Appendix A: Statement of Task
The United States is increasingly challenged by advances in technologies that will affect its global competitiveness in virtually all economic sectors. Preeminent among these are advances in aerospace technology. Technological advances are paced by modern, highly productive research and development (R&D), and operational facilities. An interagency task force is conducting a study of national space R&D and operational facilities in order to develop a National Facilities Plan. This plan is scheduled to be developed by spring, 1994. The Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) has been requested to review the interagency facilities plan in two phases. To fulfill this request, the ASEB proposes to assemble a committee of approximately 12 senior experts with a broad knowledge of space R&D, operations, and their associated facilities.
In Phase I the Committee will:
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Review and critique the requirements presented in the national facilities plan for space R&D and operations.
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Review and critique the facility approaches presented in the national facility plan, focusing on technical issues.
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Assess the extent to which the interagency task force has considered alternative facility approaches and alternative ways that recommended facility needs might be addressed, such as by the joint use of industry and government facilities, or by pooling resources internationally in the construction of new facilities or in new practices that would make the use of foreign facilities more amenable.
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Assess whether the interagency conclusions and recommendations are adequately supported by evidence and analyses;
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Recommend any further actions or studies that should be pursued by the interagency group.
Phase II anticipates that continued facilities planning, from a broader perspective, will be required following Phase I. In Phase II, the Committee will:
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Identify a set of possible major federal and commercial initiatives for coming decades, and identify the options that could enable appropriate facility development to address those initiatives.
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Examine the potential effect of various facilities decisions in either enabling or foreclosing future space program options.
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Consider innovative approaches to meeting facility needs beyond the interagency approach, including potential use of foreign facilities.