# Getaway Special

Getaway Special was a NASA program that offered interested individuals, or groups, opportunities to fly small experiments aboard the Space Shuttle. Over the 20-year history of the program, over 170 individual missions were flown. The program, which was officially known as the Small, Self-Contained Payloads program, was canceled following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003.

## History

The program was conceived by NASA's Shuttle program manager John Yardley, and announced in the fall of 1976. The "Getaway Special" nickname originated from a special vacation fare for flights between Los Angeles and Honolulu being advertised by Trans World Airlines at the time around the program's conception.
The first Getaway Special was purchased by Gilbert Moore of Thiokol on October 12, 1976, and donated to Utah State University. It was flown on Columbia during STS-4 in June/July 1982. The program was canceled after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003. The last Getaway Special, which was carried aboard STS-107, was the Freestar experiment package, which carried six different experiments. Much of the data was lost when Columbia was destroyed, but some data was transmitted during the mission.
After reorganization of the Shuttle Program, NASA cited the need for the remaining Shuttle fleet to complete assembly of the ISS to justify its decision to cancel the program. The GAS program canisters and GAS Bridge combined weight were only usable on low orbit missions, which were rescheduled with higher priority payloads. With payload and program limits set on the remaining Shuttle missions until the expected STS close-out in 2010, the GAS program was eliminated.

## Allocation

To assure that diverse groups would have access to space, NASA rotated GAS payload assignments among four major categories of users: educational, foreign, commercial, and U.S. government. GAS payloads had been reserved by foreign governments and individuals; U.S. industrialists, foundations, high schools, colleges and universities; professional societies; service clubs; and many others. Although persons and groups involved in space research obtained many of the reservations, a large number of spaces were reserved by persons and organizations outside the space community.
GAS requests were first approved at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., by the director of the Transportation Services Office. At that point NASA screened the propriety and objectives of each request. To complete the reservation process for GAS payloads, each request was accompanied or preceded by the payment of $500. Approved requests were assigned an identification number and referred to the GAS team at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the designated lead center for the project. The GAS team screened the proposals for safety and provided advice and consultation on payload design. It certified that proposed payloads would be safe and would not harm or interfere with the operations of the space shuttle, its crew, or other experiments on the flight. The costs of any physical testing required to answer safety questions before launch were borne by the GAS customer.

## Requirements

There were no stringent requirements to qualify for participation in the GAS program. However, each payload was required to meet specific safety criteria, have been screened for its propriety, as well as being evaluated for its educational, scientific or technological objectives. These guidelines preclude commemorative items, such as medallions, that are intended for sale as objects that have flown in space. NASA's Space Shuttle program had specific standards and conditions relating to GAS payloads. Payloads were required to have fit into NASA standard containers and weigh no more than 200 pounds (91 kg). Two or more experiments could have been included in a single container if they fit while not exceeding weight limitations. The payload must have been self-powered, as experiments could not draw on the Shuttle orbiter's electricity. In addition, the crew's involvement with GAS payloads was limited to six simple activities (such as turning on and off up to three payload switches), due to the fact that crew activity schedules do not provide opportunities to either monitor or service GAS payloads in flight.
The cost of this unique service depended on the size and weight of the experiment. Getaway specials of 200 pounds (91 kg) and 5 cubic feet (0.14 m$^3$) cost $10,000; 100 pounds (45 kg) and 2.5 cubic feet (0.071 m$^3$), $5,000; and 60 pounds (27 kg) and 2.5 cubic feet (0.071 m$^3$), $3,000. The weight of the GAS container, experiment mounting plate and its attachment screws, and all hardware regularly supplied by NASA was not charged to the experimenter's weight allowance.
The GAS container provided internal pressure, which could be varied from near vacuum to about one atmosphere. The bottom and sides of the container were always thermally insulated, and the top may have been insulated or not, depending on the specific experiment. A lid that could be opened, or one with a window, may be required, and were offered as options at additional cost. The GAS containers were made of aluminum, and the circular end plates are $^5$⁄$_8$ inch (16 mm) thick aluminum. The bottom 3 inches (76 mm) of the container were reserved for NASA interface equipment, such as command decoders and pressure regulating systems. The container was a pressure vessel that could be evacuated before or during launch, or on orbit, and could be re-pressurized during re-entry, or on orbit, as required by the experimenter.
The getaway bridge, which was capable of holding 12 canisters, made its maiden flight on STS-61-C. The aluminum bridge fit across the payload bay of the orbiter and offered a convenient and economic way of flying several GAS canisters.

