Federal Register/Vol. 85, No. 53/Wednesday, March 18, 2020/Rules and Regulations

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Federal Register/Vol. 85, No. 53/Wednesday, March 18, 2020/Rules and Regulations 15352 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 18, 2020 / Rules and Regulations must be evaluated at least quarterly or Astronauts Act. The new regulations affords occupationally related medical promptly after replacement, whichever will provide for the medical monitoring monitoring services through the LSAH is more frequent. and diagnosis of conditions that are program to former U.S. Government * * * * * potentially spaceflight-associated and astronauts and payload specialists at the treatment of conditions that are JSC with a 60–70 percent participation PART 39—LICENSES AND RADIATION spaceflight-associated for former U.S. rate. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR WELL Government astronauts and payload On March 21, 2017, the President LOGGING specialists. signed into law the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ■ 6. The authority citation for part 39 DATES: Effective: March 18, 2020. Transition Authorization Act of 2017, continues to read as follows: Comments due: Send comments on or Public Law 115–10 (2017). Title IV, Authority: Atomic Energy Act of 1954, before May 18, 2020. Subtitle D, the ‘‘To Research, Evaluate, Assess, and Treat Astronauts Act’’ secs. 53, 57, 62, 63, 65, 69, 81, 161, 181, 182, ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 183, 223, 234 (42 U.S.C. 2073, 2077, 2092, (hereafter ‘‘TREAT Astronauts Act’’ or identified by docket number NASA– 2093, 2095, 2099, 2111, 2112, 2201, 2232, ‘‘Act’’) is codified at Section 20149 of 2019–0004 and/or RIN number 2700– 2233, 2273, 2282); Energy Reorganization Act Title 51 of the U.S. Code. of 1974, secs. 201, 206 (42 U.S.C. 5841, AE51, by any of the following methods: • The TREAT Astronauts Act provides 5846); 44 U.S.C. 3504 note. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// NASA the authority to expand the www.regulations.gov. Follow the ■ 7. In § 39.65, revise paragraph (a) to voluntary monitoring program by instructions for sending comments. developing a more comprehensive read as follows: • Email: HQ-TREATAstronautsAct@ occupational surveillance program that nasa.gov. Include docket number § 39.65 Personnel monitoring. will enable earlier detection and NASA–2019–0004 and/or RIN number (a) The licensee may not permit an diagnosis of medical conditions individual to act as a logging supervisor 2700–AE51 in the subject line of the ‘‘potentially associated’’ with or logging assistant unless that person message. spaceflight and treatment of medical • Mail: NASA Headquarters, Mail wears a personnel dosimeter at all times conditions associated with spaceflight. Code 2M21, ATTN: Gwyn E. Smith, 300 during the handling of licensed NASA currently uses data from the E St. SW, Washington, DC 20546–0001. radioactive materials. Each personnel LSAH program to tailor clinical care for Instructions: All submissions received dosimeter must be assigned to and worn individual astronauts, as well as to must include the agency name and by only one individual. Film badges inform the human systems risks, current docket number or Regulatory must be replaced at least monthly and spaceflight operations, and future Information Number (RIN) for this all other personnel dosimeters that vehicle standards. The comprehensive rulemaking. All comments received will require replacement must be replaced at occupational surveillance program will be posted without change to http:// least quarterly. All personnel dosimeters provide NASA with more www.regulations.gov, including any must be evaluated at least quarterly or comprehensive data that will ultimately personal information provided. promptly after replacement, whichever contribute to an improved Docket: For access to the docket to is more frequent. understanding of the long-term impact read background documents or of spaceflight. This enhanced program is * * * * * comments received, go to http:// expected to increase the former U.S. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 3rd day www.regulations.gov. of March, 2020. Government astronaut and payload FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: specialist participation rate in the For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Gwyn E. Smith, Policy Manager, Office occupational surveillance program to Margaret M. Doane, of the Chief Health and Medical Officer, over 80 percent. Executive Director for Operations. 1–833–996–1685, HQ- Human spaceflight poses significant [FR Doc. 2020–05295 Filed 3–17–20; 8:45 am] [email protected]. challenges and is full of substantial risk. BILLING CODE 7590–01–P SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA and its astronauts acknowledge and accept the risks of spaceflight are I. Background beyond those of ordinary daily living. