Location
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Atlantis/ Discovery Rooms
Start Date
23-4-1996 2:00 PM
End Date
23-4-1996 5:00 PM
Description
In 1993 it became apparent that change had to occur throughout the US space transportation industry due to international competition, obsolescence and reducing federal budgets, NASA mandated a 25% Space Shuttle Program budget reduction through 1996 and the Congress directed Access To Space study was performed.
Government policy based on the Access To Space study findings, directed development of Reusable Launch Vehicle technology while supporting Space Shuttle enhancements to combat ageing, obsolescence and operations costs.
NASA Kennedy Space Center and Lockheed Martin Space Operations responded by increasing Space Shuttle processing operations efficiency through increased test automation, operations enhancements, technology infusion and innovations. Management processes and operations infrastructure have been streamlined through technology infusion and the establishment of a continuous improvement program (CIP). The results of these efforts to date have enabled NASA to maintain the Shuttle Program flight manifest with lower operating costs while at the same time decreasing the number of processing problems and in-flight anamolies encountered< per mission.
The objectives of this paper are: to provide an overview of the enhancements implemented to date and demonstrate how potential future operations enhancements through technology infusion to ground and vehicle systems can make the Space Shuttle Transportation System cost effective for government applications and commercially competitive with international ELV’S until a commercially viable RLV program becomes operational.
Paper Session I-A - Space Shuttle Operations Evolution
Howard Johnson Plaza-Hotel, Atlantis/ Discovery Rooms
In 1993 it became apparent that change had to occur throughout the US space transportation industry due to international competition, obsolescence and reducing federal budgets, NASA mandated a 25% Space Shuttle Program budget reduction through 1996 and the Congress directed Access To Space study was performed.
Government policy based on the Access To Space study findings, directed development of Reusable Launch Vehicle technology while supporting Space Shuttle enhancements to combat ageing, obsolescence and operations costs.
NASA Kennedy Space Center and Lockheed Martin Space Operations responded by increasing Space Shuttle processing operations efficiency through increased test automation, operations enhancements, technology infusion and innovations. Management processes and operations infrastructure have been streamlined through technology infusion and the establishment of a continuous improvement program (CIP). The results of these efforts to date have enabled NASA to maintain the Shuttle Program flight manifest with lower operating costs while at the same time decreasing the number of processing problems and in-flight anamolies encountered< per mission.
The objectives of this paper are: to provide an overview of the enhancements implemented to date and demonstrate how potential future operations enhancements through technology infusion to ground and vehicle systems can make the Space Shuttle Transportation System cost effective for government applications and commercially competitive with international ELV’S until a commercially viable RLV program becomes operational.
Comments
Current and Future Launch Vehicles and Facilities
Session Chairman: Jerry Cobb, Director, Business Development, Lockheed Launch Vehicle
Session Organizer: Tony Fresina