## Example of GAS experiments

* STS-7 - Pugas
* STS-40 - G-616 Cosmic Radiation Effects on Floppy Disks
* STS-47 - Project POSTAR
* STS-61-C - 1986: Vertical Horizons (G-481)
** Ellery Kurtz, artist, and Howard Wishnow, Project Coordinator. An art conservation experiment on board the Space Shuttle Columbia. Included in the canister as part of the experiment were four original oil paintings by Kurtz, and other artistic materials, in order to evaluate the effects of spaceflight on fine art materials.
* STS-91 - June 2, 1998 (G-743)

## Full list of experiments

| Launch Date | STS Number | Payload Name | Payload Classification | Experiment Name | Payload Carrier Hardware |
| 03/22/82 | 3 | GAS FVP | GAS | GAS FVP | Adapter Beam |
| 06/27/82 | 4 | G-001 | GAS | G-001 | Adapter Beam |
| 11/11/82 | 5 | G-026 | GAS | G-026 | Adapter Beam |
| 04/04/83 | 6 | G-005 G-049 G-381 | GAS | G-005 G-049 G-381 | Adapter Beam |
| 06/18/83 | 7 | G-002 G-088 G-009 G-012 G-033 G-305 G-345 | GAS | G-002 G-088 G-009 G-012 G-033 G-305 G-345 | Adapter Beam |
| 08/30/83 | 8 | G-346 G-347 G-348 G-475 | GAS | G-346 G-347 G-348 G-475 | Adapter Beam |
| 02/03/84 | 10 (41-B) | G-004 G-008 G-051 G-309 G-349 | GAS | G-004 G-008 G-051 G-309 G-349 | Adapter Beam |
| 10/05/84 | 13 (41-G) | G-007 G-013 G-032 G-038 G-074 G-306 G-469 G-518 | GAS | G-007 G-013 G-032 G-038 G-074 G-306 G-469 G-518 | Adapter Beam |
| 04/12/85 | 16 (51-D) | G-035 G-471 | GAS | G-035 G-471 | Adapter Beam |
| 04/29//85 | 17 (51-B) | G-010 G-308 | GAS | G-010 G-308 | Adapter Beam |
| 06/17/85 | 18 (51-G) | G-025 G-027 G-028 G-034 G-314 G-471 | GAS | G-025 G-027 G-028 G-034 G-314 G-471 | Adapter Beam |
| 10/30/85 | 22 (61-A) | G-308 | GAS | G-308 | Adapter Beam |
| 11/26/85 | 23 (61-B) | G-479 | GAS | G-479 | Adapter Beam |
| 01/12/86 | 24 (61-C) | HHG-1 | Hitchhiker (HH) | Particle Analysis Cameras for the Shuttle (PACS)Capillary Pump Loop (CPL) | Hitchhiker Bridge |
| 01/12/86 | 24 (61-C) | GAS Bridge Assembly-1 (GBA-1) | GAS | G-007 G-062 G-310 G-332 G-446 G-449 G-462 G-463 G-464 G-470 G-481 G-494 | GAS Bridge Assembly (GBA) |
| 08/08/89 | 28 | G-335 G-341 | GAS | G-335 G-341 | Adapter Beam |
| 10/18/89 | 34 | SSBUV-01 | GAS | Shuttle Solar Background Ultraviolet (SSBUV) | Adapter Beam |
| 12/02/90 | 35 | BBXRT | HH | Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) | Adapter Beam |
| 04/28/91 | 39 | MPEC-01 | CAP | Multi-Purpose Experiment Canister (MPEC) | Adapter Beam |