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND NASA currently has a voluntary Participation in long duration missions SPACE ADMINISTRATION medical monitoring program, Lifetime or multiple shorter duration missions, Surveillance of Astronaut Health increases health risks such as, vision 14 CFR Part 1241 (LSAH) program, for all U.S. impairment, bone demineralization, and [Document Number NASA–20–028: Docket Government astronauts and payload behavioral health issues. In addition, Number—NASA–2020–0001] specialists at the NASA Johnson Space exposure to high levels of radiation and Center (JSC). Once they leave the microgravity can result in acute and RIN 2700–AE51 astronaut corps, former U.S. long-term health consequences that can Government astronauts and payload increase the risk of cancer and tissue To Research, Evaluate, Assess, and specialists rely on workers’ degeneration and have potential effects Treat (TREAT) Astronauts compensation and other U.S. on the musculoskeletal system, central AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Government programs to provide nervous system, cardiovascular system, Space Administration (NASA). diagnosis and treatment for spaceflight- immune function, and vision. ACTION: Interim final rule; request for associated conditions. There is no NASA has also seen an increase in comments. formal mechanism for NASA to receive health issues former U.S. Government diagnosis and treatment data on such astronauts and payload specialists face, SUMMARY: With this interim final rule, conditions. many years after their NASA service. the National Aeronautics and Space As of November 2019, there are One of the vital tools NASA needs to Administration (NASA) is amending its approximately 250 living former U.S. prepare for future long-duration and regulations to add a new part that will Government astronauts and payload exploration missions is more data on the implement the provisions of the TREAT specialists. The Agency currently health effects humans face in VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:10 Mar 17, 2020 Jkt 250001 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4700 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\18MRR1.SGM 18MRR1 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with RULES Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 18, 2020 / Rules and Regulations 15353 spaceflight. Data collected under the costs associated with the monitoring based on a NASA astronaut TREAT Astronauts Act will allow and diagnosis of a condition that is spaceflight exposure clinical NASA to examine health trends in potentially associated with spaceflight assessment. For example, as part of astronauts over the course of their and will pay, as the secondary payer, for routine monitoring, NASA provides lifetime to understand better the any medical costs associated with the bone density scanning for young physical, behavioral, microbiological, treatment of a condition that is healthy males. This testing is beyond and molecular reaction of the human associated with spaceflight. This the accepted standard of care. body. These data will also contribute to includes deductibles, coinsurance, —‘‘Eligible individual’’ to include both the overall knowledge of the Agency copayments, and similar charges, but former U.S. Government astronauts and serve to identify spaceflight risks to excludes insurance premiums. Lastly, and former payload specialists who human health and develop mitigation the law limits NASA’s authority to pay have flown in space, while strategies as NASA moves ahead to for medical treatment to the role of specifically excluding others who are long-duration and exploration missions. secondary payer. The type of primary not included in these groups. U.S. Given the fact that there are so few coverage available to former U.S. Government astronaut is defined in astronauts and such limited data, Government astronauts and payload the TREAT Astronauts Act as the increased participation to get more data specialists will depend on their status at meaning given the term ‘‘Government is critical. NASA is learning daily of the the time of their active astronaut career astronaut’’ in 51 U.S.C. 50902, except untoward effects of human spaceflight and any current health plan, Federal it does not include an individual who on the human body. In order to prepare benefits program, or other workers’ is an international partner astronaut. for the Moon in 2024, NASA needs to compensation coverage that may apply. The term ‘‘Government astronaut’’ is understand these effects so appropriate For former U.S. Government astronauts defined in 51 U.S.C. 50902. mitigation measures can be taken now. and payload specialists who believe For clarification, the following are This program will inform future they have a condition related to their specifically excluded: generations by providing health data spaceflight, they must first seek (1) Astronauts of other United States showing the effects of spaceflight treatment from the Department of Government agencies—only astronauts activities on active and former U.S. Defense
