Abstract This paper details a needs assessment for quality improvement at NASA (NationalAeronautics and SpaceAdministration). It includes program goal setting, prioritizing program goals, funding and operational decision-making. The purpose of the assessment is to improve quality performance at NASA.
Abstract This paper offers an organizational assessment of the NationalAeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA). The writer of this paper examines NASA's history and mission while also evaluating its goals and objectives. The paper also analyzes NASA's strengths and weaknesses while detailing the organization's strengths and weaknesses.
Abstract This first part of this paper examines the current structure of NASA, and the problems that are spawned by its fragmented structure. The paper then looks at the goals, obstacles and potential benefits of the One NASA program, paying special attention to the Integrated Financial Management Project (IFMP). It examines whether the IFMP -- an agency-wide effort to overhaul NASA's financial and administrative systems and processes ? can have a positive effect in building a more integrated organizational culture within the space agency.
From the Paper "NASA is not a single monolith. Instead, it is composed of several field centers scattered across the country. Each center has its own staff, origin and research focus (Bromberg 1999). Ideally, these field centers work together with their headquarters, situated in Washington, DC. After all, as seen in the following description of their responsibilities and duties, many of the centers have overlapping mandates, duties and projects. However, more often than not, Headquarters and the individual centers are in conflict, resulting in duplication of effort and a waste of resources."
Abstract This paper discusses the Apollo 7 and Apollo 8 space missions and their overall effect on the United States' space race. It looks at the history behind the space race and climate in the United States at the time that the NationalAeronautic and SpaceAdministration (NASA) was first developing these missions. The paper concludes that these missions helped to revive American interest and motivate the public's support for NASA, as well as helped America to take a definite lead in the space race against the Soviets.
From the Paper "Remembering the Apollo 8 mission, William Anders stated, "The biggest surprise of the mission was to see the first Earthrise over the moon and to realize that the Earth was even more interesting than the moon. I consider the moon voyages a technical feat, a political feat." Apollo 8 was indeed both of these. The Apollo 7 and 8 missions were vital ingredients in the overall victory for America in the space race. They helped to revive American interest and motivate the public's support for NASA. They also helped America to take a definite lead in the space race against the Soviets and use this momentum to continue to the moon. Lastly, they helped to prove that the moon was a feasible goal, and that Kennedy's idea of putting a man on the moon before the decade was out was more than possible."
Abstract This paper explains the history of NASA, starting with the Kennedy administration. It briefly explains the 'firsts' of space exploration: Apollo and Skylab. The writer then discusses the disasters of NASA: Challenger, Columbia, and some Mars missions. It looks at the accomplishments of NASA with technology and at home and ends with the future of NASA with George Bush's Space Boost plan and a conclusion.
From the Paper "Human curiosity about space has been with man as far back as we can go. Native Americans made names for the constellations. Greece created Gods from them. The technology to get to space was just created in the past fifty years. Some consider Americans lucky to live in a nation, where man can touch the surface of the moon. This feat is mostly thanks to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and their advancements. However, recent polls have shown that interest for NASA is down the list of people's concerns, below crime, energy, and the environment for example. Interest has changed since the Kennedy administration, where shortly after, twelve men walked on the moon in a three and a half year period. NASA is still making advancements, however, in the areas of science, math, astrology, and it's new findings in space. Nevertheless, the public remembers Columbia and Challenger. They also know about the millions of tax dollars being spent each year. Because of this, does NASA have a future? Will it still be around in twenty years? Will our children and their children, still dream of becoming astronauts?"
Abstract This paper details of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War and how and why it was a show of power and superiority. The author looks many different aspects of the space race including, its purpose, how it was used to show the other country its weaknesses, how it enabled both countries to explore the uncharted vastness of space and find for it new military and how they attempted to use the moon as the ultimate propaganda tool.
From the Paper "Even though Sputnik had no direct military impact, it showed the progress of the USSR in science and military and prompted the US government to pay more attention to its own missile operation (McGhee 331). The media played a major role in spurring the government to take action. Sputnik was front-page news on all the papers and it had all of America wondering how something like that could happen without anyone knowing (Schefter 23). At first the US government was not impressed by the Soviet's accomplishments. President Eisenhower felt that the U.S. people had acted like children and that no response to Soviet actions was necessary (Burrows 200). He felt that the US needed to toughen up for a long war they may have in the future and did not see the US as being in any competition with the Soviets (Burrows 200). He even went so far as to congratulate the Soviets on their accomplishments (McGhee 330)."
