- - - Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Annual Report

The Panel shall review safety studies and operations plans referred to it and shall make reports thereon, shall advise the Administrator with respect to the hazards of proposed or existing facilities and proposed operations and with respect to the adequacy of proposed or existing safety standards and shall perform such other duties as the Administrator may request. " The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) is pleased to submit its annual report covering the period from February 1994 through January 1995. Overall, the Panel uncovered no " show stoppers " related to safety which is indicative of NASA's continuing commitment to risk management and reduction. NASA's programs made significant advances during the past year. We are particularly pleased that all of the components of the Block II Space Shuttle Main Engine modifications are now underway and making good progress. Nevertheless, the safety impact of severe budget cutbacks and the departures of key personnel, particularly on labor-intensive operations such as Space Shuttle processing, continue to warrant the Panel's attention. We remain concerned about the effective implementation of the joint U.S./Russian safety requirements. It has been difficult for us to obtain the timely and in-depth information needed to become comfortable in our oversight role of these programs. We will continue to follow the NASA collaboration with the Russians in the year to come with the specific goal of obtaining a better understanding of the joint safety processes. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel appreciates the support received from NASA and its contractors. We are also grateful for NASA's timely response to last year's report. This permitted us to pursue open items in an expeditious manner. As in the past, we ask that you respond only to Section II, " Findings and Recommendations, " of the current submission.