Since it is the nation’s only launch system capable of carrying people to and from space, the shuttle’s viability is important to NASA’s other space programs, such as the International Space Station. NASA operates four orbiters in the shuttle fleet. Since the shuttle’s first flight in 1981, the space shuttle program has developed and incorporated many modifications to improve performance and safety. This condition clearly jeopardized the program’s ability to hand off leadership roles to the next generation. NASA subsequently recognized the need to revitalize its workforce and began taking actions toward this end. Finally, in December 1999, NASA terminated its downsizing plans for the shuttle program and initiated efforts to begin hiring new staff. Significantly, NASA’s current budget request projects an increase of more than 200 full-time equivalent staff for the shuttle program through fiscal year 2002—both new hires and staff transfers. NASA is also focusing more attention on human capital management in its annual performance plan. But there are considerable challenges ahead. Second, agencies do not have the sustained commitment from leaders and managers needed to implement reforms. Progress and Challenges in Making Shuttle Safety Upgrades

At this time last year, NASA planned to develop and begin equipping the shuttle fleet with a variety of safety and supportability upgrades, at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion. Second, while NASA had begun to establish a dedicated shuttle safety upgrade workforce, it had not fully determined its needs in this area.
What GAO Found

In August 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) space shuttle program was at a critical juncture. Its workforce had declined significantly since 1995, its flight rate was to double to support the assembly of the International Space Station, and costly safety upgrades were planned to enhance the space shuttle's operation until at least 2012. Workforce reductions were jeopardizing NASA's ability to safely support the shuttle's planned flight rate. Recognizing the need to revitalize the shuttle's workforce, NASA ended its downsizing plans for the shuttle program and began to develop and equip the shuttle fleet with various safety and supportability upgrades. NASA is making progress in revitalizing the shuttle program's workforce. NASA's current budget request projects an increase of more than 200 full-time equivalent staff through fiscal year 2002. NASA has also focused more attention on human capital management in its annual performance plan. However, considerable challenges still lie ahead. Because many of the additional staff are new hires, they will need considerable training and will need to be integrated into the shuttle program. Also, NASA still needs to fully staff areas critical to shuttle safety; deal with critical losses due to retirements in the coming years; and, most of all, sustain management attention to human capital reforms. Although NASA is making strides in revitalizing its workforce, its ability to implement safety upgrades in a timely manner is uncertain.