Top Concerns Are Consistency In Budgeting, Risk Management

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, has issued its 2014 annual report examining NASA's safety performance over the past year and highlighting accomplishments, issues and concerns to agency and government officials.

The report, released Wednesday, is based on the panel's 2014 fact-finding and quarterly public meetings; "insight" visits and meetings; direct observations of NASA operations and decision-making processes; discussions with NASA management, employees and contractors; and the panel members' own experience.

"In this year's annual report the panel's observations and top concerns include budget and constancy of purpose, transparency and risk management," said ASAP chairman Joseph W. Dyer. "The panel urges a consensus among the administration, Congress and NASA on a genuine, long-term mission and vision and provide funding required to deliver it.  The panel looks forward to greater transparency from the Commercial Crew Program in the upcoming year."

The 2014 report highlights include: 

• Constancy of purpose
• Risk transparency
• International Space Station operations
• Exploration systems development
• Commercial cargo and crew to transport low-Earth orbit

Congress established the panel in 1968 to provide advice and make recommendations to the NASA administrator on safety matters after the 1967 Apollo 1 fire that claimed the lives of three American astronauts.

FMI: http://oiir.hq.nasa.gov/asap/index.html