posted 08-12-2008 10:55 AM               

NASA is not properly emphasizing safety in its design of a new spaceship and its return-to-the-moon program faces money, morale and leadership problems, an agency safety panel found Monday.

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel cited "surprising anxiety among NASA employees" about the Constellation moon program and said the project "lacks clear direction." Its 143-page annual report specifically faulted the agency's design of the Orion crew capsule for not putting safety features first.

posted 08-12-2008 11:07 AM               

Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Releases Annual Report

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, or ASAP, has released its 2007 Annual Report. The report examines NASA's safety performance and advises the agency on ways to better that performance.

"While there are still opportunities for improvement, the panel's finding concluded that NASA is making significant progress in improving safety issues during the past year," said ASAP Chairman Joseph W. Dyer. "The ASAP commends the Constellation Program for endorsing the recommendation of the ASAP and continuing to employ early hazard and risk analysis."

The panel did express concerns relating to the adequacy of funding for the Constellation Program. They noted that schedule pressures are introducing concurrency in both requirements development and program implementation decisions, and highlighted the slow pace at which some NASA Headquarters decisions are implemented across the ten NASA centers.

The ASAP based its advice on direct observation of NASA operations and decision-making. In the aftermath of the space shuttle Columbia accident, Congress required that the ASAP submit an annual report to the NASA administrator and to Congress. The annual report analyzes NASA's compliance with the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, as well as NASA's management and culture related to safety.

In addition to safety culture, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has specifically requested advice from the ASAP on technical authority, workforce and risk management.