Shuttle small payloads: how to fly shuttle in the "Faster, cheaper, better" world

With "faster, cheaper, better" pervading the requirements for present spacecraft designs, the Shuttle Small Payloads Project offers unique access to users of the Space Shuttle. "Payloads of Opportunity", such as Hitchhikers, combine for manned spaceflight customers the advantages of ground commanding and telemetry with quick turnaround and low-cost. This paper presents the capabilities of the Hitchhiker carrier systems. It also discusses typical ground integration and mission operations services available to Hitchhiker customers.