Space Shuttle: Human Capital Challenges Require Management Attention
Abstract
We are pleased to be here today to discuss our ongoing work on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space shuttle program. We are currently responding to the Committee's request to review NASA's plans for meeting current and future human capital needs. We plan to finalize our work and report on this issue in the coming months. As a result, my statement today presents our preliminary observations. NASA budget data shows that, since 1995, shuttle workforce levels have decreased from about 3,000 to about 1,800 full time equivalent employees NASA based its downsizing efforts on optimistic programmatic assumptions. For example, NASA believed it could reduce its workforce by consolidating contracts for flight, ground, and mission operations under a single private sector contract. In October 1996, NASA awarded this contract. Under the contract, NASA was to provide incentives to eliminate unnecessary work and would no longer be involved in day-to-day shuttle operations. However, because NASA was implementing a number of workforce reduction initiatives, NASA could not directly attribute specific reductions to the contract consolidation. Also, in 1994 NASA froze the shuttle design in the expectation that it would be replaced. NASA now expects to operate the shuttle for at least the next decade. As a consequence, it initiated an upgrade program. In addition, NASA's downsizing coincided with a decreased number of shuttle flights: eight flights in fiscal year 1997, but only four each in fiscal years 1998 and 1999. However, the number of flights is projected to increase substantially as the International Space Station assembly schedule accelerates. NASA plans nine flights in fiscal year 2001. NASA believes this will require more staff.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 22, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA375141
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office