The following resources are recommended by the AIAA / Space Architecture Technical Committee for education, research, and commercial aerospace architecture applications. The resources are grouped according to the following topics:
A working charter for the AIAA / Space Architecture Technical Committee.
12 October 2002
Gathered in Houston in mid-October for the World Space Congress 2002, 47 Architects and designers from 16 countries who are expert in design for aviation and human spaceflight spent a long day in deliberations to produce the final version of the Space Architects' manifesto, "The Millennium Charter". This brief document is the culmination of many months of intense debate and deliberate wordsmithing among this population of overwhelmingly nonnative speakers of English. Calling itself "Team 11" after the "Team X" of the CIAM’s [Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne] last meeting, we sought to reinvigorate the CIAM as the only truly international precedent of Architects working as an organized, political body to craft a sense of relevance and understanding between our profession and the world at large. And in the spirit of the CIAM's founders, who insisted on inviting their mentors Peter Behrens and Otto Wagner to their first meeting, the Team 11's proceedings were further enriched by the participation of one of Team X's framers -- the Architect Waltraude Woods.
Introductory article "(Aero)Space Architecture takes flight" by Constance M. Adams.
Entire text of The Millennium Charter document. PDF version with signatures will be available soon.
"Team 11" workshop poster (PDF file 700k).
Publications recommended by the SATC are as follows:
Author's Guide: The following is a recommended author's guide to writing abstracts and papers for publication in SATC-sponsored conferences and symposia:
Abstracts: In the peer-review guidline (above), Dr. Cohen writes, "The Abstract should summarize very briefly the essence of the paper. It should state the problem, the approach to the problem, whether an experiment or design exercise occurred, and the most significant result or finding." A simple guide for writing abstracts is as follows:
Conference Paper Templates: RTF files formated according to conference and symposia rules are posted in this location:
See the education page.
China Daily: Detailed online information about China's Shenzhou space program.
ISS User's Guide: Detailed online technical references for the International Space Station.
Laboratory Design Technical Support Package: NASA Tech Brief document ARC-14965 by Marc Cohen, presenting a detailed analysis of space laboratory design.
Living Aloft: A standard reference for space habitability by Connors, Harrison & Akin.
NASA Academy for Astrobiology: This unique center of higher learning promotes awareness of the multi-faceted prospects of science and the potential of astrobiology. See also the summer program.
NASA KSC Video: This site has multiple video feeds of Kennedy Space Center.
NASA Tech files: A site containing multiple articles and papers on various space technologies.
NASA Technical Report Server: The main site for NASA technical articles.
NASA TV: This site has a RealVideo feed of NASA Television (requires Windows Media Player).
Space.com: Current coverage of space news and topics.
Spaceref.com: An extensive online space reference resource.
Spacecraft Films: Original space mission film records can be purchased at this site. Titles include Space History Series (Apollo 11, etc), Shuttle Mission Logs, and Launch Vehicle Series.
Spacecraft Models: High-quality models and drawings of spacecraft can be purchased at this site.
Space Shuttle Reference: A detailed online technical reference for the Space Shuttle.
See the research page for projects supported by the SATC.
Artificial Gravity: This site lists resources for design in artificial gravity, including several online and downloadable software tools such as SpinCalc and SpinDoctor.
Crew Accomodations Resource Model: This is a spreadsheet that will calculate consumables, mass, etc for hypothetical human missions.
Fertile Moon ISRU Tool: This ISU 2006 Master's program report introduces and describes the FERTILE (Feasibility of the Extraction of Resources Toolkit for In-situ Lunar Exploration) Moon Model as a possible aid to those wishing to examine the potential of ISRU on the Moon.
Simulated Microgravity: This page is NASA's KC-135 homepage, for conducting simulated microgravity research.
SICSA Lecture Series: Data sheets refering to an interdisciplinary "system of systems" perspective that encompasses broad aspects of mission planning, spacecraft and habitat elements/design, planetary surface mobility and construction equipment, operations and logistics, and other important topics.
Road Maps / Reference Missions:
Mars Design Reference Mission (DRM): This website has resources for the official NASA reference mission to Mars.
NASA Human Support road maps: This website has all the relevant NASA "Roadmaps" and related organizational documents in the areas of Human Support.
NASA Human Support technical documents: This website has documents outlining guidelines for design of human support missions, crew accommodations resource manuals, etc.
Space Agencies:
ASI: Homepage of the Italian Space Agency.
BNSC: Homepage of British National Space Agency.
CALT: Homepage for the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.
