Lab study data revealed that communication protocols facilitated some aspects of team communication; specifically, they reduced threats to common ground and information splitting but not instances of miscommunication. Analog data indicated that protocol compliance was high, participants evaluated most elements as highly important, and protocols maintained perceived communication effectiveness between space crews and mission control during time delay comparably to no-time-delay conditions.

Conclusion

Converging data attest to the feasibility, usability, and effectiveness of empirically derived communication protocols as a countermeasure to the negative impacts of transmission delay and also point to technological solutions.

Application

The communication protocols have been adopted for training in NASA analog simulations involving time-delayed communication. They could also support communication among remote team members in medical operations, command-and-control teams, or disaster response under asynchronous conditions or when time is limited and precise communication is critical.

Keywords

team communication long-duration missions team performance remote teams common ground aerospace

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ball

J. R.

Evans

C. H

. (2001). Safe passage: Astronaut care for exploration missions. National Academy Press.

Fischer

Mosier

. (2014). The impact of communication delay and medium on team performance and communication in distributed teams. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 58th Annual Meeting (Vol. 58, pp. 115–119). HFES.https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931214581025

Fischer

Mosier

. (2016). Protocols for asynchronous communication in space operations: Communication analyses and experimental studies. Final Report on NASA Grant NNX12AR19G. Georgia Institute of Technology.

Fischer

Mosier

. (2019). Technological support for Crew/MCC communication and collaboration during space exploration operations. NASA Grant 80NSSC21K0444.

Fischer

Mosier

Orasanu

. (2013). The impact of transmission delays on mission control – Space crew communication. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 57th Annual Meeting (Vol. 57, pp. 1372–1376). HFES.https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931213571303

Frank

Spirkovska

McCann

Lui

. (2013). Autonomous mission operations. IEEE Aerospace Conference, 1–20.

Gushin

V. I.

Zaprisa

N. S.

Kolinitchenko

T. B.

Efimov

V. A.

Smirnova

T. M.

Vinokhodova

A. G.

Kanas

. (1997). Content analysis of the crew communication with external communicants under prolonged isolation. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine, 68, 1093–1098.9408558

Kanas

Weiss

D. S.

Marmar

C. R

. (1996). Crewmember interactions during a MIR space station simulation. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 67, 969–975.9025820

Kintz

N. M.

Chou

C.-P.

Vessey

W. B.

Leveton

L. B.

Palinkas

L. A

. (2016). Impact of communication delays to and from the international space station on self-reported individual and team behavior and performance: A mixed-methods study. Acta Astronautica, 129, 193–200.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2016.09.018

10.

Krauss

R. M.

Bricker

P. D

. (1967). Effects of transmission delay and access delay on the efficiency of verbal communication. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 41, 286–292.https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1910338

11.

Kraut

R. E.

Fussell

Brennan

S. E.

Siegel

. (2002). Understanding the effects of proximity on collaboration: Implications for technologies to support remote collaborative work. In Hinds

Kiesler

(Eds.), Distributed work (pp. 137–162). MIT Press.

12.

Leonard

Graham

Bonacum

. (2004). The human factor: The critical importance of effective teamwork and communication in providing safe care. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13, i85–i90.https://doi.org/10.1136/qshc.2004.010033

15465961

13.

Love

S. G.

Reagan

M. L

. (2013). Delayed voice communication. Acta Astronautica, 91, 89–95.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.05.003

14.

Manzey

Bleil

Bahner-Heyne

J. E.

Klostermann

Onnasch

Reichenbach

Röttger

. (2008). AutoCAMS 2.0 Manual. Technical University of Berlin.

15.

Morrow

D. G.

Leirer

V. O.

Andrassy

J. M.

Hier

C. M.

Menard

W. E

. (1998). The influence of list format and category headers on age differences in understanding medication instructions. Experimental Aging Research, 24, 231–256.https://doi.org/10.1080/036107398244238

9642551

16.

Morrow

D. G.

Leirer

V. O.

Andrassy

J. M.

Tanke

E. D.

Stine-Morrow

E. A

. (1996). Medication instruction design: Younger and older adult schemas for taking medication. Human Factors, 38, 556–573.https://doi.org/10.1518/001872096778827305

8976621

17.

Morrow

D. G.

Rogers

W. A

. (2008). Environmental support: An integrative framework. Human Factors, 50, 589–613.https://doi.org/10.1518/001872008X312251

18767520

18.

Morrow

D. G.

Weiner

Young

Steinley

Deer

Murray

M. D

. (2005). Improving medication knowledge among older adults with heart failure: A patient-centered approach to instruction design. The Gerontologist, 45, 545–552.https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/45.4.545

16051918

19.

Mosier

Fischer

. (2015). The challenges of asynchronous communication for distributed teamwork: Task performance and media effects [Paper presentation]. Presentation at the 12th International Conference on Naturalistic Decision Making, McLean, VA.

20.

Olson

G. M.

Olson

J. S

. (2000). Distance matters. Human–Computer Interaction, 15, 139–178.https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327051HCI1523_4

21.

Vessey

W. B.

Palinkas

Leveton

L. B

. (2013). May). Supporting teams under conditions of communication delay: Lessons learned from NEEMO 16 [Symposium]. Symposium presented at the Aerospace Medical Association 84th Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.