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National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Spacecraft Systems Division
Customer Needs Page

On this page:

• General and Multiple Customer Information
• Space and Planetary Science Customer Information
• Earth Observation Customer Information
• Human Exploration Customer Information
• Commercial Remote Sensing Customer Information
• Commercial Communications Customer Information

The Spacecraft Systems Division has the primary goals of providing innovative technologies to enable ambitious future space missions and to build the capability in the US space industry through focused space technology efforts. The Spacecraft Systems Division is developing advanced spacecraft technology and systems concepts to reduce cost and increase performance of current and planned missions; to enable future missions; and to support the commercial development of space. The program also has the goal of establishing and maintaining technical expertise critical to the success of NASA's missions.

Flight Demonstrations under the Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative and cross-cutting technologies in the the areas of Spacecraft Systems, Instruments and Sensing, Autonomy and Operations, Telerobotic, and Communications address the technology needs of our major customers, as illustrated in the figure below:

We work pro-actively with our customers to identify and prioritize the technology needs for future missions and insure that we are making the best possible investment in technology for future space-based sensors and instruments. The following links provide some insight into our customer's technology needs and mission plans.

General and Multiple Customer Information

• National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (As Amended)
• Space and Aeronautics Publications and Testimony from the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House.
• A number of interesting and relevant reports were available from the U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment (which no longer exists). Until recently this link was still working. If any knows of a location where these reports can be found on-line, please let me know.
• Principal Recommendations of the Augustine Commission, 1990.
• Space Science Reading Room of the National Academy Press.
• Space Missions acronym and hyperlink list. Each acronym is an anchor, click on EOS or MTPE to see how this works. This is not a complete list, and suggested additions are welcome.

Space and Planetary Science Customer Information

Office of Space Science (Code S)

Science Theme Links:

• The Sun-Earth Connection (Space Physics)
• Exploration of the Solar System (Planetary Science)
• Structure & Evolution of the Universe
  • SEU Technology Workshop
• Astronomical Search for Origins and Planetary Systems (Origins)

Division Links (i.e., the old structure):

• Solar System Exploration Division (Code SL)
• Space Physics Division (Code SS)
• Astrophysics Division (Code SZ)

Strategies and Plans:

• Space Science for the 21st Century: Strategic Plan for 1995-2000. An electronic version of the Office of Space Science Strategic Science Plan is also available via anonymous file transfer at the following address: ftp.hq.nasa.gov. The necessary document is entitled sciplan.txt. Please read readme.txt for more information.
• The Office of Space Science (OSS) Integrated Technology Strategy establishes the framework through which OSS will satisfy stakeholder expectations by teaming with partners in NASA and industry to develop the critical technologies required to: enhance space exploration, expand our knowledge of the universe, and ensure continued national scientific, technical and economic leadership.
• Mission to the Solar System Roadmap activity from JPL.
• Space Science Reading Room of the National Academy Press includes reports such as:
  • An Integrated Strategy for Planetary Sciences 1995-2010 (1994)

Earth Observation Customer Information

• Mission to Planet Earth (Code Y)
• Space Science Reading Room of the National Academy Press includes reports such as:
  • Earth Observations From Space: History, Promise, and Reality (1995)
• Chart showing spectrum and applications for Earth observations.

Human Exploration Customer Information

Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications (Code U)

• Microgravity Science and Applications Division (Code UG)
  • Microgravity Science and Applications Advanced Technology Development Program
• Life and Biomedical Sciences and Applications Division (Code UL)
• Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Health Division (Code UO)
• Flight Systems Division (Code US)

Other Sources and Related Information

• Space Science Reading Room of the National Academy Press includes reports such as:
  • Scientific Opportunities in the Human Exploration of Space (1994)
• Human Needs in Space, chapter 3 of Space Settlements: A Design Study (NASA SP-413, 1977).
• Welcome to The Center for Space Environmental Health

Commercial Remote Sensing Customer Information

• Remote Sensing and GIS from Trends in Commercial Space - 1996, from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
• DRAFT MTPE Commercial Strategy. This draft strategy will continue to be reviewed throughout the first half of 1996.
• EOSDIS Potential User Conference Proceedings. From the EOSDIS User Model Project.
• Space Technology Enterprise. One of the goals of the Space Technology Enterprise (of the NASA Strategic Plan) is to "build capability in the U.S. space industry through focused space technology efforts." The Commercial Remote Sensing Program is meeting this goal for the U.S. space commercial remote sensing industry.
• CHAPTER 82 - LAND REMOTE SENSING POLICY from TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE of the United States Code. This information is provided by the Legal Information Institute of the Cornell Law School and contains the laws in force on January 24, 1994. This is provided for background purposes only, and is not guaranteed free of errors. See also the The U.S. House of Representatives Internet Law Library U.S. Code (searchable) (currently up-to-date through January 4, 1995) from the U.S. House of Representatives.

Commercial Communications Customer Information

Space Technology Enterprise. One of the goals of the Space Technology Enterprise (of the NASA Strategic Plan) is to "build capability in the U.S. space industry through focused space technology efforts." In addition to addressing the communications technology needs of future NASA missions, the Communications Technology Program is meeting this goal for the U.S. space commercial communications industry.

Return to:

• Advanced Technology and Mission Studies Division Page
  • The Spacecraft Systems Division has merged into the the Advanced Technology and Mission Studies Division, but we have not yet merged the web pages.
• Space Technology Enterprise Page
• Office of Space Science
• NASA Headquarters Page
• NASA Page

Created November 2, 1995. Last update: November 26, 1996. Please see my Disclaimer and Web Policy page. Maintained by Gordon Johnston.

The world wide web uniform resource locator (URL) for this page is:

http://ranier.hq.nasa.gov/SCRS_Page/SSDneeds.html