Design of a Hybrid Spacesuit Display for Martian Surface Exploration

Abstract

This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of hybrid heads-up displays (HUDs) for Martian surface exploration. Our HUDs integrate task-specific overlays with adaptive contextual information in a single helmet-mounted interface, enabling real-time decision support to astronauts without obstructing their external field of view. Building upon spacesuit technologies from Apollo, Space Shuttle, and Artemis missions, we developed four HUD prototypes addressing key operational needs: navigation and surface traversal, suit and mission-critical monitoring, emergency response, environmental awareness, and task operation support. The 13 Principles of Display Design guided the development of our HUDs, and usability was evaluated through Likert scale testing. Results demonstrated high usability for surface and task displays (mean > 5.3/7), with user feedback informing iterative refinements. Recommended future work includes VR-based dynamic testing with larger cohorts of participants. Overall, our project demonstrates the feasibility of ergonomic HUD integration for Martian extravehicular activities (EVAs) and provides actionable insights to guide next-generation EVA interface design, enhancing human performance and safety in Martian and deep-space missions.