Abstract
An experiment was conducted to investigate man's ability to perform image motion compensation tracking for earth reconnaissance from space. The study investigated: (1) two control system tracking modes—computer-aided tracking and manual tracking, (2) control dynamics—rate and acceleration, (3) controller gain—low, medium, and high, and (4) magnification—1 to 200 power. The two control modes were treated in separate studies based on large performance differences observed during pilot studies. A major objective of the study was to determine the type of control system and the amount of magnification necessary to meet a 0.05 mr/sec image motion compensation tracking performance criterion. The results of the investigation revealed that the manual tracking mode was unacceptable in terms of the system performance criterion; whereas, the computer aided tracking mode yielded performance which met the criterion at several combinations of experimental conditions. Magnification and controller gain levels were found to have highly significant effects on tracking performance. The results are discussed in terms of reconnaissance system design applications.
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