Recommended publications
  • The Space Race
    The Space Race Aims: To arrange the key events of the “Space Race” in chronological order. To decide which country won the Space Race. Space – the Final Frontier “Space” is everything Atmosphere that exists outside of our planet’s atmosphere. The atmosphere is the layer of Earth gas which surrounds our planet. Without it, none of us would be able to breathe! Space The sun is a star which is orbited (circled) by a system of planets. Earth is the third planet from the sun. There are nine planets in our solar system. How many of the other eight can you name? Neptune Saturn Mars Venus SUN Pluto Uranus Jupiter EARTH Mercury What has this got to do with the COLD WAR? Another element of the Cold War was the race to control the final frontier – outer space! Why do you think this would be so important? The Space Race was considered important because it showed the world which country had the best science, technology, and economic system. It would prove which country was the greatest of the superpowers, the USSR or the USA, and which political system was the best – communism or capitalism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEvCNZymo The Space Race – key events Discuss the following slides in your groups. For each slide, try to agree on: • which of the three options is correct • whether this was an achievement of the Soviet Union (USSR) or the Americans (USA). When did humans first send a satellite into orbit around the Earth? 1940s, 1950s or 1960s? Sputnik 1 was launched in October 1957.
    [Show full text]
  • India and China Space Programs: from Genesis of Space Technologies to Major Space Programs and What That Means for the Internati
    University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2009 India And China Space Programs: From Genesis Of Space Technologies To Major Space Programs And What That Means For The Internati Gaurav Bhola University of Central Florida Part of the Political Science Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Bhola, Gaurav, "India And China Space Programs: From Genesis Of Space Technologies To Major Space Programs And What That Means For The Internati" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 4109. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/4109 INDIA AND CHINA SPACE PROGRAMS: FROM GENESIS OF SPACE TECHNOLOGIES TO MAJOR SPACE PROGRAMS AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY by GAURAV BHOLA B.S. University of Central Florida, 1998 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Political Science in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Summer Term 2009 Major Professor: Roger Handberg © 2009 Gaurav Bhola ii ABSTRACT The Indian and Chinese space programs have evolved into technologically advanced vehicles of national prestige and international competition for developed nations. The programs continue to evolve with impetus that India and China will have the same space capabilities as the United States with in the coming years.
    [Show full text]
  • Outer Space Pretend Play Let Your Imagination Blast Off Into Outer Space! Astronauts and Scientists Study the Earth from Outer Space
    UAMN Virtual Early Explorers: Amazing Earth Outer Space Pretend Play Let your imagination blast off into outer space! Astronauts and scientists study the Earth from outer space. They take pictures of Earth's surface and measure cloud cover, sea levels, glacier movements, and more. Instructions: Step 1: Work together with your child(ren) to create an area for your space station. Use cardboard boxes or pieces, aluminum foil, recycled plastic bottles, yarn, ribbons, bottlecaps, fabric scraps, or any other materials you have available. It can be as small or as large as you want it to be. Step 2: Pretend to be an astronaut on your space station. Let your child lead with ideas for imaginative play! Left: www.youclevermonkey.com/2016/01/space-pretend-play.html Center and right: pocketofpreschool.com/space-station-dramatic-play/ Suggestions and Prompts: • What is daily life like on your space station? Where and how do the astronauts eat, sleep, and exercise? • What sort of research are you doing on your space station? See the Studying Earth From Above sheet for ideas. • How will you control your space station’s orbit around Earth? Create a control panel so you can “pilot” the station! • How will you get more supplies? Build a rocket to launch a space shuttle to the station! • Use a phone or digital camera to take pictures from your space station. Astronauts on the International Space Station take pictures of the Earth’s surface every day! UAMN Virtual Early Explorers: Amazing Earth Studying Earth From Above NASA is best known for exploring outer space, but it also conducts many missions to investigate Earth from above.
