Space Station Freedom - Initial plans for U.S. utilization

Abstract

NASA's utilization plans for the Space Station Freedom (SSF) are outlined with references to the Consolidated Operations and Utilization Plan (COUP) being developed to cover the first five years of the program. The SSF is described with particular attention given to the spacecraft capabilities, and initial long-term U.S. objectives are set forth with more immediate corresponding research areas. U.S. plans include research in microgravity, life sciences, and technology, and payload concepts are shown to be in development for each area. The SSF is expected to be a useful resource for: (1) commercial research on crystal growth; (2) investigations into physical and chemical processes in the microgravitational environment; and (3) technology studies relevant to the efficient exploitation of space. The NASA Partner Utilization Plan on which these observations are based is being prepared for incorporation into the SSF COUP.