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

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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
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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
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
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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.
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
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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 The Chicago Glider Club
Credit Orange County Soaring Association
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Unusual Attitude Training

• Description Training for flight in an
  off-nominal orientation or inclination
• Example SpaceShipOnes 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

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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

A high-g turn. Credit http//www.baha.be/
Wyles human centrifuge. Credit Wyle Labs
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Flight Simulation

• Description Flight simulators capable of
  simulating flight within the Earths 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.
• NASAs 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