| 04/28/91 | 39 | STP-1 | HH | Advanced Liquid Feed Experiment (ALFE), MDAC MDE/AFAL Data Systems Experiment (DSE), NASA GSFC Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared Test (SKIRT)-Circular Variable Filter(CVF) / GLOS Ultraviolet Limb Imaging Experiment (UVLIMB), NRL/USAF | Hitchhiker Bridge |
| 06/05/91 | 40 | GBA-2 | GAS | G-021 G-052 G-091 G-105 G-286 G-405 G-408 G-451 G-455 G-486 G-507 G-616 | GBA |
| 01/22/92 | 42 | GBA-3 | GAS | G-086 G-140 G-143 G-329 G-336 G-337 G-457 G-609 G-610 G-614 | GBA |
| 08/02/91 | 43 | TPCE-01 | CAP | TPCE-01 | Adapter Beam |
| 03/24/92 | 45 | G-229 | GAS | G-229 | Adapter Beam |
| 07/31/92 | 46 | CONCAP IV-03 CONCAP II-01 CONCAP III-01 | CAP | LDCE-01 LDCE-02 LDCE-03 | Adapter Beam |
| 09/12/92 | 47 | GBA-4 | GAS | G-102 G-255 G-300 G-330 G-482 G-520 G-521 G-534 G-613 | Adapter Beam |
| 11/12/93 | 51 | LDCE-04 LDCE-05 | CAP | LDCE-04 LDCE-05 | Adapter Beam |
| 10/22/92 | 52 | ASP | HH | Attitude Sensor Package (ASP) | Adapter Beam |
| 10/22/92 | 52 | TPCE-01 | CAP | TPCE-01 | Adapter Beam |
| 12/02/92 | 53 | GCP | HH | Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS-1) Cryogenic Heat Pipe Experiment (CRYOHP) Shuttle Glow (GLO-1) | Adapter Beam |
| 01/13/93 | 54 | DXS | HH | Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer (DXS) | Adapter Beam |
| 04/26/93 | 55 | RKGM | CAP | RKGM | Adapter Beam |
| 04/08/93 | 56 | SUVE | CAP | SUVE | Adapter Beam |
| 06/21/93 | 57 | SHOOT | HH | Super Fluid Helium On Orbit Transfer (SHOOT) | Adapter Beam |
| 06/21/93 | 57 | GBA-5 | GAS | CONCAP-IV-01 G-022 G-324 G-399 G-450 G-452 G-453 G-454 G-535 G-601 G-647 | GBA |
| 04/09/94 | 59 | CONCAP IV-02 | CAP | CONCAP IV-02 | Adapter Beam |
| 04/09/94 | 59 | G-203 G-300 G-458 | GAS | G-203 G-300 G-458 | Adapter Beam |
| 02/03/94 | 60 | COB/GBAODERACS-1RBREMSAT | GAS Bridge Assembly-6 with Hitchhiker Avionics | Capillary Pumped Loop (CAPL), NASA GSFC | GBA w/ HH Avionics |
| 02/03/94 | 60 | COB/GBAODERACS-1RBREMSAT | HH | Orbital Debris Radar Calibration Spheres (ODERACS-1R), USAF | GBA w/ HH Avionics |
| 02/03/94 | 60 | COB/GBAODERACS-1RBREMSAT | CAP | BREMAN Satellite (BREMSAT), University of Bremen | GBA w/ HH Avionics |
| 02/03/94 | 60 | COB/GBAODERACS-1RBREMSAT | GAS | G-071 G-514 G-536 G-557 | GBA w/ HH Avionics |
| 03/04/94 | 62 | LDCE-06LDCE-07LDCE-08 | CAP | LDCE-06LDCE-07LDCE-08 | Adapter Beam |
| 03/04/94 | 62 | OAST-2 | HH | Thermal Energy Storage (TES-1, TES-2) Cryogenic Two Phase (CRYOTP), NASA GSFC/USAF Phillips Lab Emulsion Chamber Technology (ECT), NASA MSFC Experimental Investigation of Spacecraft Glow (EISG), NASA JSC/NASA GSFC Solar Array Module Plasma Interaction Experiment (SAMPIE), NASA LeRC Spacecraft Kinetic Infrared Test (SKIRT), NASA JSC/NASA GSFC | HH Bridge |
