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NASA ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING AND SAFETY
CENTER
NASA today announced plans to create an independent Engineering
and Safety Center (NESC) at the agency's Langley Research Center in
Hampton, Va., to provide comprehensive examination of all NASA
programs and projects. The center will provide a central location
to coordinate and conduct robust engineering and safety assessment
across the entire agency.
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe visited Langley Research Center in
Haptom, VA on Tuesday, July 15, 2003 to announce the creation of
the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) to provide
comprehensive examination of all NASA programs and projects. The
center, which will be located at Langley, will coordinate and
conduct robust engineering and safety assessment across the entire
agency. Seated (L to R): Bill Readdy, Assistant Aministrator for
Space Flight; Brian O'Connor Assistant Adminintrator for the Office
of Safety and Mission Assurance; Roy Bridges incoming Center
Director at NASA Langley Research Center.
Photo: NASA LARC/Jeff Caplan
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"Among the things we've learned during the investigation of the
Columbia tragedy is the need to independently verify our
engineering and safety standards. The new NASA Engineering and
Safety center will have the capacity and authority to have direct
operational influence on any agency mission," said NASA
Administrator Sean O'Keefe. "When it comes to safety and
engineering analysis, we need to improve our ability to share
technical information, practices and talent, and independently
ensure we are in the best position to achieve mission success."
The NESC is expected to draw on the talents of about 250 people
throughout NASA and will report to former astronaut General Roy
Bridges, Langley Center Director. Bryan O'Connor, also a former
astronaut and Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and
Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters in Washington, will have
policy responsibility for the organization. O'Connor's task will be
to assure the effective use of all agency assets and expertise to
derive the independent assessments.
"As we move forward with our 'Return to Flight' efforts, the
development and implementation of the NESC will help us focus on
the future of our technical and safety imperatives," said O'Connor.
"We have a responsibility to make our programs as safe and as sound
as possible. This project raises our commitment to unprecedented
levels."
Planned activities of the new organization include:
- Independent engineering assessment and testing to support
critical NASA projects and programs
- Engineering and safety review and evaluation through
independent analysis, hazard and risk assessment, safety audit, and
participation in mishap investigations
- A central location for independent trend analysis utilizing
state-of-the-art tools and techniques
- A structure to support engineering collaboration for problem
resolution
- Central coordination of engineering and programmatic lessons
learned, technical standards, and technical discipline
expertise
- Independent inspection and validation of activities to ensure
the constant maintenance of NASA safety standards
"We need to go further than what we expect to see in the
findings of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB),"
added Dr. Michael Greenfield, Associate Deputy Administrator for
Technical Programs at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Greenfield
co-chairs the agency's Return to Flight Team with Associate
Administrator for Space Flight William F. Readdy. "We need to look
beyond the CAIB and provide a centralized clearinghouse that
provides NASA with authoritative and consolidated analysis and
assessment for all of the agency's high-risk endeavors," Greenfield
observed.
Additional information about NASA and Langley is available on
the Internet at:
www.nasa.gov
www.larc.nasa.gov
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