    [Show full text]
  • The New American Space Age: a Progress Report on Human Spaceflight the New American Space Age: a Progress Report on Human Spaceflight the International Space
    The New American Space Age: A PROGRESS REPORT ON HUMAN SpaCEFLIGHT The New American Space Age: A Progress Report on Human Spaceflight The International Space Station: the largest international scientific and engineering achievement in human history. The New American Space Age: A Progress Report on Human Spaceflight Lately, it seems the public cannot get enough of space! The recent hit movie “Gravity” not only won 7 Academy Awards – it was a runaway box office success, no doubt inspiring young future scientists, engineers and mathematicians just as “2001: A Space Odyssey” did more than 40 years ago. “Cosmos,” a PBS series on the origins of the universe from the 1980s, has been updated to include the latest discoveries – and funded by a major television network in primetime. And let’s not forget the terrific online videos of science experiments from former International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield that were viewed by millions of people online. Clearly, the American public is eager to carry the torch of space exploration again. Thankfully, NASA and the space industry are building a host of new vehicles that will do just that. American industry is hard at work developing new commercial transportation services to suborbital altitudes and even low Earth orbit. NASA and the space industry are also building vehicles to take astronauts beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since the Apollo program. Meanwhile, in the U.S. National Lab on the space station, unprecedented research in zero-g is paving the way for Earth breakthroughs in genetics, gerontology, new vaccines and much more.
    [Show full text]
  • International Space Station Basics Components of The
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration International Space Station Basics The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest orbiting can see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets each day! During the laboratory ever built. It is an international, technological, daylight periods, temperatures reach 200 ºC, while and political achievement. The five international partners temperatures during the night periods drop to -200 ºC. include the space agencies of the United States, Canada, The view of Earth from the ISS reveals part of the planet, Russia, Europe, and Japan. not the whole planet. In fact, astronauts can see much of the North American continent when they pass over the The first parts of the ISS were sent and assembled in orbit United States. To see pictures of Earth from the ISS, visit in 1998. Since the year 2000, the ISS has had crews living http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/clickmap/. continuously on board. Building the ISS is like living in a house while constructing it at the same time. Building and sustaining the ISS requires 80 launches on several kinds of rockets over a 12-year period. The assembly of the ISS Components of the ISS will continue through 2010, when the Space Shuttle is retired from service. The components of the ISS include shapes like canisters, spheres, triangles, beams, and wide, flat panels. The When fully complete, the ISS will weigh about 420,000 modules are shaped like canisters and spheres. These are kilograms (925,000 pounds). This is equivalent to more areas where the astronauts live and work. On Earth, car- than 330 automobiles.
    [Show full text]
  • Astronaut Deployable Satellite
    ASTRONAUT DEPLOYABLE SATELLITE BY WILLIAM G. CLAPP \JEBER STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY OGDEN, UTAH 84408-1703 801-626-7097 FOR AIM/UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE ON SMALL SATELLITES AUGUST 3, 1990 ASTRONAUT DEPLOYABLE SATELLITE William G. Clapp The Astronaut Deployable Satellite (ADSAT) is an educational satellite being designed and built by faculty, local engineers, and students at Weber State University. The ADSAT is our third satellite project after the success of two others, NUSAT I (Challenger­ April 85) and WEBERSAT-OSCAR 18 (Ariane-Jan 90. The ADSAT is designed to be tossed into space by an astronaut. The 16" X 16" X 4" AnSAT is self-contained and is designed to ride into space in a mid-deck stowage locker on the shuttle. When launch is desired, the astronaut removes the AnSAT from the locker and carries it outside. The astronaut then deploys the antennas and throws the ADSAT into space. The ADSAT is designed to send to Earth voice messages concerning onboard experiments. The voice messages will be generated by an onboard speech synthesizer that verbally relays the data to low-cost scanners on the ground. ADSAT is being designed to be thrown in a couple of years if NASA will agree to the concept. INTRODUCTION Realistic engineering training at the university level is a difficult task to accomplish successfully. There is no substitute for on-the-job training that takes place after graduation. Many universities offer senior projects courses in undergraduate programs to help the student transition into their entry-level engineering positions. The School of Technology at Weber State University has implemented a rigorous one-year senior projects program that consumes about 300 hours for each student.
