Design and Operational Considerations for Human Spaceflight Occupant Safety

Abstract

This article is a result of a systematic review research of an existing, crewed commercial space transportation (CST)-relevant, publicly accessible documentation counting 300 resources. Our focus was on existing rules, guides, and regulations or design recommendations in scope of human/system integration and the CST human occupant safety. The recommendations are primarily in the provision of the selected resources and abstraction of identified gaps that the team believes should be addressed by the industry or U.S. government for successful, space vessel occupant-safe CST operations. This article is addressing only the normative side of CST and does not describe any specific design solutions for individual vehicles. The follow-up of this research should consider a more creative approach resulting in an implementation of this article's recommended areas of focus in specific guides that may become a part of the Federal Aviation Administration CST Recommended Practices document.