DOCSLIB.ORG

NASA Sounding Rockets Program

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
NASA Sounding Rockets Program https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190025970 2019-08-31T14:17:11+00:00Z NASA Sounding Rockets Program Giovanni Rosanova Program Manager NASA Sounding Rockets Program 1 Sounding Rockets Program Office Organization Program Manager (Giovanni Rosanova) Deputy Program Manager (John Hickman) Business Technical Payload Vehicle Systems Safety and Manager Manager Systems Manager Mission NSROC COR Projects Projects Operations Operations Operations Manager (Chuck Brodell) Assurance (Julie Bloxom) Export Control Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager (Brian Hall) Manager (Carsell Milliner) (Libby West) (Gordon Marsh) (Nathan Empson) (Scott Bissett) (vacant) (Todd Thornes) Project Support Specialist (Valerie Jagow) Technology Grants and Admin Manager (Contractor) (Cathy Hesh) Resources Analyst Resources Analyst Embedded Embedded (Jennifer McIntyre) Reimbursables Mechanical Electrical (matrix) (Wyle Maddox) (matrix) Engineer Engineer (Josh Yacobucci) (Scott Hesh) (matrix) (matrix) 2 Nature of the NASA Sounding Rockets Program • Characteristics ‒Low cost o Part of the NASA Low Cost Access to Space (LCAS) program ‒ Quick turn around ‒ Rely on military surplus rocket motors as much as possible to reduce cost ‒ Acceptance of higher technical risk o Lower consequence Student and faculty members inspect o Higher probability of issues or failure their instrument prior to integration with ‒ Minimalistic project teams the university outreach payload RockSat-X ‒ Highly flexible and agile ‒ Non Mil‐Spec components ‒ Governed by NPR 7120.8 (Research and Technology) ‒ World‐wide mobile operations ‒ Implemented via the NASA Sounding Rocket Operations Contract (NSROC) • Highly successful for NASA Science Mission Directorate ‒ Cutting edge science is being conducted ‒ Enables instrument development that ports into future orbital missions ‒ Scientist development Science team members during recovery operation to retrieve their payload at White Sands Missile Range NASA Sounding Rockets Program 3 Services Provided • Payload Development – Attitude Control Systems • Magnetic, Inertial, Rate Control, Celestial, Solar – Telemetry Systems • 10 Mb/s standard, 20 Mb/s available • Command uplink & Video downlink – Payload Recovery Systems – Boost Guidance Systems • Aerodynamic control for early portion of powered flight – Experiment Structures – Deployment Systems • Mission Analysis – Flight performance – Ground and Flight Safety • Launch Vehicles • Operations Support – Mobile range development – Launcher servicing and erection – Field operations • Technology Development NASA Sounding Rockets Program 4 NSROC details Support Provided: • Contract Program Management • Project Management – ~50 ongoing flight projects • Hardware Procurement • Engineering Design – Payloads and missions – Flight performance analysis – Flight subsystem tech development • Fabrication Support – Sounding rocket activities – Wallops activities (customer funded) • Environmental Testing – Vibration, balance, vacuum, deploy, etc. – Sounding Rocket activities – Wallops activities (customer funded) • CONUS logistics support • Field operations support NASA Sounding Rockets Program 5 Launch Vehicles NASA Sounding Rockets Program 6 Sounding Rocket Performance 1600 Black Brant mk1 XII 1400 1200 1200 1100 Black Brant mk1 X Mod 1 1000 1000 Typical Altitudes and Weights for Auroral 900 Physics Payloads 800 Apogee Altitude (km) Apogee Altitude 800 Black Brant mk1 IX Mod 2 Typical Altitudes and Weights for Above(seconds) Time 100 Km 700 600 Astronomy, Planetary, Solar, and Black Brant mk1 IX Microgravity Payloads Mod 0 600 Terrier mk70-Lynx 400 Black Brant mk1 XI 500 Terrier mk70-Imp. Orion 400 200 Terrier mk12-Imp. Orion Terrier mk70-Oriole 300 Terrier mk70-Imp. Malemute 200 Black Brant mk1 V 100 100 Km Improved Orion 200 400 600 800 1000 Typically Chemical release and Experiment Weight (lbs) educational payloads NASA Sounding Rockets Program 7 Program Success Rates Sounding Rocket Mission Success Rate (All Flights) 100 90 85% Metric 80 Success Rate (%) 70 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Fiscal Year thus far Sounding Rocket Mission Success Rate (All Flights) Note: Mission success includes 100 all aspects of the mission: NSROC, science 90 instruments, science, 85% Metric range support. 