    [Show full text]
  • Astronaut Eric
    CAP’s astronaut pilots shuttle Discovery on its last Photos courtesy of NASA flight into space By Maj. Steven Solomon Civil Air Patrol member and U.S. Air C Force Col. Eric Boe took NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery into history, piloting it on its 39th and final mission. After numerous delays attributable to technical problems and bad weather, Discovery was launched Feb. 24 to deliver the Eric Boe is strapped into his seat on Space Shuttle Permanent Multipurpose Module, Discovery to practice escaping the shuttle, in preparation packed with supplies and critical for an unlikely emergency at the pad on launch day. spare parts, and Robonaut 2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, to the International Space Station. “I look at the space shuttle and there’s nothing as cool in science fiction. I really Space Shuttle appreciate that we can take something like this and put Discovery carried it in orbit,” Boe said. Robonaut 2 to the Another NASA space shuttle, the Endeavour, which International Space Boe piloted in 2008 on his first flight into space, is Station. It is the first scheduled to fly in April, and the Atlantis is scheduled humanoid robot in for late June. But, after that, NASA’s human space space. program is “up in the air.” The program escaped a death blow with a congressional compromise, but budget cuts may still derail it. “I’d love to fly in space again,” Boe said. “I’d love to get the opportunity to fly one of the new vehicles, but I consider myself very fortunate, especially now that this looks like Discovery’s last flight.” For the love of flight Boe has never met a flying machine he didn’t like.
    [Show full text]
  • China's Space Program: an Overview
    Order Code RS21641 Updated October 18, 2005 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web China’s Space Program: An Overview Marcia S. Smith Specialist in Aerospace and Telecommunications Policy Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary The People’s Republic of China successfully completed its second human spaceflight mission on October 17, 2005. China is only the third country, after Russia and the United States, able to launch people into space. Its first human spaceflight was in 2003 when a single astronaut, or “taikonaut,” made a flight lasting slightly less than a day. The 2005 flight lasted five days, and involved two taikonauts. As the United States embarks upon President Bush’s “Vision for Space Exploration” to return astronauts to the Moon by 2020 and someday send them to Mars, some may view China’s entrance into the human exploration of space as a competitive threat, while others may view China as a potential partner. This report will be updated as warranted. Introduction China has been launching satellites since 1970. Most of the launches are of Chinese communications, weather, remote sensing, navigation, or scientific satellites. Some of those satellites may be for military applications, or are dual use. Some were commercial launches for foreign countries or companies, primarily placing communications satellites into orbit. China launched its first astronaut, or “taikonaut,”1 in October 2003. China has three space launch sites: Jiuquan (also called Shuang Cheng-tzu) in the Gobi desert; Xichang, in southeastern China (near Chengdu); and Taiyuan, south of Beijing. Jiuquan was China’s first launch site, and is used for launches of a variety of spacecraft, including those related to the human spaceflight program.
    [Show full text]
  • HUMAN NEEDS in SPACE (Adapted from Discovery Education Science Textbook)
    HUMAN NEEDS IN SPACE (Adapted from Discovery Education Science Textbook) When did you first notice outer space? What did you think and what questions did you have? Curious people have gazed into the sky for thousands of years seeking answers. This search for answers was an important factor that led scientists to develop an American space program. NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA runs the United States' space program. Scientists working for NASA have launched many missions into space to advance human knowledge. NASA scientists search for answers to questions we have about space. Some of NASA's missions involve sending humans into space. Humans can make difficult observations, measurements, and analyses. Humans also have bravery and creativity. These qualities can help astronauts solve problems that may occur in space. NASA scientists know that for humans to travel through space, astronauts have basic needs. Astronauts must have oxygen, food, water, and rest. These needs are usually simple to meet on Earth; to meet these needs in space is very complicated. The gases in space cannot support human life. In fact, most of space contains no gases at all—it is what scientists call a vacuum. Spacecrafts must provide their passengers with oxygen to breathe. Spacecrafts carry their own sources of oxygen and nitrogen. These gases are circulated throughout the spacecraft to provide similar air to the one we breathe on Earth. NASA space shuttle Astronauts must also carry their entire food supply when they travel to space. When humans first traveled to space, they carried freeze-dried food on their missions.
