Field Study Determination of Ventilatory Requirements of Men Rapidly Evacuating a Space Launch Complex

摘要

Physiological variables, including heart rate and minute ventilation, were monitored for 3 men and 1 woman during field trails simulating the emergency evacuation of Space Launch Complexes (SLC) 4E and 4W at Vandenberg AFB in January 1980. It was concluded that a reasonably fit adult male rapidly evacuating the SLC works at a load approximating 65% of his aerobic capacity. Associated with this level of work is a ventilatory requirement of about 51 liters/min with corresponding peak inspiratory flow rates predicted to average about 180 liters/min. Under these conditions excessive rebreathing of expired air with the concomitant onset of hypoxia was clearly evident when wearing the Robertshaw Air Capsule is deemed to be unsuitable as a respiratory protection device during rapid evacuation of the SLG; its limited air supply (about 5 min) renders it a marginal device for a walking evacuation which requires about 4 min, 19 sec. The degree of protection from airborne contaminants provided by the Robertshaw Air Capsule under work stress conditions simulating both (a) rapid and (b) walking evacuation awaits laboratory testing.