[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 14, Volume 5]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 14CFR1214.303]



[Page 112-113]

 

                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE

 

                          SPACE ADMINISTRATION

 

PART 1214_SPACE FLIGHT--Table of Contents

 

Subpart 1214.3_Payload Specialists for Space Transportation System (STS) 

                                Missions

 

Sec. 1214.303  Policy.



    (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 re-examine 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:

    (i) Every flight of the Shuttle involves risks;

    (ii) Flight opportunities will now generally be limited to 

professional NASA astronauts and payload specialists essential for 

mission requirements; and

    (iii) Top priority must be given to:

    (A) Establishing, proving, and maintaining the reliability and 

safety of the Shuttle system;

    (B) 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:

    (i) Payload specialists, redefined to refer to persons other than 

NASA astronauts (commanders, pilots, and mission specialists), whose 

presence is required onboard the Space Shuttle to perform specialized 

functions with respect to operation of one or more payloads or other 

essential mission activities.

    (ii) Space flight participants, defined to refer to persons whose 

presence onboard 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



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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.