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Space Shuttle: NASA Should Implement Independent Oversight of Software Development

IMTEC-91-20 Published: Feb 22, 1991. Publicly Released: Mar 12, 1991.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO obtained information on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) efforts to improve shuttle software oversight activities and identified: (1) NASA procedures for developing, validating, verifying, and reconfiguring shuttle software; (2) an independent NASA contractor's recommendations for verification and validation (V&V) of shuttle software; (3) NASA progress in implementing the recommendations; and (4) NASA resolution of the National Research Council's (NRC) and the shuttle program's software steering group's concerns about the V&V process.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Administrator, NASA, should: (1) require independent V&V for shuttle software, bearing in mind the views of NRC, the House Committee, the software steering group, and NASA-wide guidance; and (2) ensure that the independent V&V organization is outside the control of the shuttle program office.
Closed – Implemented
NASA has reconvened the software steering group to establish V&V policy for the shuttle program. NASA published its flight software V&V requirements on November 21, 1991. Responsibility for monitoring compliance with the requirements is assigned to safety and quality assurance functions.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Administrator, NASA, should bring to closure the issues raised by the software steering group concerning policy and documentation of V&V activities. In this regard, he should require the steering group to provide formal recommendations and require the program office to provide time frames for addressing them.
Closed – Implemented
The steering group reconvened in May 1991. The recommendation is being implemented.

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Topics

Aerospace contractsAerospace engineeringComputer services contractsConflict of interestsDepartment of Defense contractorsQuality assuranceSoftwareSoftware verification and validationSpace explorationAvionics