The HabForum

They'll probably play the same role as always. You can't eliminate them from space camp. it just wouldn't work. You wouldn't be able to add more MS or PLT spaces to the missions. Although the PS's are hardly ever on a mission in real life, they'll probably be at space camp for a long time.

Actually your probably right that you cant eliminate them completely actually you could add more MS's just add some other jobs fir the MS's as it is you could do more than one EVA especially if they increase the length of missions. Most flights the Same MS;s dont do every EVS on a mission especially some of the more complex construction missions. Those were just my thoughts didnt really mean anything.

Right after i worte that last post i thought of something else as a way to redefine the PS role at camp. Have the PS's concentrate mainly on ISS since thats where most of the scientific work will be done in space fir the next few years. And have the MS's play more of a role with the shuttle.

That would be a good idea except that the pilots and MSs wouldn't get to use the station, they'd be in shuttle or MOCR. Some people might like that idea though. It could work.

Well actually if i understoof the way the 24 hour missions use to work you spent time in all areas during the missions. And like a real mission the pilots and MS's could still spend time on the station just like a real shuttle flight. I was under the impression from someone who went to a session with a 24 hour mission it wasnt just 1 team doing it during the 24 hours which allowed for rotation and sleep. But i could be wrong about that but it would make sense with all the new stuff.

a lot of the mission specialist are no longer just engineers. yes the ms track started with those who do space walks and the mechanical stuff, but the new gerations of ms includes many scientists who are going to the ISS to conduct experiments, not to do space walks. And -some- people are interested in doing both the science and engineering.

Thats true and we'll see MS's doing more and more science in the future with the iss.

Hey guys

I love being EVA though I never tried the shuttle for EDM position selection in four years of going.

Guess i'll have to try it for aduly ASA 6 day this year

I like the pilot track. I was never MS but I was PS at ASA and I didn't like it at all. There is always something to do as pilot, and I like to have a lot of hands-on activity.

I've had thee opportunity to serve in all three tracks, (payload specialist only at the parent/child program) and I love being a Mission Specialist. There is nothing like planning and executing a flawless EVA and surviving it in spite of the machinations of the counselors!

I'd have to say mine is pilot. Nothing against the MSs, though, they get the job done on orbit!

Just as an update: I didn't see any PS track at ASA this year. During the EDM there was a full orbiter crew and we transferred to the ISS at one point. THere were two ISS crew member, two MS and two pilot/commander

Well this poll is several years old now. ASa got rid of the PS track a few years back. Keep in mind the last PS to actually fly on the shuttle was Ilan Ramon who did on STS-107. He had been the first PS to fly in several years. PS's are just not making ISS flights remember they were not career astronauts just people selected to fly with a specific payload. And in truth space camp had MS's doing work normaly done my MS's anyway.