Abstract The paper discusses how, in the 1950s, the two superpowers of world affairs, the United States and the United Soviet Socialist Republic, engaged in a quest for ultimate power that would in time become known as the Cold War. The paper examines the competition between the nations, known as the Space Race. The paper further explores the meaning of the Space Race and its accomplishments within the context of the Cold War.
Outline:
Abstract
The Purpose of the Space Race
Time Well Spent and Energy Used Wisely?
Larger Purpose of the Space Race
Does Society Need This Kind of Enterprise?
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "From the point of view of the Americans, the Space Race also took on a much more significant purpose than simply showing that space exploration was possible; early in the consideration of the potential of space exploration and travel, it was realized that the technology and science that could be derived from an effective space program would have many uses, and in light of the possibility of Assured Destruction, defense was one of the most important. In the minds of the American government, the demise of communism was the key to winning the Cold War outright."
Abstract On 28 January 1986, the world was shocked by the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, and the death of its crew. This paper examines the processes used in deciding to launch the ill-fated mission. It focuses on the flawed culture within the NationalAeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA) and its associated mismanagement. It analyses how this culture influenced NASA's beliefs, its decision-making process and its performance.
Outline
Background
Engineering
Management Issues
Belief Systems
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "President Nixon endorsed the Shuttle during the 1972 election year because it would increase employment. In a crime against the English language, he announced that the vehicle would "revolutionise transportation into near space, by routinising it." He also recognised that it was politically unacceptable not to maintain a manned presence in space. However, the Office of Management and Budget continued to monitor the programme's costs. NASA was forced to make savings in the short term, at the expense of higher operational costs and greater risks. Solid-rocket boosters were chosen because they were less expensive to develop and could be more quickly refurbished than boosters using liquid propellants."
Abstract This paper discusses the history of NASA from its beginnings and the political framework surrounding its genesis and the beginnings of the Space Race.
From the Paper "Since the beginning of time, man has been an avid explorer. From exploring his nearby surroundings to traveling to the other side of the world to journeying to the stars, man has been on the move constantly. Mankind is a species of risk takers and curious about all that surrounds him. Before man's decision to fly to the stars, one of the biggest eras of exploration was the navigation and exploration of the seas and the inner continents they found themselves upon. Through all of the explorations, it has taken the political and financial backing of the many nations that supported these explorers. And what was the purpose of these explorations beyond curiosity? It seems that the political will of the nations encouraged these explorers to discover and conquer faster than the next nation. It was and still is a matter of national pride; more often than not, it was also a matter of national security, whether real or imagined. The history of NASA reflects this ideal; that exploration isn't always done just for the sake of discovery."
Abstract This paper analyzes Chapters 6 and 7 of the "Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report". Specifically, it discusses the issues that surfaceed about NASA and its organization and answers the question: If you were designing a new organization to change the core processes what would be your priorities for change? It examines how the National Air and Space Agency (NASA) ultimately is a business organization, just like any other, and how it faces the same funding issues, internal power struggles, and management concerns that any other business faces.
From the Paper "The need for change in the organization is clear, and the priorities need to be established and followed. Clearly, the first priority should be either a general housecleaning in management, or at least a re-evaluation of the current management mission, and how it must contribute to change and safety, rather than deadlines and appearances. The second priority must be communication, because the communication streams are flawed, and it seems some staff are afraid to communicate concerns or problems. It also seems budgetary concerns are also a major issue with NASA. These concerns must be addressed, but they should never come ahead of Shuttle safety, and it seems from the start, they have."
Abstract This paper recounts America's path into space exploration beginning in 1920 with Professor Robert Goddard who created a rocket in a vacuum. The writer explains that in the years following it became a race between the U.S. and the Soviets to conquer space, which resulted in NASA being created in 1961. This paper explains the importance of continuing the space program into the future using economical, environmental and political reasonings. The paper also discusses the option of privatization, which would be effective in the reduction of launch costs and the modernization of current facilities.
From the Paper "Since that first step on the moon, relatively little progress has been made by the United States in the journey into space, beside the commercial ventures. "The reasons that drove our space program and NASA off in the wrong direction are numerous-a lack of leadership from the White House, a skeptical Congress, and taxpayers unconvinced that the space program holds long-term promise for the nation, to name a few." The U.S. is no longer under threat of the Soviets and the motivation has dwindled.
