yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (01/15/89)
David W. Garrett
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. January 12, 1989
NASA POLICY ON SHUTTLE FLIGHT ELIGIBILITY ANNOUNCED
NASA Policy for Payload Specialists and Space Flight Participants
A. General
1. The Challenger accident marked a major change in the
U.S. outlook and policies with respect to the flight of other
than NASA astronauts. NASA and interested external parties,
domestic and international, must reexamine previous
understandings, expectations, and commitments regarding flight
opportunities in light of the new policies now being enunciated.
2. NASA policies and their implementation recognize that:
--every flight of the Shuttle involves risks;
--flight opportunities will now generally be limited
to professional NASA astronauts and payload
specialists essential for mission requirements, and
--top priority must be given to:
. establishing, proving, and maintaining the
reliability and safety of the Shuttle system,
. timely and efficient reduction of the backlog
of high priority scientific and national
security missions, and
. maximum utilization of the Shuttle
capacity for primary and secondary payloads
that require transportation to or from orbit by
the Space Shuttle.
3. All Shuttle flights will be planned with a minimum NASA
crew of five astronauts (commander, pilot, and three mission
specialists). When payload or other mission requirements define
a need and operational constraints permit, the crew size can be
increased to a maximum of seven. Any such additional crew
members must be identified at least 12 months before flight and
be available for crew integration at 6 months.
4. NASA policy and terminology are revised to recognize two
categories of persons other than NASA astronauts, each of which
requires separate policy treatment. They are:
a. "Payload Specialists," redefined to refer to persons
other than NASA astronauts (commanders, pilots, and mission
specialists), whose presence is required on board the Space
Shuttle to perform specialized functions with respect to
operation of one or more payloads or other essential mission
activities.
b. "Space Flight Participants," defined to refer to
persons whose presence on board the Space Shuttle is not required
for operation of payloads or for other essential mission
activities, but is determined by the Administrator of NASA to
contribute to other approved NASA objectives or to be in the
national interest.
B. Payload Specialists
Payload specialists may be added to shuttle crews when more
than the minimum crew size of five is needed and unique
requirements are involved. In the case of foreign-sponsored
missions and payloads, the need and requirements for payload
specialists will be negotiated and mutually agreed between the
foreign sponsors and NASA. The selection process for additional
crew members to meet approved requirements will first give
consideration to qualified NASA mission specialists. When
payload specialists are required they will be nominated by the
appropriate NASA, foreign, or other designated payload sponsor.
In the case of NASA or NASA-related payloads, the nominations
will be based on the recommendations of the appropriate
Investigator Working Group (IWG).
C. Space Flight Participants
NASA remains committed to the long-term goal of providing
space flight opportunities for persons outside the professional
categories of NASA Astronauts and Payload Specialists when this
contributes to approved NASA objectives or is determined to be in
the national interest. However, NASA is devoting its attention
to proving the Shuttle system's capability for safe, reliable
operation and to reducing the backlog of high priority
missions. Accordingly, flight opportunities for Space Flight
Participants are not available at this time. NASA will assess
Shuttle operations and mission and payload requirements on an
annual basis to determine when it can begin to allocate and
assign space flight opportunities for future Space Flight
Participants, consistent with safety and mission
considerations. When NASA determines that a flight opportunity
is available for a space flight participant, first priority will
be given to a "Teacher in Space" in fulfillment of space
education plans.