Commercial Human Spaceflight Crew Training Survey Presentation

1. Commercial Human Spaceflight Crew Training Survey Presentation Prepared for COMSTAC RLV Working Group October 10, 2007

2. Presentation Outline • Scope of the study • Design of profiles • Elements of Human Spaceflight Training • Review of training providers • Discussion

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Elements of Human Spaceflight Training

6. credit: NASA credit: NASTAR 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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: Systems Technology, Inc. Credit: Silver Parachutes Sales and Service

11. 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: The Chicago Glider Club Credit: Orange County Soaring Association

12. Credit: Scaled Composites Credit: Acroflights.com Unusual Attitude Training • Description: Training for flight in an off-nominal orientation or inclination • Example: SpaceShipOne’s 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

13. 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

14. 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 A high-g turn. Credit: http://www.baha.be/ Wyle’s human centrifuge. Credit: Wyle Labs

15. Flight Simulation • Description: Flight simulators capable of simulating flight within the Earth’s 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. • NASA’s Vertical Flight Simulator • Helicopter flight simulators Credit: NASA

16. Spaceflight Operations • Description: Training of spaceflight crews to work as a team with flight operations personnel on the ground. • Legacy providers credit: Scaled Composites

17. The End • Discussion