National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Who We Are |
Mission:
NASA's mission is to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.
Organization:
NASA's organization is comprised of NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, nine Centers located around the country, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center operated under a contract with the California Institute of Technology.
Personnel: NASA's workforce is comprised of approximately 17,900 full time civil servants. Budgetary Resources: The budgetary resources for FY 2008 totaled $21.3 billion or $70 per person. |
Budget Snapshot |
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Performance Snapshot |
Accomplishments:
In its 50th year, NASA confirmed water on Mars, continued to fly the Space Shuttle safely, and furthered human knowledge about Earth and the universe. Specifically, in FY 2008 researchers observed record-low values of sea-ice in the Arctic; researchers also discovered that explosions of magnetic energy cause auroras in Earth's atmosphere. NASA continues to develop its new Crew Exploration Vehicle for future U.S. human space exploration, and is also successfully assembling and operating the International Space Station. Ongoing aeronautics research is contributing advanced concepts and technologies to increase air safety and efficiency in the Next Generation Air Transportation System. And lastly, NASA worked with industries to transfer 50 technologies into the marketplace to benefit the public, from a novel polymer used for cardiac stimulation, to advanced testing of the LZR swimsuit that helped win gold at the Beijing Olympics and an enhanced lithium battery for electric vehicles.
Challenges: NASA successfully conducts many high-risk activities in pursuit of the Agency?s mission, but the Agency does face management challenges that affect the efficient and effective conduct of business. Challenges have been highlighted by the Inspector General, the Government Accountability Office, and by various expert advisors that NASA consults. Some of these challenges include continuing to safely operate the Space Shuttle while effectively transitioning to the next generation of vehicles, addressing new federal reporting requirements, further improving acquisition processes, and dealing with the increasingly sophisticated threats to information technology security. |
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Summary of National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ratings for Fiscal Year 2008
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Strategic Goal:
Bring a new Crew Exploration Vehicle into service as soon as possible after Shuttle retirement.
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2008 Actual = $3,845
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Performance Measure(s)* | 2006 Results | 2007 Results | 2008 Target | 2008 Results | 2009 Target |
Complete the Perliminary Design for the Ares-i/Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) | develop CLV design | syst defin review | prelim design review | review passed | upper stage review |
Strategic Goal:
Fly the Shuttle as safely as possible, until its retirement, not later than 2010.
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2008 Actual = $4,227
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Performance Measure(s)* | 2006 Results | 2007 Results | 2008 Target | 2008 Results | 2009 Target |
Achieve zero Type-A or Type B mishaps. | 2 type-B mishaps | zero mishaps | zero mishaps | zero mishaps | zero mishaps |
Strategic Goal:
Establish a lunar return program having the maximum possible utility for later missions to Mars and other destinations.
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2008 Actual = $877
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Performance Measure(s)* | 2006 Results | 2007 Results | 2008 Target | 2008 Results | 2009 Target |
Complete Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Critical Design Review (CDR), Mission Readiness Review (MRR), Payload Engineering Review (PER). | PDR completed | milestones completed | CDR, MRR, PER | MRR postponed | launch |
Strategic Goal:
Encourage the pursuit of appropriate partnerships with the emerging commercial space sector.
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2008 Actual = $314
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Performance Measure(s)* | 2006 Results | 2007 Results | 2008 Target | 2008 Results | 2009 Target |
Demonstrate benefits of prize competitions by awarding at least one prize and communicating the resulting technology advancements. | N/A | 2 competitions | 1 prize award | prize awarded | 1 prize award |
Strategic Goal:
Complete the International Space Station (ISS) in a manner consistent with NASA's International Partner commitments and the needs of human exploration.
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2008 Actual = $2,265
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Performance Measure(s)* | 2006 Results | 2007 Results | 2008 Target | 2008 Results | 2009 Target |
Fly the ISS elements and logistics baselined for 2008. | P3/P4 Truss install | 3 missions complete | 4 int'l modules | 4 modules installed | assemble 3 elements |
Accomplish a minimum of 90 percent of the on-orbit research objectives as established one month prior to a given mission. | 39 research hours/wk | 72 research hours/wk | 48 research hours/wk | 63 research hours/wk | 73 research hours/wk |