In the early 21st century, the private commercial space transportation industry demonstrated that commercial human space flight is both technologically and economically feasible. In 2004, the United States Congress responded by passing legislation authorizing the Department of Transportation to license and regulates commercial human space flight. / This thesis examines and assesses the U.S. commercial human space flight vehicle licensing and regulatory law. Tort liability is inextricably linked to the success of the commercial human space flight industry and to that end this thesis provides an analysis of U.S. tort liability law in the event of a commercial human space flight vehicle accident.

Thesis (M.S. in Astronautical Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, Dec. 2004. / Thesis Advisor(s): Sherif Michael. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

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Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / Nuclear power is the next enabling technology in manned exploration of the solar system. Scientists and engineers continue to design multi-megawatt power systems, yet no power system in the 100 kilowatt, electric, range has been built and flown. Technology demonstrations and studies leave a myriad of systems from which decision makers can choose to build the first manned space nuclear power system. While many subsystem engineers plan in parallel, an accurate specific mass value becomes an important design specification, which is still uncertain. This thesis goes through the design features of the manned Mars mission, its power system requirements, their design attributes as well as their design faults. Specific mass is calculated statistically as well as empirically for 1-15MWe systems. Conclusions are presented on each subsystem as well as recommendations for decision makers on where development needs to begin today in order for the mission to launch in the future. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

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Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Aerospace Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

The International Space Station utilizes many different forms of written and verbal communication between the flight crews and ground control personnel. This study analyzes the historical use of three regular communication methods, Daily Planning Conferences, Weekly Planning Conferences and written Daily Summaries, as well as specific, science and internal maintenance events for characteristics and perceived effectiveness across eight expeditions (4 ? 11). The results are recommendations for the continued use of, or substitution for, these methods for future long-duration human space missions, specifically to the Moon and to Mars. General conclusions are that most of the conference content could have been relayed through written/electronic methods, and that the Daily Summaries are considered succinct and effective as a communication cornerstone. Conclusions formed from the study of individual events involved the importance of well-written crew procedures, the effective stowage and retrieval of necessary materials and the selection of well-defined science experiments.