[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR1214.303]

[Page 114]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
                   CHAPTER V--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
                          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 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.

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