For those of you who are not interested in the million-dollar, 
across-the-desert automonous ground vehicle competition, NASA may have 
something more to your liking. Just this afternoon NASA has requested your 
input for the design of a new space plane, to be flown for the years 2010 to 
2020. NASA's specifications are:

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Glenn Mahone/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington            Feb. 18, 2003
(Phone: 202/358-1600)

Kim Newton
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
(Phone: 256/544-0034

RELEASE: 03-073

INITIAL REQUIREMENTS SET FOR ORBITAL SPACE PLANE SYSTEM

Orbital Space Plane Program Level ­ One Requirements

Mission Needs Statement

The vehicle(s) and associated systems will support U.S. 
International Space Station requirements for crew rescue, 
crew transport, and cargo.

Requirements

1. The system, which may include multiple vehicles, shall 
provide rescue* capability for no fewer than four ISS 
crew as soon as practical but no later than 2010.

2. The system shall provide rescue capability that allows 
the safe return of de-conditioned, ill or injured 
crewmembers with ongoing treatment until arrival at 
definitive medical care within 24 hours.  Crew should 
not require suits in the vehicle, but the vehicle 
should support crewmembers wearing suits if the 
situation warrants.

3. The system for rescue shall provide for rapid 
separation from the ISS under emergency conditions 
followed by return to Earth.

4. Safety requirements ­ system for crew rescue:
     a. The availability (defined as "a full-up vehicle 
     able to perform its mission") for the escape 
     mission shall be at least:
          Objective:  99%
          Minimum Threshold:  95%.

b. The risk of loss of crew shall be, with high 
confidence, lower than the Soyuz for the rescue 
mission.

5. The system shall provide transportation capability for 
no fewer than four crew, to and from the International 
Space Station, as soon as practical, but no later than 
2012.

6. Safety requirement ­ system for crew transport:  The 
risk of loss of crew shall be, with high confidence, 
lower than the Space Shuttle for the transport mission.

7. The system shall be designed for minimum life cycle 
cost.

8. The system shall meet all applicable ISS requirements 
for visiting and attached vehicles.

9. Compared to the Space Shuttle, the system shall require 
less time to prepare and execute a mission and have 
increased launch probability.

10. Compared to the Space Shuttle, the system shall 
have increased on-orbit maneuverability.

Operations Concepts

1. The vehicle(s) shall initially launch on an ELV.

2. The system shall be operated through at least 2020.  
However, the system should be designed so that it 
could be operated for a longer time.

3. NASA envisions that the systems for crew rescue and 
crew transport could be different versions of the 
same vehicle design.

4. The system shall provide contingency capability for 
cargo delivery to or from the ISS to support a 
minimal level of science.

5. The system shall support a nominal ISS crew rotation 
period of 4-6 months.

* Rescue includes medical evacuation and emergency 
evacuation.

The Level I requirements for an OSP system were developed 
based on NASA's missions, as defined in the Integrated Space 
Transportation Plan, input from industry and Department of 
Defense partners participating in the program. The 
requirements were reviewed at multiple levels within NASA. 
The final review and approval process included the NASA 
Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Associate Administrator 
for the Office of Aerospace Technology, and the Associate 
Administrator, Office of Space Flight.  

"This is an important first step in making the Integrated 
Space Transportation Plan a reality," said NASA Deputy 
Administrator Frederick Gregory. "The Orbital Space Plane 
system will give us the flexibility needed to safely and 
efficiently get crew to and from orbit and to provide crew 
rescue and logistical support to the International Space 
Station. These initial requirements help to outline a 
comprehensive system that will significantly complement the 
capabilities of our existing Space Shuttle fleet," he said.

Any future changes to the Level I Requirements would be 
considered by the Orbital Space Plane Program Office and 
require approval from the NASA Executive Council.

The program is in the process of developing Level II 
Requirements for the OSP system. Unlike the Level I 
requirements, which were defined by NASA, Level II 
requirements will be defined at the program level and will be 
detailed in a document referred to as the Systems 
Requirements Document (SRD) planned for release no later than 
late 2003.

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Wirt Atmar

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