Presently, NASA is engaged in a plan to send man to Mars. First, they will send unmanned craft to "study the planet's soil and atmosphere, analyze rock samples, bring back some rocks to Earth, and determine the suitability of longer-term manned missions." NASA's goal is to send a manned mission in 2014. The delay is due much in part to the neglect of the planet's surface by the Viking mission in 1976, which didn't occur until the Pathfinder probe in 1997."
Abstract The research questions upon which the study is based ask whether or not NASA's organizational structure had an effect on the amount of communication effort expended during preparation for the Columbia shuttle's takeoff and whether it ultimately caused the demise of the shuttle and its passengers. Based on the review of the literature, this study answers the following research questions. Has NASA's organizational culture changed since the Challenger shuttle accident in 1986, which was largely the result of gaps in communication? What aspects of NASA as an agency may have been partially to blame for the Columbia accident? What do independent parties believe caused the accident? What must NASA do to improve the agency before sending more shuttles to space?
Statement of the Problem
Research Questions
Research Methodology and Importance
Literature Review
Research Issue #1
Research Issue #2
Research Issue #3
Research Issue #4
Research Issue #5
Research Issue #6
Research Issue #7
Research Issue #8
Research Summary
References
From the Paper "After nearly seven months of investigation, the Board released a series of findings and recommendations aimed at significantly reducing the chances of further accidents. Their aim has been to improve shuttle safety by multiple means, not just by correcting the specific faults that caused the Columbia disaster. With this in mind, the Board conducted an investigation of what happened in Columbia, as well as what conditions allowed the accident to occur. During this process, the Board identified numerous factors, which they have grouped into three categories: physical failures that were directly responsible for Columbia's destruction; underlying weaknesses, revealed in NASA's organization and history, that may end in catastrophic failure; and additional observations made during the course of investigation."
Abstract This essay provides a history of the United States' space program and its rationale for beginning such a program. It also gives information on the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union to see who would be the first nation to put a man on the moon. It explains that when it looked as if the Soviets were ahead with the launching of the satellite Sputnik, America ultimately pulled through to finish first in the space race.
From the Paper "The United States's main rationale for carrying out a space exploration program was the rivalry with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Both nations had the desire to demonstrate a technological superiority of one form of government over another: a democratic state versus a communist dictatorship. So after both sides became aware that space flight was possible, the Cold War rivalry was the key that opened the door to aggressive space exploration on both sides."
Tags: apollo, landing, moon, nasa, soviet, space, sputnik, union
Abstract This paper begins with a brief look at the history of the relationship between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. It then discusses the roots of rocketry and the birth of modern rocket science. A discussion of the race between the two nations to put a human being into space during the 1960s follows.
From the Paper "The contest for space explodes into life within the saber rattling environment of the nuclear age. Near the end of the 1950s, the cold war had escalated to frightening proportions. Both countries maintained enormous stockpiles of nuclear and conventional weapons. The United States developed its deterrence based on long-range bombers. By 1955 the US Air Force had ?580 B52s, and 1500 B-47s,?(NASA) all 2080 aircraft capable of delivering nuclear weapons. In 1955, the United States Navy launched the world's first nuclear submarine. By 1960, the US had over 18,000 nuclear weapons in its arsenal, and developed the liquid fueled Atlas and Titan Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM)."
Abstract This paper examines how, in "Understanding Administrative Evil", authors Guy B. Adams and Danny L. Balfour explore the idea and evolution of the concept of evil. It looks at how, over time, historical evil has evolved into administrative evil, a form of evil that is unique to modernity, and how the main differences between historical and administrative evil lie in the perpetrator's motivation. It analyzes how, to illustrate their arguments, Adams and Balfour cite numerous and varied cases of administrative evil, including the Jewish Holocaust, welfare reform, immigration, and the destructive organizational culture at NASA that spawned the Challenger tragedy.
From the Paper "To support their argument, Adams and Balfour apply their theory to a number of modern historical events. In their first study, the authors analyze the Holocaust, first by summarizing the debate between intentionalist and functionalist scholars. However, to fully understand the German society's complicity in the Holocaust, Adams and Balfour argue for a synthesis ? that the Holocaust grew out of a "confluence of historical and political forces, racist ideology and anti-Semitism, organizational competition and the bureaucratic processes of a highly developed modern society" (59)."