80 Success Rate (%) 70 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Fiscal Year thus far 8 NSROC Success Rates NSROC Mission Success Rate (All Flights) 100 90 85% Metric 80 Success Rate (%) 70 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Fiscal Year thus far NSROC Mission Success Rate (All Flights) The SRPO and NSROC strive 100 to make our support systems as reliable as 90 practical given Program 85% Metric resources. 80 Success Rate (%) 70 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Fiscal Year thus far 9 World-Wide Operations Alaska Svalbard (Norway) (Poker) Norway Wallops Sweden White Sands Peru The Sounding Rocket Program “goes to where the Australia science is…” Kwajalein NASA Sounding Rockets Program 10 Types of Missions • Geospace (Plasma Physics) • Solar Telescopes • Astronomy Telescopes • High Speed Aerodynamics and Propulsion • Entry and Descent • Technology Development • Educational • Approx. 50 payloads/missions active at any given time • Approx. 18 flights/year NASA Sounding Rockets Program 11 Solar wind compresses the Earth’s magnetic field. Solar storms can compress the magnetic field even further. The increased pressure increases the amount of plasma that passes through the magnetosphere The interaction of the solar plasma with the Earth’s magnetic field creates the Aurora Borealis Trimethylaluminum (blue & white) and Lithium (red) releases over the Kwajalien Atoll (May 2013) Astrophysics Research Solar Research • Hubble can’t look at the Sun • Sounding rocket missions are used to determine calibration factors for orbiting satellites like the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Technology Development .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Aerospace-America-April-2019.Pdf
    17–21 JUNE 2019 DALLAS, TX SHAPING THE FUTURE OF FLIGHT The 2019 AIAA AVIATION Forum will explore how rapidly changing technology, new entrants, and emerging trends are shaping a future of flight that promises to be strikingly different from the modern global transportation built by our pioneers. Help shape the future of flight at the AIAA AVIATION Forum! PLENARY & FORUM 360 SESSIONS Hear from industry leaders and innovators including Christopher Emerson, President and Head, North America Region, Airbus Helicopters, and Greg Hyslop, Chief Technology Officer, The Boeing Company. Keynote speakers and panelists will discuss vertical lift, autonomy, hypersonics, and more. TECHNICAL PROGRAM More than 1,100 papers will be presented, giving you access to the latest research and development on technical areas including applied aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and air traffic operations. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES The forum offers daily networking opportunities to connect with over 2,500 attendees from across the globe representing hundreds of government, academic, and private institutions. Opportunities to connect include: › ADS Banquet (NEW) › AVIATION 101 (NEW) › Backyard BBQ (NEW) › Exposition Hall › Ignite the “Meet”ing (NEW) › Meet the Employers Recruiting Event › Opening Reception › Student Welcome Reception › The HUB Register now aviation.aiaa.org/register FEATURES | APRIL 2019 MORE AT aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org The U.S. Army’s Kestrel Eye prototype cubesat after being released from the International Space Station. NASA 18 30 40 22 3D-printing solid Seeing the far Managing Getting out front on rocket fuel side of the moon drone traffi c Researchers China’s Chang’e-4 Package delivery alone space technology say additive “opens up a new could put thousands manufacturing is scientifi c frontier.” of drones into the sky, U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Suborbital Platforms and Range Services (SPARS)
