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Space Station: NASA's Search for Design, Cost, and Schedule Stability Continues

NSIAD-91-125 Published: Mar 01, 1991. Publicly Released: Mar 27, 1991.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Space Station Program, focusing on the: (1) annual design, estimated cost, and schedule changes since 1985; (2) annual budget requests and resulting funding for fiscal year (FY) 1985 through FY 1991; and (3) NASA 1989 program review's impact on the space station's cost and capabilities.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
Congress may wish to consider requiring the Administrator, NASA, to expand the Capital Development Plan to disclose the space station's total direct and related cost estimates for assembly and the operating cost estimate for at least the first full year of steady operations.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congressional directives on the FY 1992 authorizations and appropriations for NASA did not include this requirement.
Congress may wish to consider requiring the Administrator, NASA, to expand the Capital Development Plan to provide all cost information in both then-year and constant dollars.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congressional directives on the FY 1992 authorizations and appropriations for NASA did not include this requirement.

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Topics

Aerospace researchCongressional oversightConstruction costsCost analysisCost controlFuture budget projectionsGovernment facility constructionResearch and development facilitiesResearch program managementSpace exploration