The U.S. Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel's 2008 report, among other things, endorses NASA's plan to end space shuttle operations.
The advisory panel's independent experts have been evaluating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's safety performance and advising the agency on ways to improve it since the panel was established in 1968.
The 11-page annual report covers such issues as whether to extend the space shuttle program, Soyuz reliability, and NASA safety improvements.
Among the panel's findings:
–It strongly endorses NASA's position on not extending space shuttle operations. "Continuing to fly the shuttle not only would increase the risk to crews, but also could jeopardize the future U.S. exploration program by squeezing available resources for the Constellation program.
–Deferred NASA maintenance and upgrading of infrastructure should received higher priority, including a "prompt and thorough assessment" of the space agency's aging fixed-wing aircraft fleet and aircraft support facilities.
–Although Soyuz reliability issues remain, "The Soyuz vehicle and the similar Progress launcher have a solid 40-year track record." The ASAP added: "Although the U.S.-Russian partnership can be politically challenging, the two nations depend on each other to continue (International Space Station) operations. To avoid conflicts, NASA is carefully negotiating explicit contract terms with no loopholes."
The ASAP said it bases its report on direct observation of NASA's operations and decision-making.
The full report is available at
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oer/asap/documents/2008_ASAP_Annual_Report.pdf
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