SCIENTIFIC POLICY FOR THE SPACE STATION MICROGRAVITY ACTIVITIES

The scientific management of the Experimental Facilities of the Intern ational Space Station (ISS). that are mostly oriented to microgravity experimentation, is to be identified. The debate that is taking place today refers to two possible ISS conceipts: a) a condominium with many private apartments; b) a common house where all the equipment is comm on. The microgravity scientific community has already recognised the d rawbacks and difficulties that may derive from the first concept. Effo rts were already made and are being made in international users forums (e.g. IFSUSS, SSUP, SSUAS. CSA; etc.) to convince the Space Agencies that the scientific P/Ls must be chosen by the scientific community as a whole in order to avoid duplications. To find applicable criteria f or the scientific management the paper considers the CERN as a possibl e analog of the ISS. Similarities and differences are discussed. The e stablishment of an ISS Scientific Council (ISC) tot the scientific act ivities to be carried out in the ISS is suggested that must ensure a p roper utilization of the ISS P/Ls (based on a Scientific Utilization S hare Index) by issuing world wide A/Os and by identifying the scientif ic activities (Facilities and experiments) for all the mission increme nts.