NASA safety panel releases annual report on space operations
WASHINGTON - The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), which advises the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Congress, released its 2024 annual report. The report assesses the agency’s safety performance, achievements, and challenges over the past year.
The report examines NASA’s strategic vision, Moon to Mars management, the future of U.S. presence in low Earth orbit, and health risks in human space exploration. The report is available here: https://www.nasa.gov/asap-reports/.
"Over the past year, NASA has continued to make meaningful progress toward meeting the intent of the broad-ranging recommendations the panel has made over the last several years," said retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms, ASAP chair. "We believe that the agency's careful attention to vision, strategy, governance, and program management is vital to the safe execution of NASA's complex and critical national mission."
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The panel noted NASA's progress in strategic planning, governance, and program management. It cited the agency’s NASA 2040 initiative, which seeks to align long-term objectives across headquarters and field centers. The establishment of the Moon to Mars Program Office in 2023 was also highlighted as a step toward integrating safety and risk management into the Artemis campaign.
ASAP emphasized the importance of adapting NASA’s safety and risk management strategies in an era of increasing commercial space activity. It cited its 2021 recommendations for reassessing NASA’s role in a shifting industry landscape, including its relationships with private and international partners.
The report outlines key safety concerns for NASA’s Moon to Mars efforts, the transition to commercial low Earth orbit destinations, and ongoing International Space Station operations. It also addresses human health risks in space and the potential impact of budget constraints on safety.
ASAP’s findings are based on fact-finding missions, quarterly public meetings, direct observations of NASA operations, and discussions with agency personnel and contractors.
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