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Commercial
Human Spaceflight Crew Training Survey Presentation
Prepared
for COMSTAC RLV Working Group
October
10, 2007
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Presentation
Outline
Scope of the study
Design of profiles
Elements of Human
Spaceflight Training
Review of training
providers
Discussion
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Scope of
the Study
Purpose:
Perform a comprehensive research and survey of the aviation and space
flight training providers available to identify what is available, by
whom, and its applicability followed by a technical report that discusses
space flight training, areas of emphasis necessary for space flight
preparation, and resources available to those operators needing to comply
with the Human Space Flight code of federal regulations.
Context:
Emerging commercial human spaceflight industry.
FAA/AST has responsibility
to promote industry and ensure safety of the uninvolved public.
Methodology:
Identify and create profiles of training providers through open source
information and interviews with industry associations and providers.
Phased deliverables
beginning in January 2007 and culminating in a final report in July.
Areas of training
examined:
Physiological
training
High performance
jet
High performance
gliders
Altitude chamber
(hypobaric and hyperbaric)
Parachute training
Unusual attitude
training
High altitude flight
High-g (gravity)
Pressure suit training
Microgravity low-g
training
Flight simulation
Spaceflight operations
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Design
of Profiles
The profiles are
organized by training area. Each profile includes the following items:
List of the training
area(s) that the organization provides
Contact information
Description of the
training course(s)
Brief background
and professional training experience of the organization
Description of the
equipment and facilities that the provider owns or uses to conduct the
applicable training
Data on the cost
of the training offered
Some profiles will
include flight training information on areas beyond the area of training
within which they are included in this report.
For example the
NASTAR Center profile resides in the physiological training section,
but this organization also provides altitude chamber (hypobaric), unusual
attitude training, high-g (gravity), and flight simulation training.
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Elements
of Human Spaceflight Training
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Physiological
Training
Description: Physiological
training familiarizes spaceflight crews with the physiological and psychological
stresses of spaceflight.
Physiological training
usually involves classroom training as well as practical experience.
Suppliers:
5 academic institutions
8 commercial suppliers
3 U.S. government
credit: NASA
credit: NASTAR
credit: NASA
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Altitude
Chamber
Description: Hypobaric
altitude chambers are utilized to demonstrate the physiological affects
of exposure to reduced air pressure environments. Hyperbaric chambers
provide increased pressure above standard.
Providers
4 academic
5 commercial
3 U.S. government
Two facilities with
both hypo- & hyper-
credit: Oklahoma
State University
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Microgravity
low-g training
Description: Flight crews in a weightless environment
experience arbitrary and unexpected changes in their sense of orientation.
Parabolic flight
profiles would be a useful tool for familiarizing flight crews with
the affects of microgravity.
Commercial microgravity
flight operators
U.S.
Russia
Credit: NASA
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Pressure
Suit Training
Description: There
are no standalone pressure suit training providers in the US; this type
of training is usually offered as part of a training service package
Such training
service providers are presented separately
Pressure suit manufacturers
can also instruct the user about the proper usage of the suit
Suppliers profiled:
1 pressure suit
manufacturer serving primarily the US government
1 pressure suit
manufacturer that just entered the market in 2006
Credit: David
Clark Company, Inc.
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Parachute
Training
Description: Training
provided for the use of emergency parachutes by spaceflight crews.
Identified only
one commercial emergency parachute training provider, who, at present,
only offers classroom-type training
Training providers
for rectangular/square parachutes, commonly used in recreational skydiving
Suppliers profiled:
1 commercial emergency
parachute training provider
4 emergency parachute
manufacturers
1 parachute flight
training simulator
Credit: Silver
Parachutes Sales and Service
Credit: Systems
Technology, Inc.
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High Performance
Gliders
Description: Gliders
that can be configured with a sink rate of 1,200-1,800 meters (4,000-6,000
feet) per minute without exceeding its maximum velocity. These
type of gliders can simulate some of the re-entry flight characteristics
of reusable launch vehicles.
Examples include:
Blanik L-13, Blanik L-23, Schweizer 2-32, and Caproni A-21
There are more than
80 glider training providers in the US having at least one of these
gliders in their fleet. Selected only 6 to profile, based on:
Number of aircraft
for instruction
Diversity of aircraft
Relevant training
information available, and
Geographical location
(relief, thermals, etc.)
Credit: Orange
County Soaring Association
Credit: The
Chicago Glider Club
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Unusual
Attitude Training
Description: Training
for flight in an off-nominal orientation or inclination
Example: SpaceShipOne00
in-flight roll
Need to be able
to recover and continue safe flight
Many capable providers:
Can be mixed with
other regimes (high-altitude, high-g) or can be specific emergency maneuver
or aerobatic training
Jet or propeller-driven
aircraft
Ground and flight
training combined
Credit: Acroflights.com
Credit: Scaled
Composites
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High Altitude
Flight Training
Description: Flight
training at altitudes that produce the physical conditions experienced
on a sub-orbital trajectory
Benefit of experiencing
flights at high altitude, rather than using an altitude chamber or simulator
Best training
will mimic specific RLV trajectories
High performance
jet and propeller-driven aircraft can be used, though jet creates the
highest performance
F-104 Starfighters
Team
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High-g
(Gravity) Training
Description: Training
that ensures pilots and crew can withstand the high gravitation forces
experienced during spaceflight
Two training methods:
Centrifuge
Flight
Suppliers:
3 primary centrifuge
training providers
Numerous flight
providers with aircraft that can offer high-g operations
Wyle00 human
centrifuge. Credit: Wyle Labs
A high-g turn.
Credit: http://www.baha.be/
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Flight
Simulation
Description: Flight
simulators capable of simulating flight within the Earth00 atmosphere
and flight in a vacuum is an important element of crew training.
Survey considered
only flight simulators that can simulate both vertical and horizontal
motion.
NASA00 Vertical
Flight Simulator
Helicopter flight
simulators
Credit: NASA
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Spaceflight
Operations
Description: Training
of spaceflight crews to work as a team with flight operations personnel
on the ground.
Legacy providers
credit: Scaled
Composites
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The End
Discussion
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