As part of the Vision, NASA is developing  new vehicles under the Constellation program, with an initial operational  capability currently scheduled for 2015. According to  NASA transition managers, the agency has now accomplished this better  definition and plans to include an estimate substantially lower than the  earlier $1.8 billion estimate for the total cost of SSP transition and  retirement in its fiscal year 2010 budget request. NASA Faces Challenges Defining SSP Transition and Retirement Scope and Costs

NASA faces disparate challenges defining the scope and costs of SSP  transition and retirement activities. The Constellation program is finalizing  the requirements that will inform the SSP of what real and personal  property needs to be retained and what should be declared excess. In addition, NASA faces other challenges that further hamper the agency’s  efforts to develop firm estimates of SSP transition and retirement scope  and cost, including finalizing plans for safing artifacts. In addition to  the issues discussed above, NASA has not yet developed final plans and/or  cost estimates for safing artifacts, including the orbiters Atlantis,  Discovery, and Endeavour. SSP Transition and Retirement Costs Are Not Transparent in NASA’s Budget

SSP transition and retirement costs are not transparent in NASA’s current  budget request and are not expected to be fully reflected in its 2010  request. SSP’s direct transition and retirement  costs are included in the SSP budget line. Furthermore, NASA plans to offset some transition costs by  utilizing an exchange/sale authority that allows federal agencies to  exchange or sell non-excess, non-surplus personal property and apply the  proceeds toward acquiring similar replacement property. Conclusions

SSP transition and retirement is an immense undertaking involving  numerous actors across government and the aerospace industry. NASA acknowledged that, thus far,  it had not included estimates of the full scope and cost of Space Shuttle  transition and retirement costs in any of its budget requests and that the  agency is still in the process of finalizing the scope and cost of Space  Shuttle transition and retirement activities. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

To assess National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA)  challenges in transitioning and retiring the Space Shuttle Program’s (SSP)  assets and facilities and to determine if the cost of these efforts is  transparent in NASA’s budget requests, we obtained and reviewed NASA  documents including the Human Space Flight Transition Plan, Space  Shuttle Program Transition Management Plan, Space Shuttle Program  Transition and Retirement Requirements, and the Space Shuttle Program  Risk Management Plan.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Space Shuttle Program (SSP) is scheduled to retire in 2010, and the transition and retirement of its facilities and assets will be an immense undertaking involving approximately 654 facilities worth an estimated $5.7 billion and equipment with an estimated value of more than $12 billion. NASA plans to retire the SSP in 2010 to make resources available for the Constellation program, which is producing the next generation of space vehicles by 2015. Many of the SSP's resources are expected to transition to Constellation while others will be dispositioned or preserved for their historic value. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 directed GAO to assess NASA's plans and progress in transitioning and retiring the SSP's facilities and equipment. More specifically, GAO examined 1) the challenges NASA faces in defining the scope and costs of transition and retirement activities, and 2) whether the cost of these efforts is transparent in NASA's budget requests. To address these objectives, GAO analyzed SSP plans, budget guidance, and other documents, and interviewed relevant government officials and contractors.

What GAO Found

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) faces disparate challenges defining the scope and cost of SSP transition and retirement activities. For example, because the Constellation program is still finalizing its requirements, the agency does not yet know what SSP property it needs to retain or the full cost of the transition effort. In addition, NASA faces other challenges that hamper its efforts to manage the transition and develop firm estimates of SSP transition and retirement scope and costs. For example, NASA has not developed final plans and/or cost estimates for making artifacts-- including the orbiters Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavour--safe for public display. The total cost of SSP transition and retirement is not transparent in NASA's current budget request and is not expected to be reflected in its fiscal year 2010 budget request. This is due in part to delays in estimating costs, but also to where costs are being reflected. For example, although SSP's direct transition and retirement costs are identified in the SSP budget line, indirect costs related to environmental clean-up and restoration, maintenance of required real property facilities during the gap in human spaceflight, and demolition of excess facilities are not. In addition, NASA plans to offset some transition costs by utilizing an "exchange/sale" authority that allows executive agencies to exchange or sell non-excess, non-surplus personal property and apply the proceeds toward acquiring similar replacement property.