Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP)
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
Credit: NASA The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, issued its 2024 annual report Thursday examining the agency’s safety performance, accomplishments, and challenges during the past year.
The report highlights 2024 activities and observations on NASA’s work, including:
strategic vision and agency governance Moon to Mars management future of U.S. presence in low Earth orbit health and medical risks in human space exploration “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, chair of ASAP. “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.”
This year’s report reflects the panel’s continued focus on NASA’s strategies for risk management and safety culture in an environment of growing space commercialization. Specifically, the panel cites its 2021 recommendations for NASA on preparing for future challenges in a changing landscape, including the need to evaluate NASA’s approach to safety and technical risk and to evolve its role, responsibilities, and relationships with private sector and international partners.
Overall, the panel finds NASA is continuing to make progress with respect to the agency’s strategic vision, approach to governance, and integrated program management. The NASA 2040 new agencywide initiative is working to operationalize the agency’s vision and strategic objectives across headquarters and centers. With the establishment of NASA’s Moon to Mars Program Office in 2023, it finds NASA has implemented safety and risk management as a key focus for NASA’s Artemis campaign.
The 2024 report provides details on the concrete actions the agency should take to fulfill its previous recommendations and spotlights its recommendations for the agency moving ahead. It addresses safety assessments for Moon to Mars and current International Space Station operations, as well as risk-related issues surrounding NASA’s planned transition to commercial low Earth orbit destinations.
It covers relevant areas of human health and medicine in space and the impact of budget constraints and uncertainty on safety.
The annual report is based on the panel’s 2024 fact-finding and quarterly public meetings; direct observations of NASA operations and decision-making; discussions with NASA management, employees, and contractors; and the panel members’ experiences.
Congress established the panel in 1968 to provide advice and make recommendations to the NASA administrator on safety matters after the 1967 Apollo 1 fire claimed the lives of three American astronauts.
To learn more about the ASAP, and view annual reports, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/asap
-end-
Jennifer Dooren / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Feb 06, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel View the full article
-
By NASA
NASA’s Ethics Program provides training and counsel to NASA employees and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency-wide ethics program. Headquarters and Center Chief Counsels ethics officials support the ethics program in their respective localities.
A list of ethics officials at each NASA location can be found here: Headquarters and Center Ethics Officials.
Associate General Counsel, General Law Practice Group:
Katie Spear
Agency Counsel for Ethics:
Adam Greenstone
Current Employees
NASA employees have a responsibility to the United States Government and its citizens to place loyalty to the Constitution, laws, and ethics principles above private gain. As NASA employees, we need you to preserve NASA’s core value of integrity through your commitment to ethics and ethical decision-making. If you are faced with a question concerning your ethics obligations as a NASA employee, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action.
Contact Information
What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.
Headquarter and Center Ethics Officials Financial Disclosure
As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report. This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees. 2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.
Widely Attended Gatherings Determinations
Please click here to access the latest Widely Attended Gatherings Determinations. If you do not see a determination for the event in which you were invited to attend in your official capacity, please request guidance from your local ethics official.
Widely Attended Gatherings (WAGs) Determinations Outside Activities
NASA employees are subject to regulations regarding outside employment. They are prohibited from engaging in outside activities that conflict with their official duties. In addition, the NASA Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for NASA Employees, 5 C.F.R. Part 6901, require prior approval for engaging in certain types of outside employment. In these instances, employees should request approval from their local ethics official prior to accepting such outside employment.
Note that the NASA Supplemental rules also prohibit NASA employees from engaging in outside employment with a NASA contractor, subcontractor, or grantee in connection with work performed by that entity for NASA; or a party to a Space Act Agreement, Commercial Launch Act agreement, or other agreement to which NASA is a party pursuant to specific statutory authority, if the employment is in connection with work performed under that agreement.
Employees in a leave status are subject to the same legal parameters.
Please reach out to your local ethics official for guidance.
