Crew designations

[GordonD]

It occurs to me that when I'm writing the 'Ups and Downs' summaries I've been using abbreviations for crew positions and assuming everybody understands them. That might not be the case, and today's Soyuz 10 report uses a new one so this is maybe a good time to list and explain what they are.

 

CDR - Commander; in charge of the flight. Used in both US and Soviet/Russian programmes. On Gemini sometimes known as CP for Command Pilot

CMP - Command Module Pilot on Apollo

LMP - Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo (Despite the title the Commander did the flying!)

P - Pilot. Used in Gemini and the Space Shuttle. On Gemini flights it was the Pilot who did the EVAs

FE - Flight Engineer. Used on Soyuz; these days it normally applies to crew members other than the Commander - though there were and are exceptions

RC - Research Cosmonaut - Usually referred to a cosmonaut from outwith the Soviet Union, flying in the Interkosmos programme

TC - Test Cosmonaut - Sometimes used for the third crewman on a Soyuz mission. Also TE (Test Engineer) or RE (Research Engineer)

MS - Mission Specialist - Used on Shuttle flights for astronauts other than the flight crew

PS - Payload Specialist - On Shuttle flights, non-astronauts trained to operate a specific payload; usually only made a single flight

SP - Spaceflight Participant - Fare-paying passenger. The fee can come from their own pocket or their government