# Presentation: 021598

## LESSONS LEARNED:

**GUIDELINES TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING FOR A U.S./JAPANESE LAUNCH**

## MAJOR CHALLENGES

- 	**FIRST U.S. SPACECRAFT LAUNCHED ABROAD **
**	****ISLAND OF TANEGASHIMA NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE LARGE ****	****CROWDS WITHOUT ADVANCED PREPARATION**
**	****13/14-HOUR TIME DIFFERENCE **
**	****CONTINUING RESOLUTION **
**	****TRAVEL AGENCY CHANGED**
**	****LONG-TERM DUTY WAS HARDSHIP ON TRAVELERS**
**	****CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS**

## APPROACH

- 	**CREATED SURVEY SHEET**
**	****SELECTED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS TO INTERVIEW**
**	****KEY PLAYERS IN TRMM**
**	****TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT BRANCH**
**	****OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNSEL**
**	****SECURITY OFFICE**
**	****TRAVEL OFFICE**
**	****INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES**
**	****BROCHURES**
**	****INTERNET**

## LOGISTICS AREAS COVERED

**	****HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS**
**	****CAR RENTAL/RULES OF THE ROAD**
**	****HEALTH/SAFETY/PERSONAL ISSUES ****	****	****AND TELEPHONES**
**	****TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS**

## FINDINGS

**	**
**	****JAPANESE FISHERMEN HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH NASDA**
**	****LAUNCHES SCHEDULED IN FEBRUARY AND AUGUST ONLY**
**	****WAIVER WAS REQUIRED**
**	****REMOTENESS OF ISLAND WAS AN OBSTACLE**
**	****LANGUAGE BARRIERS**
**	****WEATHER - TYPHOON SEASON**
**	****TRMM OBSERVATORY AND GSE TRANSPORTED BY BOAT **
**	****FROM KAGOSHIMA TO ISLAND**

## HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

**	****WESTERN ROOM (BED AND BATH)**
**	****JAPANESE HOTEL MANAGER’S UNION SET RATES ****	****	****AND NUMBER OF ROOMS**
**	****	****TRAVELER’S CHECKS/CREDIT CARDS NOT ****	****	****	****ACCEPTED AT MOST HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS**
**	****BANK ACCOUNTS CAN BE OPENED AND ATM ****	****	****CARDS ISSUED**

_**HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS**_

## CAR RENTALS

**	****RENTAL CARS BROUGHT TO ISLAND ON BARGES FROM ****	****TOKYO**
**	****NASDA NEGOTIATED SPECIAL RENTAL RATES FOR NASA ****	****AT $60/DAY**
**	****GASOLINE IS VERY EXPENSIVE (AVERAGE COST OF     ****	****$50-75/WK FOR TRMM TRAVELERS)**
**	****ALL DRIVERS OF RENTAL CARS MUST HAVE ****	****	****INTERNATIONAL DRIVER’S LICENSE**
**	**

_**CAR RENTALS**_

## RULES OF THE ROAD

**	****ROADS ARE NARROW, HILLY, AND WINDING**
**	****MANY ROAD SIGNS ARE DIFFERENT; LEARN THEM  BEFORE ****	****GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL**
**	****DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE (CONVICTION COULD MEAN JAIL ****	****SENTENCE)**
**	****ACCIDENTS ARE CONSIDERED NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF ****	****THE DRIVER**
**	****CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULD ALWAYS TRAVEL ON GOVERNMENT ****	****PASSPORT; NOT PRIVATE**
**	****IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT:**
**	****BE PREPARED TO PAY CASH FOR DEDUCTIBLE FOR RENTAL CAR ****	****DAMAGE**

_**RULES OF THE ROAD**_

## HEALTH ISSUES

**	****IDENTIFY TRAVELERS WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL NEEDS**
**	****JAPANESE PROHIBIT IMPORT OF MANY DRUGS; ****	****	****RESTRICTIONS ON OTHERS**
**	****IMMUNIZATIONS RECOMMENDED BY CDC; NOT REQUIRED**
**	****EMERGENCY MEDICAL ATTENTION:**
**	****SMALL CLINIC/HOSPITAL ON ISLAND**
**	****MEDICAL EVACUATION REQUIRED FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS ****	****OR INJURY**
**	****PROJECT BE PREPARED TO PAY CASH FOR MEDICAL ****	****TREATMENT**

