Onboard simulator to train the space station crew for emergencies

The paper discusses the structure of a simulator to train space station crews for emergency situations. A brief historical background is provided. The simulator was designed to provide the capability for the crew to perform training (simulating real situations to a required degree of fidelity) in responding to emergencies while keeping the total overhead costs to a minimum. The paper lists the functions and tasks of the simulator that flow from the stated purpose. The simulator is considered as a complex distributed information system, which includes sets of data: objectives and tasks of the simulator; simulator structure (configuration of the simulator elements and links between them); conditions (requirements, external and internal factors affecting development and operation of the simulator). The structure of the simulator is represented by the following sets: personnel; simulator tools; links between simulator elements. Simulator personnel include administrators, instructors, Mission Control Center (MCC) operators, crew. Simulator tools are represented by the sets of hardware, software and the database. The making-up of the simulator involves the use of space station assets: the downlink communications system, local area networks of the space station and MCC, involved in the mission control, as well as the wide-area network Internet. The paper discusses the structure and tasks of the simulator software, which includes onboard server software, ground servers, onboard mobile terminal, ground user’s workstation. The simulator system includes onboard and ground subsystems, which interact between themselves using the standard uplink system. The presented simulator can be used for practicing personnel actions in response to emergencies at complex facilities, which have large numbers of personnel and hardware.