Defense Intelligence Reference Document Cockpits In The Era Of Breakthrough Flight

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Chapter 4: Future Work
Given the incomplete body of knowledge concerning futuristic propulsion and
maintaining cognizance of ongoing human-factors research, it is probably premature to
engage in specific research on cockpits for propulsion physics. Instead, more insights
are likely to be gained from relevant physics research. A caveat is that advances in
cockpits for breakthrough flight might be further advanced by taking advantage of the
gaming industry or through science fiction speculation.
Without the actual technology for breakthrough flight, a game simulation or detailed
science fiction show/movie could be used as the context around which to explore such
options. A concern with this approach, however, is that the underlying stories serve the
primary function of entertainment as opposed to user efficiency. It is conceivable to
encounter a guidance system more intended to create dramatic tension ("wow effect")
than ease of use.
MULTIPLE FLIGHT REGIME GUIDANCE CONVENTIONS
The breakthrough vehicle will operate in regimes for which guidance standards do not
yet exist, specifically orbit insertion and deep-space (interstellar) travel. Although
motion near the surface of a gravitating body can copy the standards of aircraft flight
(primary flight display and terrestrial navigation standards), further work is required to
explore and select the best options for orbit and deep-space flight.
Although it is expected that orbit insertion maneuvers would be handled by an
automated system, the more demanding condition to use as a design target is to have
a display system that can guide a pilot to manually enter a stable orbit.
Choosing the convention for the primary axis of deep-space motion will require a trade
study to determine if the natural human instinct for forward-dominated motion offers a
better human-machine interface than the propulsion-dominant option for upward-
dominated motion. Such an assessment must also consider how well the convention
works when transitioning from deep-space flight into an orbit, then landing, and then
back again to deep-space flight. Once any convention is set into place, it will be difficult
to change later.
VECTOR MOTION DISPLAY
Once the development of those guidance conventions is further along, a method to
clearly display those conventions for the pilot would have to be developed. A
complication that these future displays will encounter is the need for a seamless
transition between these three conventions: flight above a gravitating body, orbit
insertion, and deep-space flight beyond our solar system.
VECTOR MOTION CONTROL
Adding three linear axes (plus yaw) to the classic two-rotational degree-of-freedom
joystick is a significant change. Although six-degree joysticks are available
commercially, they are oriented toward computer interfaces rather than commanding
the motion of a vehicle. To determine the optimum configuration for an actual six-
degree vehicle control, simulations would likely be required. Perhaps one venue is to
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