The utilization of Spacelab

Abstract

This paper describes the general characteristics of Spacelab and discusses its past, current, and planned utilization. To date, the major emphasis has focused on the development of the Spacelab hardware and on the first two flights. The experience gained from planning these early flights has shown that mixing disciplines with conflicting requirements on the same flight significantly compounds the complexity of the mission and leads to an inefficient use of the Spacelab and Shuttle resources. To minimize the complexity and to better utilize the Spacelab and Shuttle capabilities, a new utilization concept is being developed. This new concept, called 'Dedicated Discipline Labs', involves the grouping of scientifically compatible instruments into an appropriate carrier regularly flown at intervals on the order of six months to two years. The long term goal is to evolve many of these labs into low earth orbiting facilities for space stations.