# Presentation: 761796

## Commercial Space Transportation

**Commercial Space Transportation**
- Research and Development  Program

- COMSTAC RLV Working Group
- Chuck Larsen
- October 10, 2007

## FAA Commercial Space Transportation R&D Program

- Background
- What Is the FAA/AST R&D Program?
- How Has It Been Working?
- What Difference Does It make?
- Future Developments of AST’s R&D Program and Policy Implications
- How Do I Get Onboard?

## Background

- Authority
- _49 U. S. C. Subtitle IX, Chapter 701 – Commercial Space Activities_
- Need for an FAA/AST R&D Program
- Plans and Activities to Fill the Need

## What Is the FAA/AST R&D Program?

- _Charter_
- Consistent with AST leadership in regulatory activity, developing a safe, efficient U. S. Commercial Space Transportation industry.
- Institutionalizes AST R&D Advisory Board, and AST R&D Senior Steering Committee (SSC) to manage the process.
- Annually, the Advisory Board identifies, evaluates and recommends a prioritized list of R&D Projects to the SSC for its consideration and portfolio selection.

## What Is the FAA/AST R&D Program?

- _AST Research and Development Plan_
- Establishes a process to receive, evaluate and prioritize candidate research projects to meet FAA/AST increased safety & greater capacity goals.
- Provide management time frames for decisions that correspond with the FAA budget process.

## What Is the FAA/AST R&D Program?

- _AST R&D Plan Overview_
- Establishes Purpose, Scope and Objectives
- Defines Research in the AST Mission Context
- Aligns R&D Planning with Budget Process
- Establishes a Requirements Process
- Defines Research Project Schedule
- Allows for Unbudgeted Research Requirements
- Provides for periodic review of R&D progress and a way to recommend and approve changes, as needed

## How Has It Been Working?

- The AST R&D Plan Has Provided 3 – 5 Research Projects Per Year That Have Supported The FAA Flight Plan Goals of:
- Increased Safety
- Greater Capacity

## How Has It Been Working?

- _AST R&D Activities FY 2007_
- AST R&D Advisory Board
- -   Met monthly to implement its responsibilities
- Held meetings to review changes to FY07 Projects and recommended approval to AST R&D SSC
- Met weekly to review R&D Projects for FY08
- AST R&D Senior Steering Committee (SSC)
- Met quarterly to review progress on FY07 R&D Projects
- Met 6/07, 9/07 to review recommended FY08 R&D Projects
- -  Selected 3 AST R&D Projects for FY08

## What Difference Does It Make?

- _AST R&D FY07 Projects_
- Historical Database of Failures and Reliability of Rocket-powered Vehicles
- Human Space Flight Training Preparation Survey
- Safety Operations Personnel Duty and Rest Analysis
- _AST R&D FY08 Projects_
- Informed Consent for the Personal Space Flight Industry
- Low Cost, Field Portable, High Altitude Wind Profiler
- Temporal Winds Database Feasibility Study

## Future Developments of AST’s R&D Program and Policy Implications

- Involvement with Other Government Agency R&D Programs
- Further Development of Human Space Flight Regulations
- Increasing the Importance and Utility of the Commercial Space Transportation Industry

## How Do I Get Onboard?

- Contact AST Through our R&D Website:
- http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/about/research_development/
- Participate on one of Our Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee Working Groups
- Reusable Launch Vehicle Working Group
- Launch Operation Support Working Group
- AST Call for FY09 R&D Projects Sent to COMSTAC 9/07
- Prioritized List of Candidate Research Projects Due to AST by January 15, 2008