[sci.space] NASA Update

baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) (11/09/89)

 
RELEASE:  89-171
 
DETAILED CONSOLIDATION OF SPACE FLIGHT/SPACE STATION OFFICES 
ANNOUNCED
 
     
     NASA Administrator Richard H. Truly today provided 
additional details on the consolidation of the Offices of Space 
Flight and Space Station into a single organization headed by 
Associate Administrator Dr. William B. Lenoir.  The newly formed 
organization will be called the Office of Space Flight (OSF).  
George Abbey will continue to serve as the Deputy Associate 
Administrator for the organization.
 
     "The consolidation provides a structure within which the 
leadership and accomplishment of assigned programs and space 
transportation will be assured," said Lenoir.  "The division of 
responsibilities is clear and the mechanisms to assure 
coordination are in place."
 
     It is planned that the Space Flight organization will
include four major areas:  Space Shuttle, Space Station Freedom, 
Space Flight Systems and Human Resources and Institutions.  
Robert L. Crippen is the acting Director of the Space Shuttle 
Program, and Richard H. Kohrs is the Director of the Space 
Station Freedom Program.  Joseph B. Mahon is the Director for 
Flight Systems, and Richard J. Wisniewski is the Director for 
Human Resources and Institutions.  
 
     Several offices and staff positions will provide Lenoir with 
direct support.  Those areas are Resources Management with 
responsibility for resource evaluation and integration for all 
OSF programs, and Program Control for Space Station Freedom in
Reston and the Space Shuttle at JSC; Transportation Services
which will serve as the interface with space transportation
customers; an Executive Unit with responsibility for
correspondence control, audit functions, reviews of NASA
Management Instructions, and administrative and management
services to the OSF organization at NASA Headquarters; and a
Technical Integration and Analysis Office which will provide the
Associate Administrator with a quick-response capability in
dealing with selected technical issues or concerns.
 
     The consolidation results in no major changes in the Space
Shuttle program.  At NASA Headquarters, the organization now in
place continues with the major functions of Program Plans, System
Engineering and Analysis, and Operations Utilization.  Two
deputies, one for program and one for operations continue to be
located at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, and Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., respectively.  Lines of communication and decision
making remain unchanged.
 
     The most significant changes made as a result of the
consolidation have been made to program management organizational
elements within the Space Station Freedom Program.  This
organization has been strengthened and program management has
been consolidated into NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., and
Reston, Va.
 
     The Program Director's office will now include three major
functions: engineering, operations and policy.  The Deputy
Director, Robert Moorehead, is located in Reston, Va.  The Deputy
Director is supported by a Deputy for Operations, also located at
Reston, and a Deputy for Integration, located at JSC.  The Deputy
for Integration is supported by two field offices, with a manager
for element integration at the Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, Ala., and a manager for system integration at JSC.
At Reston, strong staff offices in system engineering and
analysis, management integration, and safety, reliability and
quality assurance are retained.
 
     No major organizational changes have been made within the
Space Flight Systems division.
 
     A new focus on human resources management has been assigned
to the Human Resources and Institutions organization.  Primary
responsibilities continue to be the advocacy, determination and
recommendation of manpower, facilities and other institutional
resources.  The focus on leadership development within the Office
of Space Flight at NASA Headquarters and across the centers will
be strengthened.

 Ron Baalke                       |    baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov 
 Jet Propulsion Lab  M/S 301-355  |    baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov 
 4800 Oak Grove Dr.               |
 Pasadena, CA 91109               |