Aviation and Space Blog

GAO: NASA’s Management of its Contractor Award Fees Needs to be Improved, House Science and Technology Committee

“Given NASA’s dependence on cost-plus-award-fee contracts, I’m concerned that GAO’s investigation found that NASA has failed to follow its own long-standing guidelines governing award fees,” stated Chairman Gordon in response to the GAO findings. “While there can be mitigating factors, I don’t think it makes sense for contractors to receive a majority of the allowable award fee if they don’t meet the contract’s cost, schedule, or performance requirements. I want to make sure NASA is using taxpayer dollars as wisely and efficiently as possible.”

NASA Procurement: Use of Award Fees for Achieving Program Outcomes Should Be Improved GAO-07-58, January 17, 2007

“NASA officials expressed satisfaction with the results of the contracts we reviewed, and this was further evidenced by the extent of fee paid. NASA’s satisfaction was based on its evaluations of contractor performance against criteria established in the award-fee plan. While NASA’s evaluations would indicate generally good contractor performance, that performance did not always translate into desired program outcomes. That disconnect raises questions as to the extent NASA is achieving the effectiveness it sought through the establishment of guidance on the use of award fees.”

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Astronomers are scheduled to announce new findings about planets beyond our solar system at a media teleconference Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. PST.
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Liquid or gas flowed through cracks penetrating underground rock on Mars, according to a report based on some of the first observations by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
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By Dan Vergano Asteroids are big hunks of space dust and rock that will eventually smack into Earth and end life as we know it. Or they represent the new frontier of space exploration. Or both. It depends on how you look at it.
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OPM Updates

From: OperatingStatus@OPM.GOV
To: OPERATINGSTATUS@LISTSERV.OPM.GOV
Sent: Wed Feb 14 18:04:44 2007
Subject: Operating Status Update

The following message applies only to Thursday, February 15, 2007

Federal agencies in the Washington, DC, area are OPEN under an UNSCHEDULED LEAVE policy.

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Anousheh Ansari Teams up with Best-Selling Author Homer Hickam to Describe the Wonders of Space and Its Deep Impact on Her Life

“The world’s first private female space explorer, Anousheh Ansari is writing a memoir of her life experiences with the assistance of Homer Hickam, author of the No. 1 New York Times best-seller “Rocket Boys,” which was made into the critically acclaimed movie “October Sky. “Homer and I share a deep love of space, as well as a passion for educating people about the importance of space in solving problems here on Earth,” said Ansari, who plans to donate her proceeds from the book to charity”

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The Sea of Okhotsk is featured in this image acquired by the MODIS on the Terra satellite on Febr…
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Prayers and questions aplenty in astronaut case — but few answers, Houston Chronicle

“But [NASA Watch.com editor Keith] Cowing said rumors are circulating on the Internet and even around NASA, and he’s worried that NASA, which has struggled with image problems, won’t be able to stop a new perception of its astronaut corps as being wild and promiscuous. A recent “Saturday Night Live” skit full of sexual innuendo poked fun at the situation, with an actor portraying Oefelein explaining it by saying “Look at me, I’m a hunk!”

“Unfortunately, the impression you get is that the astronaut office is a bunch of frat boys on prowl at ‘Girls Gone Wild’ because we have just one data point to make judgment.” The silence of most astronauts raises more questions, he said. Morin was the only one, out of dozens of astronauts, who returned a call seeking comment.

“It’s incumbent on the astronauts corps, for its own integrity, to (address) this,” Cowing said.”

Editor’s note: Just to be clear: I was refering to the impression that the media gets – and then shares with the public – when an event like this happens and no one at NASA tries to dispute the characterizations that are swirling about and provide a picture of the actual situation.

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A statement from Michael Coats, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, regarding the status of astronaut Lisa Nowak.
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In this year of many 50th anniversaries, let it not go without mention at least in ssh that 50 years ago this month, LC17 hosted its first Thor launch, albeit suborbital. Thor derivatives have had more orbital launches than any other US launch vehicle type, and continue to be active from both LC1 ..
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