The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP), an advisory committee that reports to NASA and Congress, issued its 2019 annual report Tuesday examining the agency's safety performance over the past year and highlighting accomplishments, issues and concerns.

The report highlights 2019 activities and includes assessments of NASA's:

+ International Space Station
+ Lunar and deep space exploration
+ Exploration Systems Development
+ Commercial Crew Program
+ Aeronautics and air operations
+ Safety culture
+ Enterprise protection

"The panel noted considerable headway toward NASA's human exploration objectives in 2019," said ASAP Chair Patricia Sanders.

"We are supportive of the significant amount of testing - both completed and underway - as well as the thoroughness of ongoing work to resolve technical issues. While many challenges remain, the progress to date is encouraging; however, much work lies ahead."

The report notes the panel's focus over the past year on the qualification testing, analysis, and validation efforts of NASA's Commercial Crew Program and Exploration Systems Development as both efforts move closer to launching uncrewed and crewed flights. Achieving these milestones will be critical steps toward launching the first woman and the next man to the surface of the Moon by 2024 with NASA's Artemis program, part of the agency's broader Moon to Mars exploration approach.

The report is based on the panel's 2019 fact-finding and quarterly public meetings; "insight" visits and meetings; direct observations of NASA operations and decision-making processes; discussions with NASA management, employees and contractors; and the panel members' own experience.

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 that claimed the lives of three American astronauts.

For more information about the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, and to view the 2019 report, visit here

Related Links
NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel
Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

NASA needs new way to handle accident investigations, report says
Washington (UPI) Jan 8, 2020
NASA needs new ways to investigate accidents that occur during human spaceflight when private companies like SpaceX and Boeing are launching astronauts, an agency watchdog said. That recommendation was among those put forth in the federal Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel's annual report for 2019, released Tuesday. "As NASA approaches the resumption of launching humans on U.S. spacecraft, it is very important that the language in the NASA Authorization Act of 2005 requiring a Presidential ... read more