Resources
14 General Principles, Office of Government Ethics Criminal Conflicts of Interest, Summary for Executive Brand Employees Introduction to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, Summary for Executive Branch Employees Standards of Ethics Conduct for Executive Branch Employees Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Hatch Act, Office of Special Counsel
Prospective Employees
We look forward to welcoming you to NASA! You are joining an organization that works to change the history of humanity and usher in a bold new era or discovery. We are depending on you to maintain the public trust and to preserve NASA’s ethical culture. Accordingly, NASA employees must comply with ethical standards that relate to outside employment, political activities, and business relationships, among other topics. NASA encourages prospective employees to learn more about these ethical standards along the path of joining our team. If ethics questions arise before or after you join NASA, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action. What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective location.
Headquarter and Center Ethics Officials Financial Disclosure
As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report. This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees. 2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and your report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.
Resources
14 General Principles, Office of Government Ethics Criminal Conflicts of Interest, Summary for Executive Brand Employees Introduction to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, Summary for Executive Branch Employees Standards of Ethics Conduct for Executive Branch Employees Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Hatch Act, Office of Special Counsel Former Employees
The post-government employment ethics statute, 18 U.S.C. § 207, applies to a former NASA employee’s communication with NASA or the Government on behalf of the former employee’s non-federal employer. Former NASA employees should contact a NASA ethics official for advice before communications or otherwise interacting with NASA or the Government on behalf of their new employer because this criminal statute may be implicated. The Procurement Integrity Act also restricts individuals who were in certain contracting roles from accepting compensated work from certain contractors for a limited period.
Contact Information
If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.
Headquarters and Center Ethics Officials Special Government Employees
A Special Government Employee (SGE) is an officer or employee “who is retained, designated, appointed, or employed to perform, with or without compensation, for not to exceed one hundred and thirty days during any consecutive period of three hundred and sixty-five consecutive days.” 18 U.S.C. § 202. Congress created the SGE category in 1962 to allow the federal Government to obtain the expertise it needs, while allowing experts to continue their private professional lives. As a result, some of the ethics statutes and regulations apply differently to SGEs than they do to regular executive branch employees, and some provisions do not apply at all.
Financial Disclosure
SGEs are required to file a financial disclosure report each year, usually a confidential financial disclosure report (OGE-450). Financial disclosure reporting helps NASA identify any possible financial conflicts of interest. SGEs are notified in advance of when to file.
Sample Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, Office of Government Ethics Confidential Financial Disclosure Guide, Office of Government Ethics Video on how to Complete a New Entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report Video on how to Complete an Annual Financial Disclosure Report Ethics Training
SGEs are required to receive annual ethics training by December 31st of each calendar year.
Contact Information
If you are a SGE and have questions, please contact the Headquarters Ethics Team by e-mail at hq-ethicsteam@nasa.gov or by phone at (202) 358-0550.
Resources
14 General Principles, Office of Government Ethics Criminal Conflicts of Interest, Summary for Executive Brand Employees Introduction to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, Summary for Executive Branch Employees Standards of Ethics Conduct for Executive Branch Employees Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact
Office of the General Counsel
NASA Headquarters
300 E Street SW Suite 9V30
Washington, DC 20546
Phone Number (202) 358-2450
Return to OGC Homepage OGC Disclaimer: The materials within this website do not constitute legal advice. For details read our disclaimer.
View the full article
-
By NASA
Engineers and technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program integrate the right forward center segment onto mobile launcher 1 inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. The boosters will help support the remaining rocket components and the Orion spacecraft during final assembly of the Artemis II Moon rocket and provide more than 75 percent of the total SLS (Space Launch System) thrust during liftoff from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39BNASA/Kim Shiflett Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program continue stacking the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s twin solid rocket booster motor segments for the agency’s Artemis II mission, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Currently, six of the 10 segments are secured atop mobile launcher 1 with the right forward center segment as the latest addition. Teams will continue integrating the booster stack – the left center center segment adorned with the NASA “worm” insignia is the next segment to be integrated.
