Current space policy limits the assignment of primary payloads on the Shuttle to those requiring manned presence or the unique capabilities of the Shuttle. While exceptions to these criteria have been allowed due to other compelling circumstances, it has essentially resulted in the removal of deployable satellites from the Shuttle manifest. In the pre-Challenger environment the Shuttle\u27s performance capabilities were efficiently utilized by co-manifesting NASA science experiments with commercial deployable satellites. The absence of these commercial payloads has resulted in a Shuttle manifest primarily oriented to science and technology payloads. The diverse on-orbit operational requirements of these payloads results in future shared cargo missions which are considerably lighter and more complex.
This paper will review payload demands for Shuttle resources and services in the pre-Space Station Freedom (SSF) time frame. Requests for flight in both the Orbiter cargo bay and middeck will be considered. Factors limiting more efficient use of the Shuttle will also be discussed