| 02/03/95 | 63 | CGP/ODERACS-2 | HH | Cryo System Experiment (CSE), Hughes Shuttle Glow (GLO-2), U of AZ IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) Orbital Debris Radar Calibration System-II (ODERACS-II), USAF | HH Bridge |
| 09/09/94 | 64 | ROMPS-1 | HH | Robot Operated Materials Processing System (ROMPS) | Adapter Beam |
| 09/09/94 | 64 | GBA-7 | GAS | G-178 G-254 G-325 G-417 G-453 G-454 G-456 G-485 G-506 G-562 | GBA |
| 11/03/94 | 66 | ESCAPE-2 | CAP | ESCAPE-2 | Adapter Beam |
| 03/02/95 | 67 | G-387 G-388 | GAS | G-387 G-388 | Adapter Beam |
| 09/30/94 | 68 | G-316 G-503 G-541 | GAS | G-316 G-503 G-541 | Adapter Beam |
| 09/07/95 | 69 | IEH-1 | HH | Ultraviolet Spectrograph Telescope for Astronomical Research (UVSTAR), U of AZ/ESA Shuttle Glow Experiment-3 (GLO-3), U of AZ Solar Extreme Ultraviolet HH (SEH), USC | HH Bridge |
| 09/07/95 | 69 | IEH-1 | HH-Jr. | Complex Autonomous Payload (CONCAP IV-03), U of AL | HH Bridge |
| 09/07/95 | 69 | CAPL/GBA | HH | Capillary Pumped Loop (CAPL-2), NASA/GSFC | GBA |
| 09/07/95 | 69 | CAPL/GBA | CAP | TES-2 | GBA |
| 09/07/95 | 69 | CAPL/GBA | GAS | G-515 G-645/SRE G-702/SRE G-726 | GBA |
| 01/11/96 | 72 | SLA-01 | HH | Shuttle Laser Altimeter-01 (SLA-01), NASA/GSFC | HH Bridge |
| 01/11/96 | 72 | SLA-01 | CAP | TES-2 | HH Bridge |
| 01/11/96 | 72 | SLA-01 | GAS | G-342 G-459 G-740 | HH Bridge |
| 01/11/96 | 72 | SLA-01 | HH | Shuttle Laser Altimeter-01 (SLA-01), NASA/GSFC | HH Bridge |
| 11/12/95 | 74 | GPP | HH | Shuttle Glow Experiment (GLO-4) Photogrammetric Appendage Structural Dynamics Experiment Payload (PASDE-01) | Adapter Beam |
| 03/22/96 | 76 | G-312 | GAS | G-312 | Adapter Beam |
| 05/19/96 | 77 | TEAMS | HH | Vented Tank Resupply Experiment (VTRE), NASA/LeRC GPS Attitude and Navigation Experiment (GANE), NASA/JSC Liquid Metal Thermal Experiment (LMTE), USAF Phillips Laboratory Passive Aerodynamically-Stabilized Magnetically-Damped Satellite (PAMS), NASA GSFC | HH Bridge |
| 05/19/96 | 77 | TPCE-RF | CAP | TPCE-RF | GBA |
| 05/19/96 | 77 | G-056 G-063 G-142 G-144 G-163 G-200 G-490 G-564 G-565 G-703 G-741 | GAS | G-056 G-063 G-142 G-144 G-163 G-200 G-490 G-564 G-565 G-703 G-741 | GBA |
| 11/19/96 | 80 | SEM-01 | SEM | SEM-01 | Adapter Beam |
| 04/04/97 | 83 | CRYOFD | HH | Cryogenic Flexible Diode (CRYOFD), NASA GSFC/USAF Phillips Lab | Adapter Beam |
