Annual Safety Report to Nasa Has Both Praise for the Agency and also underscores a number of cauble woes, include the space agency's understanding of the artemis back-the-to-mon-mon-mon-mone
The annual report from the aerospace safety Advisory Panel (Asap) has been released. The report observes that Nasa Has made impressive progress. Challenges Remain, however, and are highlighted in this report.
Of Note, this report points to significant safety observations for both the agency's mons to mars program and the current interactive space station operations in low-ear-orbit.
The Asap of Experts, LED by Former Nasa Astronaut Lieutenant General Susan J. Helms, Usaf (Ret.) Who Chairs the Group, Notes that there are “Considerable Risk-Related IssUs” Ition to Commercial low-Earth orbit destinations, “Some of which are not which within nasa's control.”
The Just-Released Asap Report also Touches on Relevant Areas of Human Health and Medicine in Space “And the impact of budget constraints and uncertainty on safety.”
The new report has been sent to janet petro, nasa acting administ, as well as jD Vance, Vice President and President of the Senate and Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the SPEAKER of the Us House of Representatives.
Congress Establed the Asap or “Panel” in 1968 to Provide Advice and Make recommendations to the nasa administrator and Congress on safeety matters.
Artemis: fragt with uncertainty
“Of Particular Concen Are the Risks Surrounding The Development, Integration, and Execution of the Artemis Campaign. Certainty, “The Asap Report Explains.
“A Critical Steppingstone in the Development of Human Interplanetary Travel Capability and Space Hardware – and Ultimately Safe Operations and Overall Mission Success – is the SAFE RETURN UNETURN U Ortunaity to Gain Experience Operating on a Planetary Surface and A Nearby Test Bed With An Extreme Environment Akin to Mars, “The Report Points Out.
“Yet, Nasa will face a myridge of daunting budgetary, Industrial, Geopolitical, Technical, and Health and Medical Constrants and Challenges,” The Report Continues, “The Reporteds Ains the nation's presence in low-end orbit ( Leo). “
Physics of Failure
The asap flagged the fact that, during 2024, The Orion Program Continued Proactively Investigating The HEAT SHIELD SAPALLID SAPALLID SAPALLID AND SAPALLID AND CHAELD 11, 2022 Artemis 1 Mission's orion Capsule Entry to Earth.
Nasa's focus on understanding the Failure and Identifying Corrective Actions, The Asap Report Points Out, LED to Corrective Actions for Future Heat Assem Le the 2026 Artemis II to fly with the existing heat shield.
“The asap has not yet reviewed the engineering details of this work and the related Risk Assessments With Nasa. This will be a panel focus early in 2025,” The asap report says.
Technical Readiness Level
As for the first human return to the moon, post-Apollo 17 In 1972, Artemis III is Planned as a Crewed Surface Landing and Explocation of the Lunar South Pole Region in Mid-2027, The Panel “Remains Very Concerned That, On The Current Schedule and with the Current Technology of some segments of the architecture , The artemis 3 mission is oversubscribed. “
As it has in the past, the asap views the agargged risocated with acomply ES.
There remain extraordinary challenges for the artemis “rebooting” of the moon, such as the delivery of fuel to orbit, cryogenic refueling, and long-duration storage in space; The Human Landing System (HLS) and Orion Mating; And hls successful descent to and ascent from the lunar surface “Are just a sample of critical test objectives Crewed Mission. “
Safety culture
Also spotlighted in the report is the Boeing Starliner Crewed Flight Test (CFT), Labeling It as “A Case of Safety Culture.”
“Ultimately, the resolution of the starliner cft anomaly demonstrated that, even in the face of Unexpected and Complex Challenges, Nasa's Commitment to Safety is Unshaken,” The report states. “The Lessons Learned from the Past Trageidies of Challenger and Columbia Continue to Influence the Agency's Safety Culture Today, ENSURING RISK MANAGENMENT and Crew Safety is Paramount in Insuring In Insuring In Every Decision.
The asap adds that, while the starliner thruster issues received consumed Starlineer Issues “That Require Resolution Prior to Certification, Such as a Battery Redesign Plan and Ongoing Work to Strengthen the Landing Airbag Backing Panel to Increase Operational Flexibility,” The reports.
And, beyond these technical matters, the report continues, “Schedule and Budget Pose Substantial Challenges to Starliner Certification.”
Tempo of spacex operations
Tagged as a concern by the asap is the tempo of Spacex Operations, Given the Increased Pace of Falcon 9 Operations, the addition of us west coast – Based dragon crew hops to space and cargo spacecraft recovery, as well as the contract award of the united states deorbit vehicle (usdv) International Space StationAlong with the Ongoing Large-Scale Starship Development Program.
“The asap cautions nasa and spacex to maintain their intenses focus on safe Crew Dragon Operations and be alert bot to complacement and schedule pressure. Nasa and Spacex must Guard Against Allowing The Fast-Paced Operating Environment to Interfere with Sound Judgment, Deliberate Analysis, and Careful Implementation of CORRECTION of CORRECTION of CORRECTION of “The reports.
Budget Uncertainty
An even green Greater Challenge is underscored in the asap report – the personality budget uncertainty stemming from congress's failure to providely and definative approves.
“This Ambiguity Significantly Hampers Nasa's Ability to Plan for and Execute Highly Technical Missions. Budget Uncertainty Can Escalate Risks during development and create operational risks later on. It also Diverts Attention from Critical Work, INTRODUCES INFFICINCIES, and Delays Important Decisions that directly Impact Safety and Mission Success, “The Panel Report Says.
“Given the likelihood that congress will not provide timely budget clarity, nasa must be candid about the consequences of operating with this uncertainty. Congress and other stakeholders must also also undersrstand the negative impacts this uncertainty has on nasa's ability to execute misdeals safely and effectively. “
To access the full asap report for this year isesed on Feb. 5, and Previous Years, Go to:
