DOW-UAP-D144, AAWSAP DIRD, Cockpits in the Era of Breakthrough Flight, November 2010

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Cockpits in the Era of Breakthrough Flight The Defense Intelligence Reference Document provides non-substantive but authoritative reference information related to intelli ence to ics or methodolo ies. Prepared by: Technology Warning Division (DW0-4) Defense Warning Office Directorate for Analysis Defense Intelligence Agency AAP Person 82 Administrative Notes: (U) COPYRIGHT WARNING: Further dissemination of the photographs in this publication is not authorized. This product is one in a series of advanced technology reports produced in FY 2009 under the Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Warning Office's Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications AAWSA Pro ram. Comments or questions pertaining to this document should be addressed to ,.. ..- ...-___-_.,.M_E,__Person AAP Person 1 AWSA Program Manager, Defense Intelligence Agency, ATTN: JUIAF - DI/DWO-3,1 ••

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Chapter 1: Predicting Implications of Propulsion Breakthroughs ........................... 1 MARCH OF PROGRESS: REVOLUTIONARY PROPULSION PHYSICS....................... 1 VEHICLE and COCKPIT IMPLICATIONS............................................................... 2 HUMAN PERCEPTION NORMS ........................................................................... 18 DESIGN FOR STRESS ............................................................................................. 21 DEVICES TO CONVEY INFORMATION ................................................................ 23 DEVICES FOR RECEIVING PILOT COMMANDS ................................................... 27 CONTEMPORARY AIRCRAFT COCKPITS............................................................. 28 Chapter 3: Provisional Cockpit for Breakthrough Flight........................................ 32 FLIGHT MODES................................................................................................. 32 VIRTUAL SURROUND DISPLAY ......................................................................... 40 Chapter 4: Future Work........................................................................................ 43 MULTIPLE FLIGHT REGI ME GUIDANCE CONVENTIONS ..................................... 43 VECTOR MOTION DISPLAY ............................................................................... 43 VECTOR MOTION CONTROL .............................................................................. 43 OPTIMUM MIX OF CONTROL METHODS ............................................................. 44 Appendix B: Endnotes .......................................................................................... SO Figure 1. Six Independent Degrees of Freedom...................................................... 3 Figure 2. Comparing Conventions of Aircraft Motion .............................................. 5 UNCLASSIFIED/fFOA. OFFICIO Is. flili Ol'lls.¥

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Figure 3. Necessary Distinction Between External & Internal Force Environments. 6 Figure 4. Warp Drive ...............................................................................................8 Figure 5. Hypothetical Gravitational Bias Drive .......................................................9 Figure 6. Inertial Frame Bias Drive and Vehicle Zones ..........................................10 Figure 7. Typical Science Fiction Orientations .......................................................12 Figure 8. Cosmic Microwaves as Universal Motion Reference Frame .....................15 Figure 9. Human Fields of View .............................................................................20 Figure 10. Flight Deck of Contemporary Aircraft ...................................................29 Figure 11. Contemporary Primary Flight Display ...................................................30 Figure 13. Provisional Breakthrough-Era Cockpit ..................................................33 Figure 14. Functional Designation of Physical Cockpit Panels................................ 34 Table 1: Comparing Reaction Time to Distance Traversed at Various Speeds ....... 13

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Cockpits in the Era of Breakthrough Flight Responding to the request to explore forefront science relevant to future cockpits for any form of aerospace craft and/or deep-space craft that is propelled by any unspecified advanced or breakthrough propulsion physics, this report offers a provisional cockpit design that employs the following: • Predictions of propulsion physics breakthroughs. • Lessons of human-machine interface. • Emerging technology for displays and controls. This study discusses the implications of breakthrough propulsion, including the mastery over gravitational and inertial forces and the prospect for faster-than-light spaceflight. The main reference used to predict these possibilities is the book Frontiers ofPropulsion Science [Millis & Davis, 2009]. Although the breakthroughs discussed in this book are not imminent, enough progress has been made to allow for thoughtful speculation about their characteristics and possible implementations. How these advances may affect future cockpits is described, and this is the central message of this study. The most significant differences from legacy cockpits are identified and then used to set the baseline design requirements. Additionally, substantial lessons about human-machine interfaces are reviewed and applied to this notional cockpit. Most of this progress relies on better accommodating the norms and limitations of human perception-lessons that do not change even when vehicle characteristics change. Recent advancements in the use of hand gestures for commands are also included, as well as advancements in brain-machine interfaces. In this conceptual study of far-future possibilities, these technologies are assumed to have reached fu ll maturity, with one exception: in order to focus this study on future cockpits, the options for brain implants and for transhumanism-where humans are reengineered to adapt to new requirements-are not considered. Next-step investigations are suggested to refine the ideas presented herein. A caveat is that advances in cockpits for breakthrough flight might be further advanced by taking advantage of the gaming industry techniques or through science fiction speculation. Note: All projections in this report are based on public domain information.

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Chapter 1: Predicting Implications of Propulsion MARCH OF PROGRESS: REVOLUTIONARY PROPULSION PHYSICS Breakthroughs in propulsion physics (such as the control over gravitational or inertial forces, propellant-less space drives, and even faster-than-light travel) are not imminent; however, enough progress has been made to allow for thoughtful speculation about their nature and implications. As a preview, the implications to cockpit design include added degrees of motion, combination of operational regimes (near ground, orbit, and beyond), greater range of speed (from zero-speed hover to beyond light speed), and loss of familiar motion cues (pilot's inertia and visual cues) resulting from the separation of external and internal environments. The primary reference used to predict these possibilities is the book Frontiers of Propulsion Science [Millis & Davis, 2009],1 particularly chapters 3, 4, and 15. This book may be the first-ever scholarly compilation of science pertaining to breakthrough flight-methods sufficiently advanced to enable human voyages to other star systems. The book examines a wide range of works, offering introductory explanations and comparisons between approaches and identifying high-priority unknowns needing deeper study. References to specific ideas and issues cite that book and other original Setting Ideal Performance as Design Target This report focuses on the most significant likely differences between contemporary cockpits and cockpits in the era of breakthrough flight. Possibilities that imply the most demanding changes are considered first, and explanations of the correlations between the propulsion characteristics and resulting cockpit features are provided. Looking to the far future, this study evaluates the impact of having achieved the following breakthrough advancements: • Control over gravitational and inertial forces: - The craft is propelled by interacting with the properties of the space-time and/ or inertial frames surrounding the craft- and can accelerate at g levels beyond human endurance. - The environment inside a craft can be sustained anywhere between 0 g and 1 g (minimum range) without regard for either the motion of the craft or its outside gravitational environment.