    [Show full text]
  • FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program
    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ORDER FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION 8800.2 National Policy Effective date: 07/20/2021 SUBJ: FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program 1. Purpose of This Order. This Order provides guidelines, eligibility, and criteria for the administration of the FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program. 2. Audience. Commercial crew that satisfy eligibility requirements cited in chapter 2 of this Order and the office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) personnel responsible for administering the program. 3. Where Can I Find This Order. You can find this order on the FAA website at http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices. 4. Background. The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984, as amended and re-codified at 51 U.S.C. 50901 - 50923 (the Act), authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) and, through delegations, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST), to oversee, authorize, and regulate both launches and reentries of commercial space vehicles, and the operation of launch and reentry sites when carried out by a U.S. citizen or entity within the United States. The Act also directs the FAA to encourage, facilitate, and promote commercial space launches and reentries by the private sector, including those involving spaceflight participants. 5. Eligibility Requirements. To be eligible for FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings, commercial launch crewmembers must meet the following criteria: a. Meet the requirements for flight crew qualifications and training under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 460. b. Demonstrated flight beyond 50 statute miles above the surface of the Earth as flight crew on an FAA/AST licensed or permitted launch or reentry vehicle.
    [Show full text]
  • China Dream, Space Dream: China's Progress in Space Technologies and Implications for the United States
    China Dream, Space Dream 中国梦,航天梦China’s Progress in Space Technologies and Implications for the United States A report prepared for the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission Kevin Pollpeter Eric Anderson Jordan Wilson Fan Yang Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Dr. Patrick Besha and Dr. Scott Pace for reviewing a previous draft of this report. They would also like to thank Lynne Bush and Bret Silvis for their master editing skills. Of course, any errors or omissions are the fault of authors. Disclaimer: This research report was prepared at the request of the Commission to support its deliberations. Posting of the report to the Commission's website is intended to promote greater public understanding of the issues addressed by the Commission in its ongoing assessment of U.S.-China economic relations and their implications for U.S. security, as mandated by Public Law 106-398 and Public Law 108-7. However, it does not necessarily imply an endorsement by the Commission or any individual Commissioner of the views or conclusions expressed in this commissioned research report. CONTENTS Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................... i Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... iii Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
    [Show full text]
  • Alumni Who Reach the Stars
    International Space Station, 1998–present Space Systems Academic Group Greatly expanding Skylab’s venture in space habitation, the NPS’s Space Systems Academic Group was established in International Space Station, a low earth-orbiting laboratory 1982 in response to increasing defense reliance on space sys- with living quarters, is built to support astronauts for months tems for navigation, communications, and intelligence gath- at a time; and research, for years. ISS is a joint venture be- ering. Supported by robust, hands-on research, this highly tween America, Russia, Canada, Japan and the European interdisciplinary curriculum has two tracks: space-systems en- Space Agency (seventeen member states)—a total of twenty- gineering and space-systems operations. These curricula re- one nations. Assembly began in 1998 with Russia placing the present the primary avenue by which Navy and Marine Corps first section into orbit, followed by the space-shuttled delivery officers become space professionals and an alternative path for of the first node. The station has been continuously inhabited Air Force and Army officers on their way to space. since 2000 and NPS graduates have manned three of its sixteen expeditions. The first NPS ISS inhabitant was Dan Bursch . on Expedition 4, who shared the US spaceflight-endurance record of 196 days till Michael Lopez-Alegria reached 215 days as commander of Expedition 14. Jeffrey Williams was the ISS flight engineer and science officer on Expedition 13 in Alumni 1996 (183 days). Marcos Pontes (’98), a Brazilian astronaut, flew to the ISS with Williams on the Russian Soyuz TMA spacecraft, returning nine days later.
    [Show full text]