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[ Music ]

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>> Phase 2 of NASA's Pilot
Breathing Assessment project

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to analyze pilot breathing

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and high performance jet
aircraft is now complete.

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Beginning with Phase
1 in early 2018,

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NASA Armstrong research pilots
and a team brought together

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by the NASA engineering
and Safety Center

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at Langley Research
Center in Virginia,

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studied how pilot breathing
can fluctuate in flight,

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which can sometimes result
in a physiological episode.

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Research pilots flew different
profiles of speed, altitude

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and aerobatics in NASA
F-15 and F-18 aircraft

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to correlate the type of flight

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with how it affects
pilot breathing.

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They also compared
and tested Navy

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and Air Force configurations of
oxygen mask regulator systems.

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The pilots were subject to
pre and post flight surveys,

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pulse oximetry test and
related data gathering.

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In the second phase, the
project gathered more data

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through refined procedures,
conducted cabin pressure test

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in the F-18 and for the
first time tested a new type

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of oxygen mask developed
by scientists

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at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena.

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The JPL mask uses laser sensors
to determine levels of CO2

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and water exhaled
inside the mask.

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The mask was tested
in conjunction

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with the already used VigilOX
system, which measures a number

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of key parameters including the
pilot's oxygen concentration,

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breathing pressures,
and flow rates.

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A standardized profile
deliverable is also

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in development for other
organizations to reference,

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to test a new aircraft's
oxygen system,

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or troubleshoot issues
when problems arise.

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The research is a step forward
in developing a baseline

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of pilot breathing
capability before,

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after, and during a flight.

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The project will pass this study
on to the Navy and the Air Force

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to help shed light on how a
pilot's breathing is affected

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while flying high
performance aircraft