The NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) has identified five top management and performance challenges facing the agency, which it says will underpin its oversight work in the year ahead. The OIG announced its 2026 Top Management and Performance Challenges Report on Nov. 12.
The OIG’s five challenges are:
- Establishing a human presence on the Moon
- Managing a robust U.S. presence in low Earth orbit
- Improving management of major programs and projects
- Managing cybersecurity risks and emerging technology
- Sustaining mission critical capabilities and support services
On the Moon, the OIG points to technical challenges with the Artemis human landing systems and next-generation spacesuits as NASA pursues its Ignition initiatives and a long-term lunar presence. It says NASA must also closely monitor its acquisition strategy for lunar delivery services to develop a permanent Moon base and meet “demanding mission timelines.”
For low Earth orbit, the OIG says the transition that comes with the retirement of the International Space Station “will require adequate oversight, significant financial investment, and reliable crew and cargo transport capabilities.”
On program management, the OIG writes:
To ensure the success of major programs and projects, NASA must commit to realistic schedules, adequate budget resources, and transparent reporting. The Agency’s shift toward more service-based commercial acquisitions offers potential benefits but also demands heightened oversight to control costs and mitigate risks.
On cybersecurity, the OIG points to NASA’s decentralized approach to information technology management and the need to make sure grantees and contractors meet strict security standards that protect intellectual property.
The final challenge covers modernizing aging infrastructure, keeping a highly technical workforce and overseeing the commercial partners, contractors and grantees that provide support services. NASA has been rebuilding that workforce after the 2025 cuts, converting what Administrator Jared Isaacman has called thousands of contractor positions back to civil service and recruiting technical staff through its new NASA Force program.
NASA Watch commentary: The OIG’s call for heightened oversight of commercial service contracts comes as Axiom Space is suing Vast Space, alleging that a mission plan Vast delivered to NASA under a private astronaut mission agreement was built from Axiom’s proprietary work, and that a milestone payment was tied to NASA accepting it. Vast says the suit is about competition, not fraud, and the court will sort out the facts. But protecting intellectual property and keeping close watch on commercial providers are exactly what the OIG says NASA has to get right. With final commercial space station proposals due Dec. 14 and both companies bidding, NASA will need to show it can do that.
