Workload Evaluation of Subjects Carrying out Accessibility and Operability Tests in Underwater Environment for Microgravity Simulation

As weightlessness is not completely reproducible on Earth, usability evaluation of space systems is often simulated through tests in aquatic environment. A Neutral Buoyancy Facility test campaign was organized in a special pool to simulate Extra-Vehicular Activities on the Columbus module of the future International Space Station with the aim of assessing various aspects of crew interface design. To understand how stressful this environment could be, we developed an evaluation methodology of the workload correlated to visibility, accessibility and operability tests.