    Suborbital Capabilities for Science & Technology Small Missions Workshop @ Johns Hopkins University June 10, 2019 Mike Hitch, Giovanni Rosanova Goddard Space Introduction Flight Center AGENDAWASP OPIS ▪ Purpose ▪ History & Importance of Suborbital Carriers to Science ▪ Suborbital Platforms ▪ Sounding Rockets ▪ Balloons (brief) ▪ Aircraft ▪ SmallSats ▪ WFF Engineering ▪ Q & A P-3 Maintenance 12-Jun-19 Competition Sensitive – Do Not Distribute 2 Goddard Space Purpose of the Meeting Flight Center Define theWASP OPISutility of Suborbital Carriers & “Small” Missions ▪ Sounding rockets, balloons and aircraft (manned and unmanned) provide a unique capability to scientists and engineers to: ▪ Allow PIs to enhance and advance technology readiness levels of instruments and components for very low relative cost ▪ Provide PIs actual science flight opportunities as a “piggy-back” on a planned mission flight at low relative cost ▪ Increase experience for young and mid-career scientists and engineers by allowing them to get their “feet wet” on a suborbital mission prior to tackling the much larger and more complex orbital endeavors ▪ The Suborbital/Smallsat Platforms And Range Services (SPARS) Line Of Business (LOB) can facilitate prospective PIs with taking advantage of potential suborbital flight opportunities P-3 Maintenance 12-Jun-19 Competition Sensitive – Do Not Distribute 3 Goddard Space Value of Suborbital Research – What’s Different? Flight Center WASP OPIS Different Risk/Mission Assurance Strategy • Payloads are recovered and refurbished. • Re-flights are inexpensive (<$1M for a balloon or sounding rocket vs >$10M - 100M for a ELV) • Instrumentation can be simple and have a large science impact! • Frequent flight opportunities (e.g. “piggyback”) • Development of precursor instrument concepts and mature TRLs • While Suborbital missions fully comply with all Agency Safety policies, the program is designed to take Higher Programmatic Risk – Lower cost – Faster migration of new technology – Smaller more focused efforts, enable Tiger Team/incubator experiences.
    [Show full text]
  • Sounding Rockets 2017 Annual Report
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration NASA Sounding Rockets Annual Report 2017 particle energy measurements. Where once five or six free flying subpayloads were possible, now twenty or more are feasible. Astrophysicists are always wanting to collect more photons to enhance scientific return. This dictates a need for either larger diameter payloads to accommodate larger mirrors, or longer obser- vation times – and usually both. Astrophysics missions have, to a large extent, been limited to flying from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico due to the requirement to recover the instruments for re-flight. Longer flights require higher apogees, which gener- ally dictate the need for ranges with larger impact areas. Larger launch ranges usually require flight over the ocean. The program is developing new water recovery technologies to enable such missions at a cost that is commensurate with the low-cost nature of the program. The new system includes a hydrodynamic wedge to reduce impact loads and sealed sections to protect the science instruments and expensive support systems such as telemetry and attitude control systems. The trick is, each of these systems needs to have some sort of exposure to the outside environment during the scientific data period, yet be sealed when they impact the ocean. While ocean recovery has been done for essentially the entire life of the program, it has involved relatively basic systems that offered few Phil Eberspeaker from the Chief Message engineering challenges. Now telescopes, telemetry systems, attitude Chief, Sounding Rockets Program Office controls systems, and even the recovery systems themselves need to be protected so they can be reflow on future missions.
