• • • • •

Growth in commercial space program plans worldwide has introduced a variety of challenges: Unique space vehicle development and operations Commercial space flight program economic viability Public participation in space flight Accommodating spacecraft in conventional aircraft airspace Human factors concerns in non-federal programs

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Challenges (cont.)

Risk and liability Reasonable regulation Spaceport siting Weather, communications, and radar facilities at spaceports not collocated with airports

Space Programs (U.S.)

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Federal

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NASA

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Civil DoD

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Launchers (United Launch Alliance, SpaceX, Orbital Sciences)

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ISS support vehicles (Boeing, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada, Orbital Sciences)

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Communications satellites

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Private

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Suborbital Orbital – Virgin Galactic, XCOR, Blue Origin – Boeing, Bigelow Aerospace, Sierra Nevada

Commercial Space Flight Programs (U.S.)

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Civil - NASA program support for the ISS under Commercial Orbital Transportation Services contracts (COTS)

• •

Launchers (Falcon 9, Antares, Atlas V, Delta IV) Crew & cargo vehicles to the International Space Station

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SpaceX Dragon (crew, up-down cargo)

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Orbital Sciences Cygnus (cargo)

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Boeing CST-100 (crew)

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Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser (crew)

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Bigelow Aerospace Beam (ISS orbital module - berthed)

Commercial Space Flight Programs (U.S.)

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Private (tourism, research)

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Suborbital

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Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo (horizontal launch)

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XCOR Lynx (horizontal launch)

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Blue Origin New Shepard (vertical launch)

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Orbital

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Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser (vertical launch)

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Boeing CST-100 capsule (vertical launch)

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Bigelow BA 330 orbital habitat

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Spacecraft operations include reentry for both flight vehicles and launchers

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All but SpaceShipTwo and Lynx travel at hypersonic speeds during departure and reentry

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Hypersonic = Mach 5 or above

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White Knight Two is subsonic carrier that

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lifts SpaceShipTwo to launch altitude Lynx is single-stage rocket-powered glider with horizontal launch & landing

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The U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) includes controlled airspace to 60,000’ (Flight Level 600, or FL 600)

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U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) is undergoing restructuring to accommodate civil aircraft, military aircraft, spacecraft launches and reentries, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

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Spacecraft flights through the NAS have been infrequent

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Until now, managed through airspace restrictions and rerouting air traffic on the east/west coast for federal launches

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Restricted airspace

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Temporary flight restrictions

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Plans for commercial and private suborbital and orbital space flights introduce more complex airspace management techniques

NAS structure will have airspace regulation and technology advancements to accommodate traffic

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safely and efficiently by 2020

NextGen concepts

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Performance-based navigation

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ADS-B (surveillance & reporting)

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FANS (future nav system) Traffic Flow Management System Network-enabled weather and weather processor Trajectory-based operations Trajectory negotiations (“automated” clearances for conventional, hypersonic, and unmanned flights)

Future airspace capability and flexibility will depend on:

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Aircraft mix and density

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Space flight modes and operations

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Vehicle performance

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Spaceport location

Space flight modes and vehicles include:

• •

Orbital Suborbital

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Vertical launch

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Horizontal launch

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Reusable launchers (RLVs)

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Expendable launchers (ELVs)

Commercial space applications

(1)

– near term

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Suborbital

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Adventure travel (space tourism)

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High-altitude, high-speed research

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Hardware qualification

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Space-based utilities

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Communications

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Navigation

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Power generation Imagery

Commercial space applications

(1)

– within a decade

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Resource and threat management

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Asteroid detection & navigation

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Hazardous waste disposal

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Space debris management Natural resource acquisition

Commercial space applications

(1)

– beyond 2025

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Long-duration zero-g programs

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Orbital & lunar space tourism

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Zero-g medical care

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Manufacturing

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Colonization and science

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Near-space settlements

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Solar system exploration

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Evolved space science

Airspace adjustments for commercial space operations include:

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Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS)

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Expected to be in place by 2025

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Static airspace → dynamic airspace

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4-D trajectory operations (time, space,

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weather, traffic) Automated traffic analysis capability

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Reserved Airspace (2)

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Spaceport operating volumes that exclude conventional air traffic during planned operations and/or unplanned emergencies

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Space Transition Corridors

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Performance-based corridors that will include flexibility and safety for commercial spacecraft

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Flexible Spaceways

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Similar to airways and jet routes

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Accommodation for contingencies

Spacecraft operations require much more than airspace accommodation and planning

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Regulation and licensing (business, vehicle, crew, operations, etc.)

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Vehicle match with business model, spaceport(s), and market

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Emergency and contingency simulation and training

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Launch, flight, and recovery operations

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Program management

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Crew and operations training

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Accommodate evolution of commercial space industry

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Space agency processes, adaptation, and interests (FAA, NASA, State)

Spacecraft developers and operators often begin with engineering expertise, but lack operations specialists

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New undergraduate degree in commercial space operations was developed to support the operational needs of many of the space program companies, commercial spacecraft operators, and spaceports

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Program development was aided by commercial space industry survey inputs

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Adapted as an interdisciplinary degree program

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Core of degree program includes human factors, policy and law, planning and analysis, statistics and management principles

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Industry recommendations for the non-engineering, technical degree included:

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Orbits

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Life support systems

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Spacecraft systems

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Specializations augmented with either:

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Accounting, management, human factors or

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Programming, simulation, production management

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Bachelor of Science degree developed at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) at the Daytona Beach, Florida campus (3)

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Approved by Board of Trustees in March, 2013 for implementation in the fall semester, 2013

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Industry + agency panel will help guide direction of the first-of-its-kind degree program

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ERAU is also on of the premiere educational institution in flight training, flight education, air traffic management, aerospace engineering, and aviation management

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Research areas include contract work for the FAA’s NextGen air traffic development project

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Air transportation focus of the university is now embracing the new age of commercial space transportation

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ERAU faculty have participated in the review and evaluation, as well as the recommendations for Florida’s first commercial spaceport – Cecil Field Spaceport (Jacksonville)

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Future research areas in the new CSO degree are expected to include spaceport evaluation and development within the region, and nationally

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“Air Transportation” is becoming “Aerospace Transportation” with the nearly dozen spaceports underway, or already developed in the United States

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ERAU faculty have participated in the review and evaluation, as well as the recommendations for Florida’s first commercial spaceport – Cecil Field Spaceport (Jacksonville)

•

Future research areas in the new CSO degree are expected to include spaceport evaluation and development with the region, and nationally

•

“Air Transportation” is becoming “Aerospace Transportation” with the nearly dozen spaceports underway, or already developed in the United States