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Open Recommendations

NASA Lunar Programs: Improved Mission Guidance Needed as Artemis Complexity Grows
GAO-22-105323
Sep 08, 2022
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator should ensure that the Chief Financial Officer, in coordination with the mission directorates, develops Artemis mission-level schedule management guidance. (Recommendation 1)
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NASA agreed with this recommendation. NASA stated that the Artemis Campaign Development Division developed a baseline Schedule Management Plan in July 2022. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer expects to complete actions that address our recommendation by August 2023.
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)
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NASA agreed with this recommendation and recognized the importance of performing an Artemis II schedule risk analysis. NASA stated that it plans to complete a schedule risk analysis in late fall of 2023.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator should ensure that the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer develops guidance that identifies a regular and recurring process for long-term Artemis workforce scenario planning to address future uncertainties, at least 5 years beyond the existing 5-year workforce plans. (Recommendation 4)
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NASA agreed with this recommendation, noting that it plans to establish workforce planning guidance beyond the 5-year budget planning process. In July 2023, NASA stated that NASA Centers had developed annual workforce plans that implemented NASA guidance for long term planning. NASA is in the process of reviewing these plans and expects to release finalized plans no earlier than October 1, 2023.

NASA Lunar Programs: Significant Work Remains, Underscoring Challenges to Achieving Moon Landing in 2024
GAO-21-330
May 26, 2021
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator, in coordination with the Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, should ensure the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) project office includes relevant development costs from the Resource Prospector project and the cost of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order for the delivery of VIPER to the lunar surface into its cost baseline. (Recommendation 1)
Open
NASA did not agree with this recommendation stating it did not include development costs for the Resource Prospector project in the baseline because VIPER's mission was significantly different, its design is much more capable, and a different mission directorate funded the project. In addition, NASA stated that it chose not to include the Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order costs in the VIPER project's cost baseline because the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative differs from other launch services procured for NASA missions. As of June 2023, we continue to believe that the relevant costs incurred for the VIPER project's development under the Resource Prospector project are important because they provide visibility into the total cost of developing the rover and some of its instruments. Further, the cost of Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order to deliver VIPER to the Moon is a key cost of the project's life cycle, even if the project is not responsible for managing the task order.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The NASA Administrator should ensure that the NASA Office of the Chief Engineer develop guidance to mitigate risks associated with delaying the establishment of high-level requirements early in the acquisition process when using service-type contracts and incorporate it in its reference guide or a similar document. (Recommendation 2)
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NASA agreed with this recommendation and stated that the Office of the Chief Engineer planned to constitute a team to develop the guide. Subsequently, NASA created the Chief Program Management Officer (CPMO) and transitioned responsibility for guide to the CPMO. The CPMO and the Office of the Chief Engineer are in the process of reviewing comments on the guide prior to planned publication in November 2023.

Commercial Space Transportation: FAA Should Examine a Range of Options to Support U.S. Launch Infrastructure
GAO-21-154
Dec 22, 2020
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Commercial Space Transportation We recommend that the Associate Administrator for AST provide Congress the results of an examination of a range of options—including funding and financing tools, as well as alternatives to making funding available—to support space transportation infrastructure. This examination should include a discussion of trade-offs and whether and how, if at all, each approach would contribute to national policy goals. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In May 2024, AST updated GAO on its efforts related to space transportation infrastructure needs. The National Spaceport Interagency Working Group (NSIWG), a working group established by AST, has developed draft recommendations on spaceport infrastructure funding. AST reported to GAO that these draft recommendations will begin the review process in June, including review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other involved federal agencies. The NSIWG hopes to publish these recommendations by the end of the calendar year. In addition, AST has updated its National Spaceports Policy report to Congress, and as of May 2024, this report was at OMB for review. AST anticipates a late-summer timeframe for the report to be released to Congress. GAO will continue to monitor AST's actions in this area.
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