| 08/07/97 | 85 | TAS-01 | HH | Shuttle Laser Altimeter (SLA-02), NASA GSFC Infrared Spectral Imaging Radiometer (ISIR), NASA GSFC Critical Viscosity of Xenon (CVX-01), NASA LeRC Space Experiment Module (SEM-02), NASA GSFC Solar Constant (SOLCON-1), Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium Two-Phase Flow (TPF), NASA GSFC COOLLAR Flight Experiment (CFE), USAF Phillips Lab | HH Bridge |
| 08/07/97 | 85 | TAS-01 | SEM | SEM-02 | HH Bridge |
| 08/07/97 | 85 | IEH-2 | HH | Ultraviolet Spectrograph Telescope for Astronomical Research (UVSTAR), U of AZ/ESA Shuttle Glow Experiment-5 & 6 (GLO-5 & 6), U of AZ Solar Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (SEH), USC Distribution and Automation Technology Advancement - Colorado Hitchhiker And Student Experiment of solar Radiation (DATA-CHASER), University of Colorado | HH Bridge |
| 08/07/97 | 85 | G-572 G-745 | GAS | G-572 G-745 | Adapter Beam |
| 19/25/97 | 86 | SEEDSII | CAP | SEEDSII | Adapter Beam |
| 11/19/97 | 87 | LHP/NaSBE (LNBP) | HH | Loop Heat Pipe Experiment (LHP), Dynatherm Sodium Surface Battery Experiment (NaSBE), NRL | Adapter Beam |
| 11/19/97 | 87 | SOLSE-01 | HH-Jr | Shuttle Ozone Limb Sounding Experiment (SOLSE-01), NASA GSFC | Adapter Beam |
| 11/19/97 | 87 | TGDF | CAP | TGDF | Adapter Beam |
| 11/19/97 | 87 | G-036 | GAS | G-036 | Adapter Beam |
| 12/04/98 | 88 | MIGHTYSAT-1 | HH | MightySat-1, USAF Phillips Lab Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientifico-A (SAC-A), Argentinean National Commission of Space Activities | Adapter Beam |
| 12/04/98 | 88 | JSC APFR | HH | JSC APFR | Adapter Beam |
| 12/04/98 | 88 | G-093R | GAS | G-093R | Adapter Beam |
| 12/04/98 | 88 | SEM-07 | SEM | SEM-07 | Adapter Beam |
| 01/22/98 | 89 | G-093 G-141 G-145 G-432 | GAS | G-093 G-141 G-145 G-432 | Adapter Beam |
| 04/17/98 | 90 | SVF-01 | CAP | Shuttle Vibration Forces (SVF), NASA JPL | Adapter Beam |
| 04/17/98 | 90 | G-197 G-744 G-772 | GAS | G-197 G-744 G-772 | Adapter Beam |
| 06/02/98 | 91 | G-090 G-648 G-743 G-765 | GAS | G-090 G-648 G-743 G-765 | Adapter Beam |
| 06/02/98 | 91 | SEM-03 SEM-05 | SEM | SEM-03 SEM-05 | Adapter Beam |
| 07/01/97 | 94 | CRYOFD | HH | Cryogenic Flexible Diode (CRYOFD) | Adapter Beam |
| 10/29/98 | 95 | CRYOTSU | HH | Cryogenic Thermal Storage Unit (CRYOTSU), NASA GSFC | Adapter Beam |
| 10/29/98 | 95 | IEH-3 | HH | Ultraviolet Spectrograph Telescope for Astronomical Research (UVSTAR), U of AZ/ESA Solar Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (SEH), USC STAR-LITE, U of AZ Petite Amateur Navy Satellite (PANSAT), USAF Space Test Program Solar Constant Experiment (SOLCON-02), Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium | HH Bridge |