The right and left forward assemblies were brought to the VAB from the spaceport’s Booster Fabrication Facility on Jan. 14. The forward assemblies are comprised of three parts: the nose cone which serves as the aerodynamic fairing; a forward skirt, which house avionics; and the frustum which houses motors that separates the boosters from the SLS core stage during flight. The remaining booster segments will be transported from the Rotation, Processing, and Surge Facility to the VAB when engineers are ready to integrate them. The forward assemblies will be the last segments integrated to complete the booster configuration, ahead of integration with the core stage.
Image Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
View the full article
-
By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
During the 21st Century Community Learning Centers workshop, after-school educators learn to build the “Move It” student activity from NASA’s Build, Launch and Recover Student Activity Guide.Credit: Kristen Marlatt NASA and the U.S. Department of Education are teaming up to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education during after-school hours. The interagency program strives to reach approximately 1,000 middle school students in more than 60 sites across 10 states to join the program, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC).
Members of NASA Glenn Research Center’s Office of STEM Engagement traveled to Lansing, Michigan, last month to participate in a two-day professional development training with local after-school educators and facilitators. The training focused on integrating real-world STEM challenges into the 21st CCLC programs.
After-school educators engage in a student activity from NASA’s Build, Launch, and Recover Student Activity Guide. In this challenge, students become engineers and NASA crawler operators while working in teams to design and build a rubber band-powered model of NASA’s crawler-transporter that can carry the most mass possible the farthest distance without failure. Credit: Kristen Marlatt “By engaging in NASA learning opportunities, students are challenged to use critical thinking and creativity to solve real-world challenges that scientists and engineers may face,” said Darlene Walker, NASA Glenn’s Office of STEM Engagement director. “Through the 21st CCLC program, NASA and the Department of Education aim to inspire the next generation of explorers and innovators through high-quality educational content that ignites curiosity and fosters a joy of learning for students across the country.”
NASA Glenn education specialists will continue to provide NASA-related content and academic projects for students, in-person staff training, program support, and opportunities for students to engage with NASA scientists and engineers.
For more information on NASA Glenn’s STEM Engagement, visit https://www.nasa.gov/glenn-stem/
Return to Newsletter Explore More
1 min read NASA Faces of Technology: Meet Lauren Best Ameen
Article 7 mins ago 1 min read NASA Glenn Helps Bring Joy to Children in Need
Article 8 mins ago 4 min read NASA Sets Sights on Mars Terrain with Revolutionary Tire Tech
Article 24 hours ago View the full article
-
By NASA
NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance.
I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy for Johnson’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate,” Korth said. “Safety has been a priority for me throughout my NASA career. It is at the forefront of every decision I make.”
Korth brings more than 34 years’ experience to NASA human space flight programs. Prior to supporting the space station Avionics and Software Office, Mr. Korth served as deputy manager of the program’s Systems Engineering and Integration Office where he also led the agency Commercial Destination program’s procurement culminating in the selection of Axiom Space.
Mr. Korth began his NASA career as an engineer in the space station program’s operations planning group where he helped develop initial operational concepts and planning system requirements for the orbiting laboratory. He converted to civil servant in 1998 and was among the first three individuals to achieve front room certification as a space station ‘OPS PLAN’ front room operator. Korth also served as the lead operations planner for Expedition 1 – the first space station crewed expedition, was awarded two NASA fellowships, served as the operations division technical assistant in the Mission Operations Directorate, and was selected as a flight director in May 2007and served as lead space station flight director for Expeditions 21, 22, and 37, lead flight director for Japanese cargo ship mission HTV3, and lead flight director for US EVAs 22, 23,and 27.
“David did an excellent job supporting Johnson’s many programs and institutional safety needs while serving as acting deputy manager,” said Willie Lyles, director of the Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. “He successfully weighed in on several critical risk-based decisions with the technical authority community. David’s program and flight operations experience is unique and is an asset to this role.”
Throughout his career, Korth has been recognized for outstanding technical achievements and leadership, receiving a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, a Silver Snoopy award, two Superior Achievement awards, two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals, and a NASA Exceptional Achievement medal.
“David is an outstanding leader and engineer who truly understands NASA’s safety environment and protocols,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “His leadership will ensure the center continues its ‘safety first’ ideology. I am extremely pleased to announce his selection for this position.”
Mr. Korth earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.