![Annual report cover art featuring the International Space Station orbiting the Earth, with the sun shining behind it. The NASA logo is in the top left corner. The title at the bottom says, \"Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Annual Report 2024.\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/asap-annual-report-2024-cover.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, issued its 2024 annual report Thursday examining the agency\u2019s safety performance, accomplishments, and challenges during the past year.<\/p>\n
The report highlights<\/a> 2024 activities and observations on NASA\u2019s work, including:<\/p>\n \u201cOver 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,\u201d said retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms, chair of ASAP. \u201cWe believe that the agency\u2019s careful attention to vision, strategy, governance, and program management is vital to the safe execution of NASA\u2019s complex and critical national mission.\u201d<\/p>\n This year\u2019s report reflects the panel\u2019s continued focus on NASA\u2019s 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\u2019s approach to safety and technical risk and to evolve its role, responsibilities, and relationships with private sector and international partners.<\/p>\n Overall, the panel finds NASA is continuing to make progress with respect to the agency\u2019s strategic vision, approach to governance, and integrated program management. The NASA 2040 new agencywide initiative is working to operationalize the agency\u2019s vision and strategic objectives across headquarters and centers. With the establishment of NASA\u2019s Moon to Mars Program Office in 2023, it finds NASA has implemented safety and risk management as a key focus for NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s planned transition to commercial low Earth orbit destinations.<\/p>\n It covers relevant areas of human health and medicine in space and the impact of budget constraints and uncertainty on safety.<\/p>\n The annual report is based on the panel\u2019s 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\u2019 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 To learn more about the ASAP, and view annual reports, visit:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/asap<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n -end-<\/p>\n Jennifer Dooren \/ Elizabeth Shaw\n
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov<\/a> \/ elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov<\/a><\/p>\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n