Jacques van Oene
July 12th 03, 10:47 AM
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Office of Inspector General
Washington, D.C. 20546
July 10, 2003
RELEASE 2003-044: IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE ASTRONAUT CORPS
The review "Improving Management of the Astronaut Corps" (G-01-035)
has been posted to the NASA Office of Inspector General Web site at:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/inspections/g-01-035.pdf
The NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated the management of
the astronaut corps. The OIG considered whether the NASA astronaut
corps was being used effectively, was supportive of the Agency's
current and future mission, and was managed in accordance with
governing policies and procedures. We conducted this review because
the effective management of the astronaut corps is integral to the
success of NASA's mission.
Our report was scheduled to be released in final form in February 2003.
However, when the Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew were lost we
decided to delay the release of the report until a more appropriate
time. Now that NASA is working to recruit an Astronaut Candidate Class
of 2004 that includes pilots, mission specialists, and educator
astronauts, we believe that our recommendations will aid the decision-
making process.
Results of Review
The substance of the report has not been adjusted to reflect the loss
of the Columbia or its crew. We found overly optimistic predictions of
future flight rates, minimal regulation of astronaut candidate
selection, and the need to staff engineering positions at Johnson Space
Center to be factors in the Agency's astronaut hiring process. As a
result, costs for the astronaut program were higher than necessary and
not all individuals trained to be astronauts were being used in a
manner commensurate with their expensive training. We projected that
the mission specialists in the class of 2000 would wait an average of
105 months to fly for the first time. Based on our projection, the
last mission specialist in that class would not fly until April 2010
(116 months after joining the astronaut corps).
Recommendations
To assist the Agency in assuring that the size of the corps is more
closely aligned with mission and program needs, we recommended that the
Agency establish formal guidelines for certain aspects of the astronaut
candidate selection process, conduct more realistic analyses of
astronaut corps size needs, document reasons for deviating from those
analyses, and establish formal criteria for astronaut technical
assignments.
Management's Response
NASA management concurred with our recommendations and has planned
corrective actions that we consider responsive.
To comment on this report, please send e-mail to
*** End ***
Please do not contact NASA Office of Public Affairs for information on
Office of Inspector General releases.
For additional information on the NASA Office of Inspector General,
including published reviews, audit reports, inspection/assessment reports,
press releases, and other publications, please access our web site at:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq
Report Crime, Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Mismanagement to the NASA OIG
Hotline at: 800-424-9183, TDD 800-535-8134.
--
----
Jacques :-)
Editor: www.spacepatches.info
------------------------------------------------------
Office of Inspector General
Washington, D.C. 20546
July 10, 2003
RELEASE 2003-044: IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF THE ASTRONAUT CORPS
The review "Improving Management of the Astronaut Corps" (G-01-035)
has been posted to the NASA Office of Inspector General Web site at:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/inspections/g-01-035.pdf
The NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated the management of
the astronaut corps. The OIG considered whether the NASA astronaut
corps was being used effectively, was supportive of the Agency's
current and future mission, and was managed in accordance with
governing policies and procedures. We conducted this review because
the effective management of the astronaut corps is integral to the
success of NASA's mission.
Our report was scheduled to be released in final form in February 2003.
However, when the Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew were lost we
decided to delay the release of the report until a more appropriate
time. Now that NASA is working to recruit an Astronaut Candidate Class
of 2004 that includes pilots, mission specialists, and educator
astronauts, we believe that our recommendations will aid the decision-
making process.
Results of Review
The substance of the report has not been adjusted to reflect the loss
of the Columbia or its crew. We found overly optimistic predictions of
future flight rates, minimal regulation of astronaut candidate
selection, and the need to staff engineering positions at Johnson Space
Center to be factors in the Agency's astronaut hiring process. As a
result, costs for the astronaut program were higher than necessary and
not all individuals trained to be astronauts were being used in a
manner commensurate with their expensive training. We projected that
the mission specialists in the class of 2000 would wait an average of
105 months to fly for the first time. Based on our projection, the
last mission specialist in that class would not fly until April 2010
(116 months after joining the astronaut corps).
Recommendations
To assist the Agency in assuring that the size of the corps is more
closely aligned with mission and program needs, we recommended that the
Agency establish formal guidelines for certain aspects of the astronaut
candidate selection process, conduct more realistic analyses of
astronaut corps size needs, document reasons for deviating from those
analyses, and establish formal criteria for astronaut technical
assignments.
Management's Response
NASA management concurred with our recommendations and has planned
corrective actions that we consider responsive.
To comment on this report, please send e-mail to
*** End ***
Please do not contact NASA Office of Public Affairs for information on
Office of Inspector General releases.
For additional information on the NASA Office of Inspector General,
including published reviews, audit reports, inspection/assessment reports,
press releases, and other publications, please access our web site at:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq
Report Crime, Fraud, Waste, Abuse, and Mismanagement to the NASA OIG
Hotline at: 800-424-9183, TDD 800-535-8134.
--
----
Jacques :-)
Editor: www.spacepatches.info
------------------------------------------------------