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Modelling and Simulation of a 100 Km Hybrid Sounding Rocket
    PERFORMANCE MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF A 100 KM HYBRID SOUNDING ROCKET Fiona Kay Leverone Submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal Supervisor: Mr Michael Brooks Co-Supervisor: Mr Jean-François Pitot de la Beaujardiere Co-Supervisor: Prof Lance Roberts December 2013 2. DECLARATION 1 - PLAGIARISM I, Fiona Leverone, declare that 1. The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated, is my original research. 2. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. 3. This thesis does not contain other persons’ data, pictures, graphs or other information, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other persons. 4. This thesis does not contain other persons’ writing, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other written sources have been quoted, then: a. Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced b. Where their exact words have been used, then their writing has been placed inside quotation marks, and referenced. 5. This thesis does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the thesis and in the References sections. Signed ________________________ Date ___________ Miss Fiona Leverone As the candidate’s supervisor I have approved this dissertation for submission. Signed ________________________ Date ___________ Mr. Michael Brooks As the candidates co-supervisor I have approved this dissertation for submission. Signed ________________________ Date ___________ Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • What's Inside... in Brief
    National Aeronautics and Space Administration What’s inside... 2 Features 5 Integration and Testing 4 1 3 2 2015 6 Picture Place 7 Other News 8 Schedule & Miscellanea Sounding Rockets Program Office 46.012 UO Koehler - RockSat-X was succesfully launched In Brief... from Wallops Island on August 12, 2015. The new Black Brant Mk 4 vehicle will fly for the first time in October 2015 from Wallops Island. The payload carries several technology test experi- ments and instruments. Payload teams are preparing for the coming Norway campaign. Two rockets will be launched from Andoya with the launch window opening on November 27. The Multiple User Suborbital Instru- ment Carrier (MUSIC) payload will be launched from Wallops Island in Oc- tober on a Terrier-Improved Malemute rocket. The sounding rockets program will cel- ebrate 45-years at Wallops on Novem- ber 30, 2015. More on page 7. A very busy flight schedule is in prog- ress. The Sounding Rockets Program has 11 missions on schedule during the Students from Hawaii with their experiment after the successful flight. period September through November. The 46.012 UO RockSat-X mission was launched from Wallops Island, VA on Au- Three have been successfully complet- gust 12, 2015. RockSat-X is the most advanced of three student flight programs ed and eight remain. managed by Colorado Space Grant Consortium and supported by NASA. RockSat- X provides participating University faculty and students an opportunity to build, RockSat-X continued... test and fly an experiment of their own University Of Hawaii Community College design onboard a Terrier-Improved System University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) Malemute sounding rocket and in- Project Imua The experiment from the University of cludes full featured sounding rocket The primary mission goal for Project Nebraska Lincoln compared buoyant support systems, such as telemetry, Imua is to encourage UHCC students to convection on the ground in the pres- attitude control and recovery.
    [Show full text]
  • Space Planes and Space Tourism: the Industry and the Regulation of Its Safety
    Space Planes and Space Tourism: The Industry and the Regulation of its Safety A Research Study Prepared by Dr. Joseph N. Pelton Director, Space & Advanced Communications Research Institute George Washington University George Washington University SACRI Research Study 1 Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………………… p 4-14 1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. p 16-26 2.0 Methodology…………………………………………………………………….. p 26-28 3.0 Background and History……………………………………………………….. p 28-34 4.0 US Regulations and Government Programs………………………………….. p 34-35 4.1 NASA’s Legislative Mandate and the New Space Vision………….……. p 35-36 4.2 NASA Safety Practices in Comparison to the FAA……….…………….. p 36-37 4.3 New US Legislation to Regulate and Control Private Space Ventures… p 37 4.3.1 Status of Legislation and Pending FAA Draft Regulations……….. p 37-38 4.3.2 The New Role of Prizes in Space Development…………………….. p 38-40 4.3.3 Implications of Private Space Ventures…………………………….. p 41-42 4.4 International Efforts to Regulate Private Space Systems………………… p 42 4.4.1 International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety… p 42-43 4.4.2 The International Telecommunications Union (ITU)…………….. p 43-44 4.4.3 The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).. p 44 4.4.4 The European Aviation Safety Agency…………………………….. p 44-45 4.4.5 Review of International Treaties Involving Space………………… p 45 4.4.6 The ICAO -The Best Way Forward for International Regulation.. p 45-47 5.0 Key Efforts to Estimate the Size of a Private Space Tourism Business……… p 47 5.1.
    [Show full text]
  • Desind Finding
    NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE ARCHIVES Herbert Stephen Desind Collection Accession No. 1997-0014 NASM 9A00657 National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC Brian D. Nicklas © Smithsonian Institution, 2003 NASM Archives Desind Collection 1997-0014 Herbert Stephen Desind Collection 109 Cubic Feet, 305 Boxes Biographical Note Herbert Stephen Desind was a Washington, DC area native born on January 15, 1945, raised in Silver Spring, Maryland and educated at the University of Maryland. He obtained his BA degree in Communications at Maryland in 1967, and began working in the local public schools as a science teacher. At the time of his death, in October 1992, he was a high school teacher and a freelance writer/lecturer on spaceflight. Desind also was an avid model rocketeer, specializing in using the Estes Cineroc, a model rocket with an 8mm movie camera mounted in the nose. To many members of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), he was known as “Mr. Cineroc.” His extensive requests worldwide for information and photographs of rocketry programs even led to a visit from FBI agents who asked him about the nature of his activities. Mr. Desind used the collection to support his writings in NAR publications, and his building scale model rockets for NAR competitions. Desind also used the material in the classroom, and in promoting model rocket clubs to foster an interest in spaceflight among his students. Desind entered the NASA Teacher in Space program in 1985, but it is not clear how far along his submission rose in the selection process. He was not a semi-finalist, although he had a strong application.
