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July 21st, 2023
Wait a minute!
Image credit: Barbara David
A congressionally mandated study is underway to review NASA’s critical facilities, workforce, and technology – the key ingredients needed for the space agency to apply full-power to its long-term strategic goals and mission objectives, such as back to the Moon…onward to Mars endeavors.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study is led by Norman Augustine, retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
For Augustine it must be partially “déjà vu all over again” – as the saying goes. He led the 1990 Advisory Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program.
That December 1990 report is available at:
Statement of work
Fast forward to today. Augustine leads the Committee on NASA Mission Critical Workforce, Infrastructure, and Technology. In meeting number six, the blue-ribbon group will convene July 27-28 at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Image credit: NASA
Lots to discuss…lots to look at including a Lunar Control Area, a Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator, as well as work on the Mars Ascent Vehicle and habitation systems.
A statement of work explains that committee members “will consider emerging technologies in selected engineering and science disciplines as well as critical facilities needed, and workforce skills required to perform and support the work of the mission directorates, both now and in the future.”
Image credit: NASA
As NASA’s “re-booting” of human exploration of the Moon picks up steam – with an eye on placing the first boot marks on Mars – the committee has a full agenda of action items to discuss.
Image credit: NASA
Image credit: NASA
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