Transcript A Horizontally Launched and Recovered Experiment Platform

FASTRACK
TM
Suborbital Experiment Platform
Presented to
National Council of Space Grant Directors
Executive Committee
October 30, 2007
James E. Ball
Spaceport Development Manager
NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center
FASTRACK
TM
A new spaceflight experiment platform in
development by NASA Kennedy Space
Center and Space Florida
The emerging commercial suborbital
industry will dramatically expand access
to the space environment
It offers promise of frequent, affordable,
and responsive flight opportunities
FASTRACK is being designed
and developed to rapidly employ
this new experiment environment
to advance microgravity research
and space exploration
technologies
FASTRACK is a trademark of NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center
FASTRACK
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Will be jointly developed by NASA Kennedy
Space Center and Space Florida
Discussions are underway with other potential
partners including NASA’s Innovative
Partnership Program and Science Mission
Directorate
Plan is to design and produce in 2008 with initial
flight testing in 2009 aboard parabolic aircraft
Space qualification of flight units aboard one or
more suborbital vehicles targeted by end of
2010
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FASTRACK
Key project objectives are to achieve:
 Compatibility
Across the entire fleet of emerging commercial suborbital vehicles, existing
and future parabolic flight providers, future orbital free-flyers or transports,
ISS National Lab
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Accessibility
Readily available to NASA mission directorates, other Federal agencies,
industry, academia, and educational user groups
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Affordability
Flights available through government or privately-procured commercial
services at competitive rates anticipated to be in the range of $100,000$200,000 in FY 2008 dollars for suborbital spaceflight opportunities
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FASTRACK
Is…
 A versatile rack system incorporating standard
middeck locker experiment accommodations
with self-contained power
 Capacity for two single lockers or one double
locker, a subsystem drawer, and experiment
apparatus
 Multiple racks can be flown depending on
supporting vehicle
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FASTRACK
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Horizontal operations
feature runway takeoff
and recovery
Offers 2-3 minutes of
microgravity, reaching 62
miles or higher
Pressurized, conditioned
air environment
Multiple launch sites
support reliable and
competitive opportunities
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Shortened lead time for experiment
integration
Rapid retrieval of samples and data
Opportunity to re-fly on short turnaround
Fills gap in microgravity research capabilities
Reduces risk to longer duration, higher
investment orbital operations by enabling firststep flight testing
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FASTRACK
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KSC brings extensive
experience in space
experiment processing,
hardware development, and
flight operations
Space Florida has established
the Stephen Hawking
Microgravity Education and
Research Center, and has
commercial parabolic flight
experiment experience
FASTRACK
A new opportunity for Space Grant to excite educators,
inspire students, promote scientific inquiry, and stimulate
the next generation of space explorers.
TM
Advancing Microgravity Science
and Applications:
Steps to the ISS National
Laboratory
and beyond
Charles Quincy
Sustainable Systems Division
Applied Technology Directorate
John F. Kennedy Space Center
National Council of Space Grant Directors
October 30, 2007
Microgravity Science Fields of Study & Primary Use Drivers
Physical Processes
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Combustion Science
Fluid Physics
Materials Science
Dust Aggregation
Biology
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The Aging Process
Infectious Disease
Molecular Biology
Preventive Medicine
Gene & Protein Expression
Industrial Applications
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Private Space Hardware Developers
• Offers cost-effective hardware &
experiment pre-ISS test flights.
• Reduces risk to space operations technology
development.
Pharmaceuticals (crystal formation in Micro-g)
Biotechnology Product Development
Computer Chip Materials Development
Cosmetic Firms (novel product development)
NASA Mission Support
• ESMD technology development.
• Assessment of SOMD developmental
hardware and software.
• Growth and success of ISS user base
(National Lab Initiative).
• Education/Outreach
• National Space Grant Consortium
Other Government Agencies
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National Institutes of Health
National Science Foundation
Department of Energy
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Investigation Progression
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Drop Tower testing
Parabolic flight
Sub-orbital flight
Highly elliptical flight
Orbital sorties
Visits to ISS
Increased
Cost
Increased
time in
Zero G
Customers
Private Sector
ISS National Laboratory
NASA
Vision
Control
Resource
Allocation
Crew time
Education
Institutes
NASA
(SOMD, SMD,
& ESMD)
Operations
Control
Launch & Landing
Concept
Refinement Zone
Preparation
Selection For ISS
Experimentation
- Concept Evaluation
- Team Development and Meeting
- Requirements Development
- Selection of Flight Configuration
- Science verification Test
Shuttle, Other,
COTS, & CEV
Public
State
Activity Selected for ISS Experimentation Evaluation
ISS
UP Mass
Down Mass
Public Federal
Zone
- Build, Configure, and Test Flight
Configuration
- Certify for Flight
- Conduct Flight Operations
- Conduct Post Flight Operations