    [Show full text]
  • Hybrid Rocket Propulsion
    CZECH TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE FACULTY OF TRANSPORTATION Department of Air Transport Bc. Tomáš Cáp HYBRID ROCKET PROPULSION Diploma Thesis 2017 1 2 3 4 Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere thanks to my thesis advisor, doc. Ing. Jakub Hospodka, PhD., for valuable feedback and support during the process of creation of this thesis. Additionally, I am thankful for moral support extended by my family without which the process of writing this thesis would be significantly more difficult. Čestné prohlášení Prohlašuji, že jsem předloženou práci vypracoval samostatně a že jsem uvedl veškeré použité informační zdroje v souladu s Metodickým pokynem o etické přípravě vysokoškolských závěrečných prací. Nemám žádný závažný důvod proti užití tohoto školního díla ve smyslu § 60 Zákona č. 121/2000 Sb., o právu autorském, o právech souvisejících s právem autorským a o změně některých zákonů (autorský zákon). V Praze dne 29. 5. 2017 ……………………………… Tomáš Cáp 5 Abstrakt Autor: Bc. Tomáš Cáp Název práce: Hybrid Rocket Propulsion Škola: České vysoké učení technické v Praze, Fakulta dopravní Rok obhajoby: 2017 Počet stran: 56 Vedoucí práce: doc. Ing. Jakub Hospodka, PhD. Klíčová slova: hybridní raketový motor, raketový pohon, raketové palivo, komerční lety do vesmíru Cílem této diplomové práce je představení hybridního raketového pohonu coby perspektivní technologie, která do budoucna zřejmě výrazně ovlivní směřování kosmonautiky. Součástí práce je stručný popis konvenčních raketových motorů na tuhá a kapalná paliva a základní popis problematiky hybridních raketových motorů. V druhé části práce jsou zmíněny přibližné náklady na provoz těchto systémů a je provedeno srovnání těchto finančních nákladů v poměru k poskytovanému výkonu. V závěru jsou doporučeny oblasti možných využití vhodné pro hybridní raketové motory vzhledem k současnému stupni jejich technologické vyspělosti.
    [Show full text]
  • Sounding Rocket - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia Page 1 of 4
    Sounding rocket - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 4 Sounding rocket From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Sounding rockets) A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into the water, to gauge the water's depth. Sounding in the rocket context is equivalent to taking a measurement.[1] The rockets are used to carry instruments from 50 to 1,500 kilometers[2] above the surface of the Earth, the altitude generally between weather balloons and satellites (the maximum altitude for balloons is about 40km and the minimum for satellites is approximately 120km).[3] Certain sounding rockets, such as the Black Brant X and XII, have an apogee between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometers; the maximum apogee of their class. Sounding rockets [1] often use military surplus rocket motors. NASA routinely flies A Black Brant XII being launched the Terrier Mk 70 boosted Improved Orion lofting 270–450 from Wallops Flight Facility. kilogram payloads into the exoatmospheric region between 100 and 200 kilometers.[4] Contents ■ 1 Design ■ 2 Advantages ■ 3 Research applications ■ 4 Operators and Programmes ■ 5 Other Uses ■ 6 See also ■ 7 References ■ 8 External links Design A common sounding rocket consists of a solid-fuel rocket motor and a science payload.[1] The freefall part of the flight is an elliptic trajectory with vertical major axis allowing the payload to appear to hover near its apogee.[3] The average flight time is less than 30 minutes, usually between five and 20 minutes.