_**HEALTH ISSUES**_

## PERSONAL ISSUES

**	****ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED**
**	****FEW RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ON TANEGASHIMA (BRING ****	****OWN SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT)**
**	****VIDEOS**
**	****BOOKS/MAGAZINES**
**	****TELEVISION**
**	****TELEPHONES**
**	****TWO PHONE CALLS ALLOWED PER WEEK AT NO MORE ****	****THAN $7.00 EACH (RATE SHOULD BE HIGHER FOR FOREIGN ****	****TRAVEL)****	**

_**PERSONAL ISSUES**_

## TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS

**	****TRMM SHIPPED 260 TONS OF EQUIPMENT**
**	****1600 LINE ITEMS**
**	****IT IS CRITICAL TO HAVE DETAILED MANIFEST**
**	****MOU MUST BE USED**
**	****CARNET RECOMMENDED**
**	****DON’T RELY SOLELY ON MOU; SET UP MEETINGS**
**	****JAPANESE CUSTOMS REQUIRES PHOTOGRAPHS TO IDENTIFY ****	****EQUIPMENT**
**	****FOR ANY DAMAGE **
**	****WHEN DAMAGE OCCURRED**
**	****WHO IS RESPONSIBLE**

_**TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS**_

## TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS 

**	****HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY; MUST ****	****BE IDENTIFIED EARLY**
**	****NIPPON EXPRESS DID NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO HANDLE ****	****OVERSIZED CONTAINERS**
**	****AIR-RIDE TRACTOR/TRAILER ($63K)**
**	****JAPANESE DRIVERS**
**	****	**

_**TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS **_

## TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS

**SMALLER PLANE INADEQUATE**
**MEATBALL INSIGNIA REQUIRED**
**NO LAYOVER ALLOWED**
**MILITARY SUPERVISION USED IN LOADING C-5’s**
**DRY-RUN REQUIRED FOR LOADING PLANES**
**	****TRMM SET UP DATABASE FOR ALL EQUIPMENT BEING ****	****	****SHIPPED TO AND FROM JAPAN**
**	****UPON RETURN, ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE RETURNED TO****	****OWNER, TRANSFERRED, STORED, OR EXCESSED**
**	****PROVIDE NAME OF PERSON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR****	****	****DISTRIBUTION;  INCLUDE ALTERNATE NAME**

_**TRANSPORTATION/SHIPPING/CUSTOMS**_

## RECOMMENDATIONS

** ****	****START PREPARATIONS FOR LOGISTICS EARLY (1 to 2 years)**
**	****GET BADGING, PASSPORTS, AND VISAS APPROVED EARLY**
** ****	****INFORM TRAVELERS OF JAPANESE CULTURE AND LIVING ****	****	****CONDITIONS**
** ****	****ORGANIZE!; DEFINE DUTIES AND POINTS OF CONTACT**
** ****	****UTILIZE PROJECT SUPPORT PERSONNEL FREEING UP MANAGEMENT**
**	**
** ****	****GET REGULATIONS AND POLICIES DEFINED PRIOR TO TRAVEL**
**	****MAKE SURE CIVIL SERVANTS USE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT ****	****	****PASSPORTS AND VISAS**

## RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued)

** ****	****PROVIDE LANGUAGE AND ORIENTATION CLASSES FOR TRAVELERS**
** ****	****PROVIDE PAMPHLETS AND BROCHURES**
** ****	****PROVIDE TECHNICAL INTERPRETER FOR TECHNICAL MEETINGS**
** ****	****MAKE SURE ALL SERVICE INDUSTRIES (Hotels, Restaurants, Car **
**	****Rentals, Cleaners, etc.) HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED**
**	****PROVIDE SHIPPING ASSISTANCE AT BOTH ENDS (Japan & U.S.)**
**	****PURSUE WITH NASA HQ USE OF A CARNET (LICENSE) FOR CUSTOMS**
**	****APPLY FOR NECESSARY EXPORT LICENSES, WAIVERS, AND **
**	****EXEMPTIONS EARLY**
**	****HAVE PAO REPRESENTATIVE COORDINATE PRESS/PUBLICITY ****	****PARTIES**