[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: 14CFR1214.305]



[Page 115-116]

 

                     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. 1214.305  Payload specialist responsibilities.



    (a) Relationship with flight crew. The crew commander has overall 

responsibility for crew integration and the safe and successful conduct 

of the mission. With respect to crew and vehicle safety, the commander 

has ultimate responsibility and authority for all assigned crew duties. 

The payload specialist is responsible to the authority of the commander 

and operates in compliance with mission rules and Payload Operation 

Control Center directives.



[[Page 116]]



Payload specialists are expected to operate as an integral part of the 

crew and will participate in crew activities as specified by the crew 

commander.

    (b) Operation of payload elements. The payload specialist will be 

responsible for the operation of the assigned payload elements. Onboard 

decisions concerning assigned payload operations will be made by the 

payload specialist. A payload specialist may be designated to resolve 

conflicts between the payload elements and approve such deviation from 

the flight plan as may arise from equipment failures or STS factors. In 

the instance of STS factors, the mission specialist will present the 

available options for the payload-related decisions by the payload 

specialist.

    (c) Operation of STS equipment. The payload specialist will be 

responsible for knowing how to operate certain Obiter systems, such as 

hatches, food, and hygiene systems, and for proficiency in those normal 

and emergency procedures which are required for safe crew operations, 

including emergency egress and bail out. The responsibility for on-orbit 

management of Orbiter systems and attached payload support systems and 

for extravehicular activity and payload manipulation with the Remote 

Manipulator System will rest with the NASA flight crew. The NASA flight 

crew will operate Orbiter systems and standard payload support systems, 

such as Spacelab and Internal Upper Stage systems. With approval of the 

commander, payload specialists may operate payload support systems which 

have an extensive interface with the payload.