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14 C.F.R. Subpart 1214.17—Space Flight Participants

Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space

Title 14: Aeronautics and Space
PART 1214—SPACE FLIGHT

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Subpart 1214.17—Space Flight Participants

Authority:  42 U.S.C. 2473 and the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended.

Source:  49 FR 17737, Apr. 25, 1984, unless otherwise noted.

§ 1214.1700   Scope.

This subpart establishes NASA policy and selection procedures for accommodation of space flight participants aboard flights of the Space Shuttle.

[56 FR 47148, Sept. 18, 1991]

§ 1214.1701   Applicability.

This subpart applies to NASA Headquarters and field installations.

§ 1214.1702   Relation to other part 1214 material.

Except as specifically noted, all regulatory provisions of Space Shuttle policies also apply to space flight participants. In the event of any inconsistencies in the policies, the regulatory policies established for crew members will govern with respect to space flight participants.

§ 1214.1703   Definitions.

(a) Space flight participants. All persons whose presence aboard a Space Shuttle flight is authorized in accordance with this regulation.

(b) Committee. The Space Flight Participant Evaluation Committee, established in NASA Headquarters for the purpose of directing and administering the program for space flight participants. The Committee consists of the following NASA Headquarters officials: Associate Deputy Administrator (Chair), General Counsel, Associate Administrator for External Relations, Associate Administrator for Management, Associate Administrator for Space Flight, Associate Administrator for Public Affairs and Assistant Administrator for Equal Opportunity Programs.

[56 FR 47148, Sept. 18, 1991]

§ 1214.1704   Policy.

(a) NASA policy is to provide Space Shuttle flight opportunities to persons (individuals outside the professional categories of NASA astronauts and payload specialists) whose presence onboard the Space Shuttle is not required for operation of payloads or for other essential mission activities, but is determined by the Administrator of NASA to contribute to other approved NASA objectives or to be in the national interest. However, flight opportunities for space flight participants will not be available in the near term. NASA will assess Shuttle operations and mission and payload requirements on an annual basis to determine when it can begin to allocate and assign space flight opportunities for future space flight participants, consistent with safety and mission considerations. When NASA determines that a flight opportunity is available for a space flight participant, first priority will be given to a “teacher in space,” in fulfillment of space education plans.

(b) To be considered for selection as space flight participants, applicants must:

(1) Be free of medical conditions which would either impair the applicant's ability to participate in, or be aggravated by, space flight, as determined by NASA physicians.

(2) Be willing to undergo appropriate background investigation.

(3) Be willing to undergo necessary training.

(4) Meet additional requirements that may be stated in Announcements of Opportunity (AO) soliciting applications for particular spaceflights.

(c) Persons accepted as space flight participant candidates will enter into an agreement with NASA for the period of training, flight, debriefing, and post-flight activities. The agreements will cover such pertinent matters as, but not limited to, responsibilities and authorities of the respective parties, compensation where appropriate, insurance, and liability.

(d) Typically the selection of space flight participants will be based on their comparative abilities to fulfill the objectives and purposes stated in Announcement of Opportunities (AO's) covering one or more Space Shuttle missions in which their participation is desired. A NASA-designated outside review panel will evaluate the qualifications of applicants to select those who most appropriately meet those purposes of participant flight associated with the particular AO. NASA will retain the authority to make final selection of space flight participants for flight training and eventual flight from among those applicants rated most highly in the review process. NASA will encourage the participation of a wide and diverse array of participants, including women and minorities.

[49 FR 17737, Apr. 25, 1984, as amended at 56 FR 47148, Sept. 18, 1991]

§ 1214.1705   Selection of space flight participants.

(a) The agency will publicly announce each space flight participant opportunity through appropriate means, including notice in the Federal Register and press releases. Each such Announcement of Opportunity will include a listing of basic qualification requirements to be met (including those of §1214.1704(b)), a statement of the specific National Aeronautics and Space Act purposes to which this opportunity is directed, what information is required of applicants to demonstrate their ability to fulfill those purposes, the criteria on which applicants will be judged, and administrative information such as to whom applications should be directed, the opening and closing dates for applications, and any other information or matters determined to be pertinent to the program in general and/or the specific flight.

(b) All applications received in response to the AO will be screened to eliminate those applicants not meeting the basic qualification requirements.

(c) Remaining applications will be forwarded to the outside review panel established for the announcement in question and composed of members appropriate to the specific purposes stated in that announcement. The review panel will evaluate all the applications and recommend to NASA a list of those applicants who appear most likely to meet the purposes.

(d) NASA selection of applicants qualified to undergo necessary training and be certified for flight will be made by the Committee, based upon criteria that include:

(1) Recommendation of the outside review panel.

(2) Ability to undergo successfully the necessary period of training to ensure adaptation to flight experience and mission activities.

(3) Ability to pass medical and psychological examinations to minimize the possibility of hazard to persons or missions.

(4) Adaptability to living and working in space.

(5) Willingness to enter into an agreement with NASA covering pre-flight, flight, and post-flight activities, with individual rights and responsibilities set forth in that agreeement.

(6) Satisfactory completion of a background investigation conducted to NASA's standards as adjudicated by the NASA Security Officer.

(e) The Committee will submit a list of those candidates suitable for selection to the NASA Administrator, who will select the requisite number to undergo the necessary training to prepare them for space flight.

(f) Those candidates who successfully complete the training will become qualified as space flight participants. Flight assignments will be made by the Administrator from this qualified group. NASA reserves the right to solicit additional space flight participant applications, if necessary.

(g) Authority to officially designate candidates for training, certify candidates as qualified space flight participants, and assign space flight participants to specific Space Shuttle flights is reserved to the Administrator.

§ 1214.1706   Program management.

The Associate Administrator for Space Flight is responsible for program management under the direction of the Committee chairperson.

§ 1214.1707   Media and public inquiries.

(a) The Associate Administrator for External Relations will respond to all inquiries directed to the agency concerning space flight participants and the process by which they are selected.

(b) The names of all applicants will be withheld from public release until the space flight participants are selected by the Administrator.

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