Visual Surveillance and Reconnaissance from Space Vehicles

The problems to be encountered in the utilization of manned space vehicles for surveillance and reconnaissance are reviewed, together with the variables which will influence the performance of the human operator in such operations. Analyses of the theoretical capabilities of direct, unaided vision and man-periscopic vision are presented. These analyses indicate that the tasks assigned to the human operator must be examined carefully in order to ascertain that they are within his capabilities. However, the operator may be materially assisted through proper design and selection of the display-sensor system, which may overcome his inherent deficiencies. The complexity of the variables involved and the lack of much pertinent data indicates that the utilization of the human operator in any specific, system must be determined as a result of trade-offs performed during actual system development and in keeping with the specific mission objectives to be met by that system.