THE ASTRONAUT RESOURCES
 Pilot and Commander return home |
Commander / Pilot Astronaut These type of Astronauts fulfill the role of both commander and pilot on board the shuttle. As commander, the astronaut has onboard responsibility for the crew, vehicle, mission success and flight safety. The pilot astronaut must assist the commander in controlling and operating the vehicle, and will often retrieve satellites in orbit using the Canadarm™ / RMS. (Remote Manipulator System). |
 Extra Vehicular Activity |
Mission Specialist Astronaut Mission Specialists assume responsibility for coordinating shuttle operations in the following areas: shuttle systems, consumables usage, crew activity planning, and experimented/payload operations. Mission Specialists work with the commander and pilot and are trained in the details of the following:
Mission Specialists perform EVA's (Extra Vehicular activity), i.e. spacewalks, operate the RMS / Canadarm, and are responsible for payloads and specific experiment operations. |
 Specific payload operation |
Payload Specialist Astronaut Payload Specialists are people are than NASA astronauts (e.g. physicians, doctors, foreign nationals) who have very specialized onboard duties. They are added to shuttle flight crews if the (payload) activities involved have unique requirements, and more than the normal minimum crew of 5 is needed. First consideration for additional crew members, is usually given to qualified NASA mission specialists. When Payload specialists are required they are nominated by NASA, the foreign sponsor or the designated payload sponsor. Should the payload be NASA-related, the nominations for Payload Specialists are recommended by the appropriate Investigator Working Group (IWG). Payload Specialists are not part of the Astronaut Candidate program, but they must have appropriate training and education related the specific payload experiment. All applicants must meet certain physical requirements and pass NASA space physical examinations with varying situations depending on classification. |
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