    [Show full text]
  • Acquisition Story 54 Introduction 2 Who We Were 4 194Os 8 195Os 12
    table of contents Introduction 2 Who We Were 4 194Os 8 195Os 12 196Os 18 197Os 26 198Os 30 199Os 34 2OOOs 38 2O1Os 42 Historical Timeline 46 Acquisition Story 54 Who We Are Now 58 Where We Are Going 64 Vision For The Future 68 1 For nearly a century, innovation and reliability have been the hallmarks of two giant U.S. aerospace icons – Aerojet and Rocketdyne. The companies’ propulsion systems have helped to strengthen national defense, launch astronauts into space, and propel unmanned spacecraft to explore the universe. ➢ Aerojet’s diverse rocket propulsion systems have powered military vehicles for decades – from rocket-assisted takeoff for propeller airplanes during World War II – through today’s powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The systems helped land men on the moon, and maneuvered spacecraft beyond our solar system. ➢ For years, Rocketdyne engines have played a major role in national defense, beginning with powering the United States’ first ICBM to sending modern military communication satellites into orbit. Rocketdyne’s technology also helped launch manned moon missions, propelled space shuttles, and provided the main power system for the International Space Station (ISS). ➢ In 2013, these two rocket propulsion manufacturers became Aerojet Rocketydne, blending expertise and vision to increase efficiency, lower costs, and better compete in the market. Now, as an industry titan, Aerojet Rocketdyne’s talented, passionate employees collaborate to create even greater innovations that protect America and launch its celestial future. 2011 A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor is being developed as part of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.
    [Show full text]
  • Seguranca.Pdf
    INPE-11476-RPQ/777 SEGURANÇA NO MANUSEIO DE FOGUETE Adauto Gouveia Motta INPE São José dos Campos 2004 SUMÁRIO LISTA DE FIGURAS .................................................................. v LISTA DE TABELAS .................................................................. vii MAIS ALGUMAS CONSIDERAÇÕES ............................................. ix INTRODUÇÃO .......................................................................... 01 CAPÍTULO 1 ............................................................................ 03 1.1 – A Busca ......................................................................... 03 1.2 – Plano de segurança de terra ............................................. 07 1.3 – Plano de segurança de vôo ............................................... 10 CAPÍTULO 2 – MOTOR FOGUETE ................................................ 15 2.1 – Propelentes sólidos .......................................................... 16 2.2 – Propelentes líquidos ......................................................... 19 2.3 – Foguetes híbridos ............................................................ 21 CAPÍTULO 3 – EXPLOSIVOS ...................................................... 23 3.1 – Explosivos como meio de propulsão .................................. 23 3.2 – Principais características dos explosivos ............................. 23 3.2.1 – Sensibilidade à iniciação por impacto .............................. 24 3.2.2 – Sensibilidade à iniciação por fricção ................................ 24 3.2.3 – Sensibilidade
    [Show full text]
  • May 5, 2016 IG-16-020
    May 5, 2016 IG-16-020 NASA’S INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS: CAPABILITIES, BENEFITS, AND CHALLENGES N A S A OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL MESSAGE FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL The Space Act of 1958 that created NASA identified the need to cooperate with “nations and groups of nations” in aeronautical and space activities as one of the Agency’s primary mission objectives. To this end, NASA currently manages more than 750 international agreements with 125 different countries, the flagship being the International Space Station, which after 15 years in low Earth orbit is expected to continue operating until at least 2024. These collaborative efforts have enhanced space-related knowledge through sharing of capabilities, expertise, and scientific research while cultivating positive working relations between nations. Moreover, as NASA missions become more complex and costly, it will be difficult for the Agency to achieve its ambitious goals without leveraging international partnerships, particularly for human exploration in deep space. This report examines NASA’s efforts to partner with foreign space agencies. We identified the space-related interests of more than a dozen space agencies around the world, examined their technical and financial capabilities, identified potential barriers to cooperation, and suggested possible ways to minimize those barriers. The observations we present are based on our analysis of information we received from NASA and firsthand from its foreign partners as well as information from studies prepared by NASA, our office, the Government Accountability Office, and other research, educational, and advisory organizations. In sum, we found that NASA faces significant challenges to its use of international partnerships. First, the process of developing agreements with foreign space agencies requires approval from the Department of State, which often takes many months, if not years, to complete.
    [Show full text]