A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has raised concerns over NASA’s ability to continue meeting its long-term objectives, highlighting aging infrastructure, budget constraints, and a focus on short-term goals as key issues.
The report, requested by Congress as part of the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, warns that the current state of NASA’s resources may jeopardize its role as the nation’s premier space agency.
The report emphasizes the need for NASA to rebalance its priorities and increase investment in its facilities, workforce, and cutting-edge technology.
“NASA has been a source of innovation and national pride, but it now faces the common challenge of focusing on immediate achievements at the expense of long-term viability,” said Norman Augustine, chair of the committee that produced the report.
NASA’s infrastructure is one of the primary concerns. The report revealed that 83% of NASA’s facilities are past their design life, with many dating back to the 1960s. This aging infrastructure not only affects mission support but also makes it harder to attract new talent. Some critical systems, such as the Deep Space Network, are too degraded to handle future mission needs without significant investment.
Budgetary issues compound these infrastructure concerns. Despite a slight increase in NASA’s overall funding, the report points out that the agency’s purchasing power has remained stagnant, while the complexity of its missions has increased. Internal pressures, including competing for talent with the private sector and other space agencies, also add strain to NASA’s operations.
Additionally, the report critiques NASA’s over-reliance on commercial partnerships, warning that excessive outsourcing of early-phase, specialized work could erode the agency’s technical expertise. NASA employees have been relegated to monitoring contractors rather than engaging in hands-on mission work, a shift that could jeopardize its ability to lead ambitious space missions in the future.
To address these challenges, the report recommends several key actions. These include:
- Investment in Infrastructure: NASA should work with Congress to establish a working capital fund to eliminate its infrastructure maintenance backlog and provide continuous support for upgrades. This would align NASA with other federal agencies that use similar funding mechanisms.
- Workforce Development: NASA needs to adopt a new human capital strategy to attract and retain expert talent. This includes revising the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004 to grant the agency more hiring authority and updating its salary structures to compete with private companies.
- Balanced Use of Commercial Partnerships: While NASA has benefited from its collaboration with the commercial space sector, the report urges caution to ensure that the agency maintains its in-house capabilities, particularly for mission-critical early-stage technologies.
NASA’s recently initiated “NASA 2040” review, aimed at addressing some of these long-term issues, was cited as a promising start. However, the report stresses that more decisive action will be needed to secure the agency’s future.
As NASA prepares for its next generation of space exploration, including high-profile missions like the Mars Sample Return and the Artemis lunar program, the agency faces a complex environment. From aging infrastructure to growing competition from other nations, NASA’s capacity to innovate and lead could be significantly affected if these underlying issues are not addressed.
The report concludes that the choices made by NASA, Congress, and its commercial partners in the coming years will determine whether the agency can maintain its leadership in space exploration and continue to inspire future generations in the STEM fields.
Flying and National Academies of Sciences contributed to this report.
