This introductory course provides a fundamental understanding of the roles, responsibilities and requirements that are essential to perform NASA Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations as it relates to Range Flight Safety. It defines and discusses the major elements of Range Flight Safety (policy and requirements, flight safety analysis, flight termination systems and range flight operations) for NASA UAS. The course focuses on requirements and real-time support including preflight, flight, recovery/landing and post-flight operations. The course includes the revised NPR 8715.5B, the new NASA-STD-8719.25, Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 107 policy for operation of small UAS, and also addresses the paths available to NASA to authorize UAS flights in special use airspace and the National Airspace System.

Course Number: SMA-AS-WBT-300

Length: 3.5 hours

Audience: This course is intended for anyone identified as needing initial training for personnel performing NASA UAS range flight operations; personnel in the management chain responsible for oversight of NASA UAS operations; personnel directly supporting or interacting with NASA UAS range flight operations.

This course is designed to give program, project and center personnel an understanding of the Range Flight Safety mission, associated policies, processes, requirements, and NASA roles and responsibilities. It defines and discusses the major elements of Range Flight Safety (policy and requirements, flight safety analysis, flight termination systems, and range operations), and briefly addresses associated range safety topics such as flight safety, frequency management and flight operations for a variety of vehicle types. The course includes the revised NPR 8715.5B, the completely new NASA-STD-8719.25, revised Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems and advances in commercial space. 

While concentrating on NASA Range Flight Safety, the course introduces the audience to the other two primary range safety organizations: Air Force Range Safety and FAA Range Safety. It provides insights to make the working relationship with a range most beneficial for the range user via a pro-active interface with range safety during program or project startup, design and operations to minimize potential delays and costs. 

Course Number: SMA-AS-WBT-410

Length: 8.00 hours

Audience: This course is intended for program, project and center personnel with an interest in Range Flight Safety activities. 

The Flight Safety Systems (FSS) course describes required Range Flight Safety policies and requirements, roles and responsibilities, and plans and procedures for both Flight Termination Systems (FTS) and Contingency Management Systems. This includes FTS design criteria and processes, component descriptions, performance requirements, and subsystem prelaunch testing requirements. The course also discusses FTS analysis, which includes reliability and single point-of-failure requirements and provides an overview of component acceptance and qualification testing requirements. The course expands to a review of sounding rocket, Unmanned Aircraft System and balloon FSS, including universal termination packages. The FSS class concludes with a description of emerging technologies, specifically Enhanced Flight Termination Systems and Autonomous Flight Safety Systems. 

Course Number: SMA-AS-WBT-335

Length:16.00 hours

Audience: This course is intended for program, project and center personnel with an interest in FSS. 

This course is designed to give NASA senior, program and project managers an understanding of the Range Safety mission, associated policies and requirements, and NASA roles and responsibilities. It defines and discusses the major elements of Range Safety (flight analysis, flight termination systems, range operations) and briefly addresses associated Range Safety topics such as ground safety, frequency management and Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles. It is designed to inform the audience of the services offered by the Range Safety organization, present timeframes that allow adequate interface with Range Safety during program and project startup and design to minimize potential delays and costs, and recommend ways of making the working relationship with Range Safety most beneficial for the range user. This course includes a visit to Range Safety facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Kennedy Space Center and normally only will be given at this location. If you wish to discuss presenting the class at your location, please contact the NASA Safety Training Center staff.

Course Number: SMA-SAFE-NSTC-0074

Length:14.00 hours

Audience: This course is intended for personnel with an interest in Range Safety activities.

This introductory course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the Range Safety Officer (RSO) or Flight Safety Officer (FSO) during Range Flight Safety activities and real-time support including pre-launch/flight, launch/flight and recovery/landing for NASA Sounding Rocket, Unmanned Aircraft System and Expendable Launch Vehicle operations. The course reviews Range Flight Safety policies, guidelines and requirements applicable to the duties of an RSO for each vehicle type and presents launch/flight constraints and commit criteria, mission rules, day of launch/flight activities, and display techniques. In addition, the course discusses tracking and telemetry, post-flight operations, lessons learned, and the use and importance of contingency plans. This course includes several classroom exercises to reinforce techniques and procedures utilized during Range Flight Safety operations.

Due to the unique interaction with real-world equipment, this course is conducted at Wallops Flight Facility and class size is limited to a maximum of 12 students.

Course Number: GSFC-RFSO

Length: 24.00 hours

Audience: This course is intended for anyone identified as needing initial training for performing RSO/FSO functions during NASA range flight operations, personnel in the management chain responsible for oversight of RSOs/FSOs, and personnel directly supporting or interacting with an RSO/FSO during NASA range flight operations. 

This course gives a detailed overview of Range Flight Safety analysis from a NASA-centric perspective. It includes the NASA, Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense requirements for flight safety analysis; a discussion of range operations hazards, risk criteria, and Risk Management processes; and in-depth coverage of vehicle containment and risk analysis methods. Vehicles addressed are Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Unguided Launch Vehicles (sounding rockets), Guided Launch Vehicles (Expendable Launch Vehicles and Reusable Launch Vehicles) and other NASA-unique flight vehicles. The course focuses on debris hazards but includes an overview of toxic, blast, laser and radiation hazards. Throughout the course, instructor-led demonstrations illustrate key aspects of flight safety analysis.

The new course is based on a fully modular structure. Each Module has its own mini-exam at the end. This structure facilitates the student’s ability to progress through the course at their own pace whenever they have time. Please note subsequent Modules build off of concepts introduced in preceding Modules, so be sure to progress through the modules in ascending order.

Course Number: SMA-AS-WBT-435

Length: 14.5 hours

Audience: This course is intended for program, project and center personnel who conduct hazardous operations or design potentially hazardous systems to operate on a range.

 

The Flight Safety Systems (FSS) course describes required safety responsibilities and Flight Termination System (FTS) procedures and plans. It also includes FTS component design, performance, test and subsystem prelaunch requirements. Included also is the applicable FTS ground support and monitoring equipment, FTS analysis, and component test history. The course additionally will include a review of Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle flight termination systems, balloon universal termination packages and the Enhanced Flight Termination System. The FSS class will conclude with a description of the Autonomous Flight Safety System. 

Course Number: SMA-SAFE-NSTC-0096

Length: 18.00 hours

Audience: This course is intended for personnel working flight safety systems issues.