How can we achieve routine, affordable, and safe transportation to and from space? It is the goal of this site to assist in answering that question.

Enabling future space transportation systems growth requires improving multiple elements and their processes. This includes the flight vehicle, the spaceport, and the organization. It requires all of these be optimized, together. Customers, developers, designers and operators working from a whole systems perspective, building on the lessons of the past - that is our emphasis in the next generation of designs for access to space.

Recent Space Transportation Systems Operations Research & Analysis

• The NASA Model
• LLEGO
• SRM Balancer
• ELLA Ground Ops Sim
• Supply Chain Sim
• SpaceSim

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• Space Transportation Systems Affordability, Responsiveness, Reliability and Safety

• Spaceport

• Space Solar Power

• Highly Reusable Space Transportation Study

• Space Transportation Systems Operations
  • Models
  • Simulations
  • Data
  • Analysis
  • Tools, Surveys

The NASA Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS)

Within Reach, Within Us (video)

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Bio

NASA Kennedy Space Center

Update Log

April 2, 2008

• Due to demand, the NASA Shuttle Zero Base Cost study is now available as scans of the hardcopy. See the Space Shuttle Program Zero Base cost study (1994).

March 31, 2008

• "Barriers to Opening the Space Frontier...and Solutions".

• "The NASA Model". This work develops the visualization of numerous “resource” scenarios, locates and explains the macro-level constraints common to most scenarios, and explores options that have a common goal – to assure that this generational endeavor is robust to the future, is achievable, and allows for the continued, growing expansion of the human presence beyond Earth.

“Elsewhere, I have written that a careful analysis of what we can do at NASA on constant-dollar budgets leads me to believe that we can realistically be on Mars by the mid-2030's.” – NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, Space Transportation Association Luncheon, Jan. 23, 2008

March 21, 2008

Available inside the KSC firewall only:

• NASA KSC "Estimating & Cost Engineering", construction, non-recurring cost focused, containing a wealth of information. Point-of-contact: Glenn Butts, NASA KSC, glenn.c.butts@nasa.gov. > http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/nasa-only/finance/COST_EST/Index.htm

March 12, 2008

• Small screens and news footage can often miss conveying the awe of a Shuttle launch, perhaps never quite capturing the event, the vibration, due to the lighting or the angle. This video does an excellent job capturing the feeling, conveying the beginning of yet another voyage in the human endeavor, like ships leaving Genoa or Palos long ago.

March 10, 2008

• The Space Shuttle Program Zero Base cost study (1994).

February 29, 2008

Added to Data:

• On a related note, see the Department of Defense Cost Analysis Symposium Proceedings. The site has abundant reference material on Risk, Curves, Phasing, Fitting Data, Cost Estimating Lessons, and related.

February 27, 2008

As any improvement in the safety, reliability or affordability of access to space and beyond is a generational endeavour...

• A Generational Investigation to Increase Langley’s Insight about Today’s and Tomorrow’s Young Professionals (AGI²LIT²Y). Download (5MB) .ppt presentation version or download (5MB) .doc report file.

February 4, 2008

NASA has a long history of sharing data so that others may 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, SEC. 101, 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."

The spread of knowledge about human space flight safety, cost and reliability encourages growth toward an open space frontier, in the same vein as the sharing of wind-tunnel data -

"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.” The First Century of Flight: NACA/NASA Contributions to Aeronautics" http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlnasa/pictures/poster/FirstCenturyofFlight.pdf

• 2007 LLEGO Project Ph. I Final Briefing material:
  • Main (.ppt, ~12MB)
  • Backup & Definitions (.ppt, ~8MB)

• Video & reports for the early 1990's Operationally Efficient Propulsion System Study, OEPSS, are now available ... more>

• White Paper: A Review of Costs of US Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV), Edgar Zapata, NASA KSC February 6, 2008.

• Visit the Models, Simulations, Data, Analysis, Tools, Surveys sections, newly re-organized to better reflect the evolution and purpose of past and recent work.