Keith’s note: ASAP issued its 2025 Full report. There is not much new in this report that the ASAP et al have not said every year for decades. But this time the first recommendation strikes at the heart of why NASA often seems to be reactive and make things up one day at a time – with actions that are often inconsistent and contradictory: “Recommendation 2021-05-01: NASA should develop a strategic vision for the future of space exploration and operations that encompasses at least the next 20 years, including potential alternative scenarios, that is driven by how the Agency is going to understand and manage risk in the more complex environment in which it will be operating.
- The vision should describe the role that NASA intends to play during that period and how it plans to engage with both commercial and international partners.
- NASA should assess the workforce, including the number, types, skills, experience, and responsibilities that will be required, and the infrastructure facility requirements, with a plan for managing changes needed to meet those requirements.
- NASA should also propose general criteria for evaluating “make, manage, or buy” decisions on future programs or projects.
- All aspects of the strategic vision and its implementation should be clearly and unambiguously communicated throughout the Agency.”
