Spacecraft Design Considerations for Piloted Reentry and Landing

Kenneth J. Stroud and David M. Klaus

With the end of the Space Shuttle era anticipated in this decade and the requirements for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) now being defined, an opportune window exists for incorporating ‘lessons learned’ from relevant aircraft and space flight experience into the early stages of designing the next generation of human spacecraft. This includes addressing not only the technological and overall mission challenges, but also taking into account the comprehensive effects that space flight has on the pilot, all of which must be balanced to ensure the safety of the crew. This manuscript presents a unique and timely overview of a multitude of competing, often unrelated, requirements and constraints governing spacecraft design that must be collectively considered in order to ensure the success of future space exploration missions.

Keywords: Spacecraft, vestibular, reentry, landing, design, spatial disorientation