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Open Recommendations

Space Operations: DOD Is Pursuing Efforts to Collaborate with Allies and Partners but Needs to Address Key Challenges
GAO-25-108043
Jul 08, 2025
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Space Policy), in coordination with key stakeholders, sets specific milestones for implementing DOD's goals for integrating allies and partners into space operations as outlined in the International Space Cooperation Strategy. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Chief of Space Operations programs for appropriate personnel levels within the Space Force components to combatant commands—including positions responsible for security cooperation, planning, and foreign disclosure—to optimize readiness and sustainability or identify, analyze, and respond to the risks of understaffing identified positions within its components to the combatant commands. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issues guidance clarifying the space-related security cooperation roles and responsibilities for the relevant organizations throughout DOD—including Assistant Secretary of Defense (Space Policy), U.S. Space Command, and Space Force. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

NASA Artemis Missions: Exploration Ground Systems Program Could Strengthen Schedule Decisions
GAO-25-106943
Oct 17, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator, in coordination with the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, should ensure that Exploration Ground Systems program and Mobile Launcher 2 project officials perform at least one schedule risk analysis prior to beginning integrated operation activities to support the Artemis IV launch. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Artemis Programs: NASA Should Document and Communicate Plans to Address Gateway's Mass Risk
GAO-24-106878
Jul 31, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator, in coordination with the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, should ensure that the Gateway program documents its overall mass management plan and shares it with its projects ahead of the program's planned September 2024 critical design-informed synchronization review. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

NASA Lunar Programs: Improved Mission Guidance Needed as Artemis Complexity Grows
GAO-22-105323
Sep 08, 2022
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator, in coordination with the relevant mission directorates, should ensure that NASA conducts a schedule risk analysis for the Artemis II mission as close as possible to completion of the Artemis I mission and update it as needed to incorporate schedule updates and new risks. (Recommendation 2)
Open
NASA agreed with this recommendation and recognized the importance of performing an Artemis II schedule risk analysis. In July 2024, NASA officials told us that they completed a preliminary schedule risk analysis for Artemis II in January 2023, which allowed the agency to validate its scheduling methods and identify critical path items. As of August 2024, NASA officials told us they planned to provide documentation to demonstrate the work completed later in 2024.
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