Commercial Space Travel: Proposed Training Requirements

1. 26 Years in Space Operations Commercial Space Travel:Proposed Training Requirements May 2007 Derone Jenkins-Todd, PhD derone.i.jenkins-todd@nasa.gov

2. Specializing in Space • ENGINEERING • Avionics • Electrical Power • Astrodynamics • Vehicle Integration • Trajectory Design • Integrated Testing • Systems Simulation • SPACE OPERATIONS • Command & Control • Console Operations • Operations Concepts • Requirements Definition • Resource Planning • Real-time Mission Support • Procedures Development • Information Technology • Software Development • Integrated Systems Design • Specialized Prototypes • Database Management • Infrastructure Services • Network Design • Security Management

3. Specializing in Space Flight Training • Training • Instructional Systems Design • Requirements Analysis • Custom Curricula Development • Total Media Selection • Train-the-Trainer Programs • Evaluations-Student/Trainer • Personnel Certification

4. Why train at all? • Extreme conditions • High risk • For most, space travel of any sort is not a known quantity

5. Barrios Recommends: • Standardized training for: • Passengers[Persons who are aboard, but not trained to operate the vehicle.] • Crew - [Persons aboard who are trained to operate the vehicle] • Ground Support Personnel – [Controllers, trainers, etc.] • Standardized training : • Facilitates common and repeated use aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order and consistency. • Providesa criterion for evaluating performance and results.

6. Passenger Training:What do they need to know? • While commercial airline passengers travel with little to no training at all, space tourists must have some training. The training should include: • Vehicle Familiarization • Safety • Emergency Procedures • Physiological Effects • What to do and experience during the • flight

7. Passenger Vehicle Familiarization The goal of vehicle familiarization training for passengers is to promote “informed consent.” This training includes: • General explanation of vehicle operation • Description of the flight profile • Very basic description of the hardware • Instructions which include any passenger used equip: • Seats • Toilet • Galley • Cameras • Suits

8. Passenger Safety Training Passenger safety training must include minimal safety procedures, similar to airline safety training, but specific to the commercial space vehicle: • What not to do or touch • What company has done to ensure passenger safety

9. Passenger Emergency Training Emergency Procedure Training • Train survivable, rapid response emergencies: • Fire • Rapid depress • Egress • Rescue

10. Common Physiological Effects • Nausea • Space adaptation sickness • Weightlessness • Congestion • Pressure

11. Prepare the Passenger for the Experience • Weightlessness • Great views • Photography • Small science experiments • Jell-O • Balls of water • Spiritual experiences The training program itself should be a WOW experience!

12. Training for crews and ground support personnel Initial crews and ground support personnel may be the engineers that designed the vehicle, however later personnel will not come from the original teams. Training requirements need to match the duties of crew and controller rather than the design engineer. FYI:The average NASA flight/mission controller serves for five years.

13. Crew and Ground Personnel Training • Fundamental Operation of vehicle hardware and software • Nominal operations training • Select number of emergency procedures that safe the vehicle and the crew • Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) • Train leadership skills so that the crew can manage passengers during both nominal and emergency scenarios. • Emphasis on communication and teamwork

14. Training Facilities for Crew and Ground Personnel Would you fly with a pilot who obtained his/her training solely from a text book? Training facilities must be appropriate for the training objectives. Scoping training facilities requirements is a crucial step in facility development.

15. Certification Processes Measure the achievement of the training Make an official statement of that achievement Certify personnel (ground and crew) to government standards to facilitate safe and effective operations. Certify passengers to government standards to facilitate: Informed consent Safe experience Why Certify? Establishes a level of competence and knowledge. Provides a qualitative measure of service offered Facilitates the screening of personnel and passengers Promotes an enjoyable, safe experience. The Most Important Element

16. Passenger Training: Vehicle Familiarization Safety Emergency Procedures Physiological Effects What to do and experience during the flight Crew and Ground Support Personnel Training: Fundamental Operation of vehicle hardware and software Nominal operations training Select number of emergency procedures that safe the vehicle and the crew Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) Recommendations from Barrios Technology - Summary Whether government required or industry generated, the extreme conditions and high risk environment of commercial space flight demands standard training with certifiable outcomes for passengers, crew, and ground support personnel. A safe enjoyable experience is built upon effective and efficient training.