Summary

GAO summarized information relating to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) critical program management issues.

GAO noted that NASA management problems causing project delays and increasing costs include: (1) lack of a strategic long-term plan for civil space projects; (2) inconsistent and incomplete project cost reports; (3) lack of a life-cycle cost management process for its space station development program; and (4) failure to launch deep-space scientific missions on time.