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Space Transportation Systems Operations Data

NASA has a long history of sharing data so that US industry can take advantage of the knowledge gained and further the NASA mission.

This knowledge has been gained at great cost - in human lives and resources.

The NASA Authorization Act of 2005 states:

"(2) CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION.—In carrying out the programs of NASA, the Administrator shall— (A) consult and coordinate to the extent appropriate with other relevant Federal agencies, including through the National Science and Technology Council; (B) work closely with the private sector, including by— (i) encouraging the work of entrepreneurs who are seeking to develop new means to launch satellites, crew, or cargo; (ii) contracting with the private sector for crew and cargo services, including to the International Space Station, to the extent practicable; (iii) using commercially available products (including software) and services to the extent practicable to support all NASA activities; and (iv) encouraging commercial use and development of space to the greatest extent practicable; and (C) involve other nations to the extent appropriate."

From "The First Century of Flight: NACA/NASA Contributions to Aeronautics" (.pdf)-

"All research projects undertaken by the NACA sought to compile fundamental aeronautical knowledge applicable to all flight, rather than working on a specific type of aircraft design, because that looked too much like catering to a particular aeronautical firm.”

Similarly, the spread of knowledge about human space flight safety, cost and reliability encourages industry growth. This furthers a growing, open space frontier, in the same way that the sharing of wind-tunnel data encouraged the growth of aviation in the early days of NASA's predecessor, NACA.

The term "data" is used here almost exclusively with reference to quantitative, hard-data of the sort that comes from actual human space flight. One example is the data on the process times or labor-hours to prepare a Shuttle propulsion sub-system for launch. Data compilations that include averages, curve fits, sums or such distillations, showing the raw data, fit this definition of "data" as well, adding value to that raw data. The term is not used here in the sense of an output of a tool, model or simulation. That would become analysis, studies, insights or lessons learned about the "=ilities".

Above, Sample Cost Data, the Shuttle Program circa 2002. Courtesy Jim Costello, NASA JSC.

Above, Sample Processing Time Data, the Shuttle VAB Processing/Integration, a Compilation of Many Flows. Courtesy Grant Cates, NASA KSC (circa 2000).

The following data is also available at the "-ilities" page.

DATA: A brief analysis exploring the change in the U.S launcher success record relative to the rest of the world after the Shuttle and the Delta II systems are retired. This is a record of successfully attaining orbit, not spacecraft reliability once on orbit. The Bayesian "Probability of Success" or "p.o.s". is k(lv) +1/n(lv) +2 (see attached table), so that the risk of a launcher without much of a track record is accounted for and a launcher with, say, and 0 and 1 record, is not given a zero probability of success.

The original data, minus the graph/sorting, and the subtraction effect/analysis is credited to Ed Kyle and his Space launch Report and reliability statistics.
DATA: "Developing a Robust, Adaptable NASA Human Space Flight Strategy Factoring Budgetary and Technological Uncertainty" or "The Primer" to NASA & Contractor Costs (October 10, 2009, Post-Augustine Committee)
DATA: "A Review of the NASA Space Shuttle and Human Space Flight, Fixed and Variable Space Transportation System Costs".
DATA: "The Space Shuttle Program Zero Base Cost Study" (1994) and "An Analysis of the Projected Manpower Requirements for the Shuttle Processing Contract" (1988).
DATA: NASA Report: "Aerospace Mission Failure Analysis for NASA Ames Research Center Design for Safety Initiative" (.pdf), September 30, 2001.
DATA: Launch Vehicles Historical Failure Rate Data (.xls).
DATA: The Shuttle Root Cause Analysis.
DATA: "The Cost of Maintaining Thermal Protection Systems", by Frank E. Jones, NASA Kennedy Space Center.
DATA: The Rand Study -"Report of the Space Shuttle Competitive Sourcing Task Force" was released December 2002. Updated cost data on the Shuttle program is detailed in the reports.
DATA: A Review of Space Shuttle Data, Shuttle Orbiter Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) Replaced per Flight During Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) Turnaround Operations.
DATA: Shuttle Resources and Effort - 6/17/99 - Data on the Space Shuttle's labor Intensiveness by system.
DATA: Shuttle Spares Consumption, RLV and Certification.
DATA: "Space Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System Processing Assessment Final Report", May 1995, Prepared by: Michael P. Gordon, TPS Orbiter Engineering, Materials & Processes, Rockwell Florida Operations D/830. No longer available on the web. For copies of this report, available for governmental purposes only, contact: Edgar Zapata, NASA Kennedy Space Center.

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Also see:

The Space Shuttle Orbiter Systems manual at http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/STS-99/scom.htm or download the entire manual here (20 MB .pdf). An invaluable reference for Shuttle sub-systems details.

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Website Contact: Edgar Zapata, NASA Kennedy Space Center