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Astronaut Support Personnel

Astronaut Support Personnel, or ASP, is one of three positions at NASA and a critical one in space shuttle launches and landings. Canadian astronaut Major Chris Hadfield is the first non-American to hold this position.

Starting about three months prior to liftoff, Major Hadfield begins working with the crew to represent them at launch facility, and solving issues such as bulky flight instruments, window clarity, thermal tile modifications, payload experiment installation, and shuttle system anomalies, to name a few. As such, the ASPs are de-facto crew members for the Commander of the mission.

Six weeks before launch, the crew goes through the first strap-in. A dry run dress rehearsal of all procedures leading up to launch is then carried out. Three weeks before launch, during the Terminal Count Demonstration Test, a full dress rehearsal occurs at Kennedy for the crew, the Launch Control staff, and the hundreds of people involved in a launch. As the Prime CC, Major Hadfield flies to Kennedy with the crew, briefs them on procedures, and follows the crew through orbiter, weather, and safety briefings. Major Hadfield is also in charge of the other CCs or ASPs, and schedules and directs their activities. While at Kennedy, Major Hadfield and his colleagues live at Crew Quarters.

Major Hadfield is also responsible for the Extravehicular Mobility Suits, or spacewalk suits, takes photographs of the stowage and set-up, and oversees the final airlock hatch closure. During Launch Week, Major Hadfield flies down to Kennedy, and takes them through many of the same activities already practiced. About 24 hours prelaunch, all communications checks, late stowage, and every switch are verified. There are over 400 switches on the Flight Deck alone and any one switch in the wrong position could cause disaster.

After all these activities are complete, one of the ASPs remains in the shuttle overnight to "babysit," so that there is no chance of anybody else entering the vehicle and changing anything. Ten hours prior to launch, the entire launch pad is evacuated for fuelling. People must remain at least three miles away during this dangerous procedure.

On the morning of the launch, either Major Hadfield or one of his colleagues will fly up in a T-38 to check the weather. Three hours before the crew wakes up, Major Hadfield will go to the White Room (which is the access to the shuttle) and from there into the vehicle to install final crew items, updated checklists, and set final switch configuration.

Finally, three hours before launch, the crew arrives at the White Room and the ASPs begin strapping them in. The last hour is tense and swift, as each crew member is strapped in, checks communications, and receives a final emergency procedure briefing.

During launch, the ASPs watch with the immediate families of the crew members, providing support and responding to questions. After launch the families and ASPs eat a traditional meal of baked beans.

At landing, Major Hadfield will be the first person into the shuttle to help the crew unstrap, take over switch reconfiguration, and help the crew onto their feet after up to fifteen days of weightlessness.

After all that is done, the CCs start preparing for the next launch. Current schedules call for a mission every six weeks so Major Hadfield is very busy completing this exacting job to the best of his abilities.