CSA: Homepage for the Canadian Space Agency.
CNSA: Homepage for the China National Space Administration (this link sometimes has problems).
DLR: Homepage of the German National Aerospace Agency.
ESA: Homepage of the European Space Agency.
FAA: Federal Aviation Administration Commercial Space Transportation: USA launch operator's licenses for commercial launch of orbital rockets.
FSA: Homepage of the French Space Agency.
INPE: Homepage for the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research.
ISRO: Homepage of the Indian Space Research Organization.
JAXA: Homepage of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (replaces NASDA).
NASA: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration homepage.
NASA Ames: Homepage of Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.
NASA JSC: Homepage of Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
NASA JSC HHFO: Website for NASA Johnson Space Center Habitability and Human Factors Office.
NASA JPL: Homepage of Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
NASA KSC: Homepage of Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
NASDA: Homepage of the National Space Development Agency of Japan (replaced by JAXA).
NSC: Homepage of the Norwegian Space Center.
RKA: Homepage of the Russian Space Agency. Here is an alternate site.
SNSB: Homepage of the Swedish National Space Board.
SSO: Homepage for the Swiss Space Office.
SRON: Homepage of the Space Research Organization Netherlands.
Other government / industry links:
Astronaut Candidate Selection: This is the site for astronaut candidate selection, including application form downloads.
TransHab: The TransHab inflatable module was a concept proposed as a crew quarters for the International Space Station. The concept could provide a large volume habitation module for the International Space Station while demonstrating its use for future transit spacecraft. The structure is an inflatable volume, as opposed to traditional hard shell pressure vessels.
Astrocourier: A space company developing a low cost carrier system for flying small scientific experiments to earth orbit and back on a regular basis on Space Shuttle missions, with an emphasis on providing low cost access to space for small businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, universities, schools and enthusiasts.
John Frassanito & Associates: An industrial design firm that has been involved with the design of many aerospace architecture projects, including the International Space Station.
Kayser Italia: a small, independent system engineering company concentrating on the study, design, manufacturing, integration and testing of hardware and software systems and subsystems for space applications, advanced industrial research, and environmental monitoring.
Liquifer: (see also Escape Sphere) Includes some lunar and Mars architectural design projects by Barbara Imhof.
Lunar architecture: A site dedicated to the study of lunar architecture.
Mars Institute: The Mars Institute was created to establish an independent nonprofit organization whose sole purpose is to focus on advancing the scientific study and exploration of Mars, with a central commitment to conducting high quality peer-reviewed research, and on sharing knowledge and experiences of Mars exploration with students and the general public worldwide.
Mars society: An organization dedicated to further the goal of the exploration and settlement of the Red Planet by: 1) broad public outreach to instill the vision of pioneering Mars, 2) support of ever more aggressive government funded Mars exploration programs around the world, and 3) conducting Mars exploration on a private basis.
Nexterra: A non-profit company hosting resources for the design of a First Mars Outpost (FMO). Nexterra's "exploremarsnow" website was awarded the 2003 Webby Award and the 2003 Scientific American Sci/Tech award as the best science website of the year.
OPS-Alaska: An organization dedicated to expand the human ecology by 1) supporting the space enterprise across various fronts, and 2) supporting natural and social / behavioral research projects aimed at improving the quality of life for all and ensuring the continuation of the human race.
Planetary Society: An organization dedicated to: 1) encouraging all spacefaring nations to explore other worlds, 2) providing public information and support for educational activities about the exploration of the solar system and the search for extraterrestrial life, and 3) support and funding of innovative and novel research and development projects that can seed future projects of planetary exploration. Also see Madhu Thangavelu's space architect page.
Plug-in Creations Architecture, LLC: A design practice with strong specialization in theoretical application, devoted to the integration of high technology into architectural design, industrial design, aerospace architecture, and creative research. The name is derived from a primary goal to promote and advance kit-of-parts theory, modular, and object-oriented construction techniques.
Robosphere: A project to explore the possibility of long term or continuous, sustainable robotic presence on planetary surfaces and in space, in order to increase scientific returns, decrease exploration costs and greatly decrease any chances of mission failures.
Synthesis Int'l: A design firm specializing in earth / space architecture strategy and design, including furnishings for earth and space, aerospace architecture (such as TransHab), mission strategy / planning, and terrestrial design projects.
Umbilical Design: A company with focus on design and architecture for outer space and extreme environments. The company's philosophy is to facilitate human life by integrating knowledge and technologies developed for outer space in everyday products.