Fri, Feb 21, 2003
NASA released the top level requirements for the
Orbital Space Plane this week. The new ship would be the first of a
next-generation system of space vehicles designed to provide a crew
rescue and crew transport capability to and from the International
Space Station. These requirements set the foundation for the design
of the vehicle and its associated systems.
The Level I requirements for an Orbital Space Plane system were
developed based on NASA's missions as defined in the Integrated
Space Transportation Plan and inputs from the industry and
Department of Defense partners participating in the program. The
requirements were reviewed at multiple levels within the agency.
The final review and approval process included the NASA
Administrator, Deputy Administrator, as well as the Associate
Administrators for the Office of Aerospace Technology and the
Office of Human Space Flight.
"This is an important first step in making the Integrated Space
Transportation Plan a reality," said NASA Deputy Administrator
Frederick Gregory. "The Orbital Space Plane system will give us the
flexibility needed to safely and efficiently get crew to and from
orbit and to provide crew rescue and logistical support to the
International Space Station. These initial requirements help to
outline a comprehensive system that will significantly complement
the capabilities of our existing Space Shuttle fleet."
Any future changes to the Level I Requirements would be
considered by the Orbital Space Plane Program Office and require
approval from the NASA Executive Council.
The program now is in the process of developing Level II
Requirements for the Orbital Space Plane system. Unlike the Level I
requirements, which were defined by NASA, Level II requirements
will be defined at the program level and will be detailed in a
document referred to as the Systems Requirements Document (SRD)
planned for release no later than late this year.
More News
Aero Linx: International Business Aviation Council Ltd IBAC promotes the growth of business aviation, benefiting all sectors of the industry and all regions of the world. As a non->[...]
"During the annual inspection of the B-24 “Diamond Lil” this off-season, we made the determination that 'Lil' needs some new feathers. Due to weathering, the cloth-cove>[...]
Also: Bushcat Woes, Hummingbird 300 SL 4-Seat Heli Kit, Carbon Cub UL The newest Junkers is a faithful recreation that mates a 7-cylinder Verner radial engine to the airframe offer>[...]
Also: Seaplane Pilots Association, Rotax 916’s First Year, Gene Conrad After a decade and a half of struggling with the FAA and other aero-politics, G100UL is in production a>[...]
Also: Martha King Scholarship, Montaer Grows, Textron Updates Pistons, FlySto The FAA is hiring thousands of air traffic controllers, but the window to apply will only be open for >[...]