Establishing Recommended Practices for Commercial Human Space Flight Occupant Safety

Abstract

Abstract

In 2013, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released Established Practices for Human Space Flight Occupant Safety, a draft guidance document for the rapidly developing commercial human space flight industry. The initial draft document was intended to facilitate a discussion with stakeholders, with the hope of gaining a consensus among government, industry, and academia on practices related to human space flight occupant safety. In September 2014, the FAA released an updated version entitled Recommended Practices for Human Space Flight Occupant Safety. The document provides a framework for industry to use in developing industry consensus standards. It can also serve as a starting point, should there be a need for the government to issue regulations at some point in the future. One of the main challenges in preparing the practices was to accommodate the diverse system designs and potential future plans of U.S. industry. Some U.S. companies are focused on carrying people and experiments on short-duration suborbital missions that launch and land at the same location. Other companies are planning launches to low Earth orbit, with visits to government or commercial space stations. Some of the systems will land like an airplane, while others will use a vertical landing, either on land or in the ocean. Companies participating in NASA's Commercial Crew Program would like to be able to develop a single vehicle that can meet NASA requirements for carrying astronauts, while still accommodating the needs of commercial customers and having the capability to be operated at reasonable prices. The FAA practices are based on the data gathered and lessons learned from more than 100 years of aviation and over 50 years of human space flight. Commercial aviation has provided significant insights on the need for regulatory balance, both in terms of business viability and with respect to passenger safety. Government space programs have helped identify crucial design features and operational capabilities that have been shown to be very important during previous human space flights. In preparing the FAA practices, the FAA did not want to stifle technology innovation, or to see occupants exposed to avoidable risks. This article will provide an overview of the FAA's Recommended Practices for Human Space Flight Occupant Safety, including a discussion of how they were prepared, and how they could be used to enhance occupant safety while accommodating a wide range of design approaches and technical challenges.