Extensive in-house trade studies are being conducted by NASA to improve the reliability of recovery and reuse of the boosters, and to make maximum use of off-the-shelf equipment in order to reduce the cost per flight. Other cost reduction areas being examined are: utilizaiton of less expensive materials, improved fabrication methods, simplicity of design, utilizaton of state-of-the-art technology and increasing reuse of the SRB.

One of the critical considerations in solid rocket recovery is the corrosion of the rocket case material. NASA is evaluating the effects of sea water on candidate materials for the Solid Rocket Booster motor to develop suitable protective coatings. A number of metal alloys and protective coatings were exposed for various periods up to 7 days in the Gulf of Mexico. After exposure, all surfaces were evaluated for general corrosion and biological growth (figure 154) (see p. 428).

Water impacts tests of SRB models have been run in closed tanks and in a natural water environment using parachutes. Valuable data were obtained from these tests on entry position, (figure 155) (see p. 428) velocities and the resultant forces of the SRB.

The SRB program will include design, development and qualification of the booster and subsystems, including the recovery system, the thrust vector control system and the thrust termination system. The present development plan provides for the first development firing in November 1975 and the preliminary flight readiness test (PERT) in mid 1977. The first set of flight hardware is scheduled for delivery in late calendar year 1977 and will support the First Manned Orbital Flight in 1978.

Fiscal year 1974 funding will provide for: initiation of design and development of the SRB and initiation of the preliminary design reviews for the major subsystems; start of fabrication and assembly of the structural and propulsion test articles; and modification of propellant processing and ground test equipment.

MANAGEMENT PLAN

The management plan selected for the Space Shuttle Program makes use of the capabilities and resources developed for previous manned space flight programs, but modifies the plan to accommodate the initimate systems integration aspects of the Shuttle configuration, while at he same time minimizing cost. At the beginning of previous manned space flight programs only a small cadre of skilled manpower was available. It was, therefore, necessary to develop teams of technical and management experts in government, as well as in industry. The staff at our three centers provided the government with a strong nucleus of managerial and technical skills. The Apollo configuration, with a separate booster and spacecraft, led naturally to system engineering and deeper management involvement from NASA Headquarters during the development period. With the Apollo Program completed, these centers, together with NASA Headquarters, can furnish the managerial and technical skills needed to develop the Space Shuttle Program in addition to completing on-going programs such as Skylab and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The configuration of the Shuttle, with booster tank and orbiter clustered together, results in the lowest cost per flight consistent with R&D dollar constraints. This approach, however, calls for the highest order of systems integration and systems engineering. To capitalize on existing strengths and to minimize the number of personnel required, NASA has developed a “lead center" management plan (figure 156) for the Space Shuttle Program. Basically, the plan utilizes the program office and a multicenter systems integration group located at the Johnson Space Center as an arm of NASA Headquarters in carrying out the program. The Space Shuttle Program Office in Washington is responsible to The Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight for generating the overall systems performance, schedules, and resource control. We delegate to the Shuttle Program Office at the Johnson Space Center the authority to manage the program on a day-to-day basis, to carry out the integration studies previously done in Headquarters for the Apollo Program, and to contract with industry teams that will produce the Shuttle. The Program Manager at the Johnson Space Center, in turn, utilizes the technical and managerial skills of each Manned Space Flight Field Center to carry out those functions and activities in their

special areas of expertise. The Orbiter itself, for example, is the responsibility of the Johnson Space Center while the Solid Rocket Booster, the Shuttle Main Engine and the External Tanks are managed by a team at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Similarly, the Space Shuttle Project Office located at the Kennedy Space Center is responsible for the launch and landing operations, which will take place at that location. Regularly scheduled meetings, attended by all responsible elements of the management teams, including the participating contractors, are arranged to identify interface issues and programmatic problems. Periodic reviews with top NASA management are also an important aspect of the lead center plan. This management plan has been in effect since July 1971. It is working very well. It has, in fact, eliminated the need for a large group of integrating contractor personnel at NASA Headquarters as was required during the Apollo Program, and will prove to be a very cost effective way of managing the program.

NASA/USAF Cooperation

From its early inception, the Space Shuttle was intended to provide maximum benefit to a variety of users, including the Department of Defense. A joint NASA Air Force Space Transportation System Committee (STS) was established in 1970. This committee, chaired jointly by the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for R&D and by the NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, is responsible for a continuing review of space transportation requirements and for making recommendations as to how best to meet these requirements. In addition to this high level group concerned primarily with policy making, a close working relationship has been established at the operations level. USAF personnel are assigned to the various Space Shuttle program offices (figure 157) while NASA personnel serve in a liaison capacity at HQ SAMSO. In addition to these full-time personnel and who participate in program planning and management activities at all levels, civilian and military representatives of DOD serve on source evaluation boards and working groups concerned with aerodynamics, structure, propulsion,

crew systems, electronics and operations. DOD further supports the Space Shuttle Program by sponsoring special industry and in-house studies of particular interest to DOD, such as payload requirements, security, crew safety, etc. DOD also provides results of research in the area of solid rocket technology, lifting bodies, thermal protection and similar topics.

Management for Cost Effectiveness

To assure that program objectives are achieved on schedule and within authorized funding limitations, particular attention is being paid to measuring contractor schedule, cost and technical performance and to control program changes which could have an impact on program costs and schedules. This is being accomplished by:

• Establishing cost targets as part of the design requirements at all work levels,

Instilling extreme cost consciousness in all participants by holding them responsible for adhering to cost targets,

Making maximum use of existing facilities and capabilities.

• Controlling manpower build-up both at the contractors' plants and at NASA installations,

• Making use of the contractors' own management and information systems. VASA top management, being fully cognizant of the need to achieve a low cost program, is making all levels of management aware of the need to implement cost riidelines (figures 158 and 159) (see p. 432). Effective day-to-day implementaon of these principles will contribute to attaining our cost targets for the shuttle.

SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM COST GUIDELINES

DEVELOPMENT PHASE

• USE EXISTING TECHNOLOGY AND OFF-THE-SHELF HARDWARE