| 10/29/98 | 95 | IEH-3 | GAS | G-238 G-764 | HH Bridge |
| 10/29/98 | 95 | SEM-04 | SEM | SEM-04 | SEM-attached to SPARTAN 201-05 Bridge |
| 10/29/98 | 95 | G-467 G-779 | GAS | G-467 G-779 | Adapter Beam |
| 05/27/99 | 96 | SVF-02 | CAP | Shuttle Vibration Forces (SVF-02), NASA JPL | Adapter Beam |
| 05/27/99 | 95 | STARSHINE | HH | Student Tracked Atmospheric Research Satellite for Heuristic International Networking Experiment (STARSHINE), Rocky Mountain NASA Space Grant Consortium/USU | Adapter Beam |
| 05/19/00 | 101 | MARS | CAP | MARS | Adapter Beam |
| 05/19/00 | 101 | SEM-06 | SEM | SEM-06 | Adapter Beam |
| 03/08/01 | 102 | WSVFM | CAP | Wide-band Shuttle Vibration Force Measurement (WSVFM), NASA JPL | Adapter Beam |
| 03/08/01 | 102 | G-783 | GAS | G-783 | Adapter Beam |
| 03/08/01 | 102 | SEM-09 | SEM | SEM-09 | Adapter Beam |
| 03/08/01 | 102 | Beam - Bay 4 | Beam - Contingency I | Beam - Bay 4 | Adapter Beam |
| 08/10/01 | 105 | HEAT | HH | Advance Carrier Equipment (ACE) SimpleSat, NASA/GSFC | Adapter Beam |
| 08/10/01 | 105 | HEAT | GAS | G-774 | Adapter Beam |
| 08/10/01 | 105 | HEAT | SEM | SEM-10 | Adapter Beam |
| 08/10/01 | 105 | G-780 | GAS | G-780 | Adapter Beam |
| 08/10/01 | 105 | HEAT | Beam - Bay 4 Port | Beam for Contingency | Adapter Beam |
| 09/08/00 | 106 | G-782 | GAS | G-782 | Adapter Beam |
| 09/08/00 | 106 | SEM-08 | SEM | SEM-08 | Adapter Beam |
| 11/29/02 | 107 | FREESTAR | HH | Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment (MEIDEX), Israeli Space Agency Solar Constant Experiment (SOLCON-03), Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium Shuttle Ozone Limb Sounding Experiment (SOLSE-2), NASA GSFC Critical Viscosity of Xenon (CVX-2), NASA GRC Low Power Transceiver (LPT), NASA GSFC and ITT Industries SEM-14 | HH Bridge |
| 12/05/01 | 108 | MACH-1 | HH | CAPL-3, NASA GSFC and the Naval Research Laboratory STARSHINE-2, Rocky Mountain NASA Space Grant Consortium / USU Prototype Synchrotron Radiation Detector (PSRD), NASA JSC | GBA with HH Avionics |
| 12/05/01 | 108 | MACH-1 | CAP | Collisions Into Dust Experiment (COLLIDE-2), NASA GRC | GBA with HH Avionics |
| 12/05/01 | 108 | MACH-1 | GAS | G-761 | GBA with HH Avionics |
| 12/05/01 | 108 | MACH-1 | SEM | SEM-11 SEM-15 | GBA with HH Avionics |
| 12/05/01 | 108 | LMC | LMC Carrier | SEM-12 G-064 G-730 G-785 | LMC Carrier |
| 12/05/01 | 108 | G-221 G-775 | GAS | G-221 G-775 | Adapter Beam |
       Reference for this table: