![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/asap-2023-report.png?w=614\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, issued its 2023 annual report Thursday examining the agency\u2019s safety performance, accomplishments, and challenges over the past year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The report highlights 2023 activities and observations on NASA\u2019s:<\/p>\n
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- Strategic Vision and Guiding Principles<\/li>\n
- Agency Governance<\/li>\n
- Moon to Mars Program Management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In 2023, NASA continued to make meaningful progress toward meeting the intent of the broad-ranging recommendations the panel made in 2022. As a result, the ASAP\u2019s latest report includes information on the advances NASA made in its operations, decision-making, program and personnel management, and the tasks that remain.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis report reflects the panel\u2019s strong emphasis on strategic-level aspects of NASA leadership, risk management, and safety culture \u2013 a primary focus over the past two years \u2013 while also giving attention to the tactical level of technical execution. We believe that the principles and processes the agency employs to evaluate and make decisions, manage programs, and communicate to its workforce have a direct and consequential impact on safety and mission assurance,\u201d said Dr. Patricia Sanders, ASAP chair. \u201cWe also highlight some steps that the Congress can take to assist NASA in safely accomplishing its challenging mission.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report highlights the progress made toward top recommendations offered in 2022, including the establishment of a Moon to Mars Program Office, as well as the NASA 2040 new agencywide initiative to operationalize the agency\u2019s vision and strategic objectives across headquarters and centers.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, this report addresses safety assessments for both the Moon to Mars Program and the operations \u2013 current and future \u2013 in low Earth orbit. It also touches on relevant areas of human health and medicine in space, regulatory requirements for commercial space operations as they affect NASA, and the impact of budget constraints and uncertainty on safety.<\/p>\n
The 2023 report provides details on the concrete actions the agency should take to fulfill the 2022 recommendations. It spotlights recommendations for the agency moving ahead, including the establishment of a comprehensive International Space Station to Commercial low Earth Orbit destination transition plan.<\/p>\n
The report is based on the panel\u2019s 2023 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\u2019 past experiences.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
For more information about the ASAP, view the 2023 report or reports from previous years, visit:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/oiir.hq.nasa.gov\/asap<\/a><\/p>\n
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Roxana Bardan
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
roxana.bardan@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n \n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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