(a) Relationship with flight crew. The crew commander has overall responsibility for crew integration and the safe and successful conduct of the mission. With respect to crew and vehicle safety, the commander has ultimate responsibility and authority for all assigned crew duties. The payload specialist is responsible to the authority of the commander and operates in compliance with mission rules and Payload Operation Control Center directives. Payload specialists are expected to operate as an integral part of the crew and will participate in crew activities as specified by the crew commander.
(b) Operation of payload elements. The payload specialist will be responsible for the operation of the assigned payload elements. Onboard decisions concerning assigned payload operations will be made by the payload specialist. A payload specialist may be designated to resolve conflicts between the payload elements and approve such deviation from the flight plan as may arise from equipment failures or STS factors. In the instance of STS factors, the mission specialist will present the available options for the payload-related decisions by the payload specialist.
(c) Operation of STS equipment. The payload specialist will be responsible for knowing how to operate certain Obiter systems, such as hatches, food, and hygiene systems, and for proficiency in those normal and emergency procedures which are required for safe crew operations, including emergency egress and bail out. The responsibility for on-orbit management of Orbiter systems and attached payload support systems and for extravehicular activity and payload manipulation with the Remote Manipulator System will rest with the NASA flight crew. The NASA flight crew will operate Orbiter systems and standard payload support systems, such as Spacelab and Internal Upper Stage systems. With approval of the commander, payload specialists may operate payload support systems which have an extensive interface with the payload.