Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Releases Annual Report

Jan. 25, 2012

Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1979
michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 12-025

AEROSPACE SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT

WASHINGTON -- The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, or ASAP, has
released its 2011 annual report.

The ASAP holds quarterly fact-finding and public meetings and visits
NASA facilities to directly observe the agency's operations and
decision making. In this year's report, the panel highlighted issues
related to costs, schedules, resources, requirements and acquisition
strategies that may have an impact on safety.

"The pursuit of great reward often comes hand in hand with great risk,
so it has always been with explorers," panel Chairman Joseph W. Dyer
said. "So naturally, it was the panel's duty to ask, 'How safe is
safe enough?' We didn't answer that question, but we did point to
areas where that question may not produce the level of safety the
panel expects and requires."

Some of the panel's critical safety issues or concerns in the report
include:
-- International Space Station
-- Commercial Crew
-- Space Launch System
-- Alcohol Use and Testing Policy

Congress established the ASAP in 1968 after the Apollo 1 fire to
provide advice and make recommendations to the NASA administrator on
safety matters.

For more information about the ASAP and to view its 2011 report,
visit:

http://oiir.hq.nasa.gov/asap

-end-

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