Engineering Research and Analysis Funding and Management at NASA, Lecture notes of Engineering

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National Aeronautics andSpace Administration

Engineering

Research & Analysis

Dr. Prasun N. Desai NAC TI&E Committee Meeting December 5, 2017

ASIP Action 3.

Action: Work with OCE and the other Mission Directorates to

develop PPBE19 SPG language for formulating engineering

research and analysis activities

• Action was split into two paths
  • Define a model for funding/managing Engineering Research & Analysis (R&A) at the Agency
  • SPG and PRG guidance development
• Presentation addresses first aspect for decision, then

subsequently define process for second item

Historical Funding of Engineering R&A

• Investments have been made and continue to be made in

Engineering R&A, though not always visible and not systematically

nor strategically across the Agency

• STMD funds Entry System Modeling and Advanced Radiation Protection activities in the Game Changing Program with approximately $9M/year
• ARMD funds Transformational Tools and Technologies Project with approximately $20M/year in areas of CFD, materials and structures modeling, system analysis tools, and combustion modeling
• HEOMD funds radiation environments and radiation transport modeling in the Advanced Exploration Systems Program with approximately $1.5M/yr
• SMD, HEOMD programs/missions fund Engineering R&A for specific missions on an “as needed” basis
• No sustained investments across all Engineering R&A technical areas

since base funding was eliminated

• No dedicated path present to fund general Engineering R&A unlike

that for Technology

Approaches to Fund and

Manage Engineering R&A

• Team considered many possible approaches. Examples:
  • Each Mission Directorate selects, funds, and manages activities separately
  • Each Mission Directorate selects and funds activities separately but management performed by single organization
  • Single Mission Directorate selects and manages all activities
    • Funding is provided through a tax on each Mission Directorate
  • Stand up a dedicated Program
    • Funding is provided through a tax on each Mission Directorate
  • Etc.
• Discussed advantages/disadvantages of various approaches

Next Steps

• Flush out next level of details of this approach
  • Number and timing of Board meetings to feed MD PPBE process
  • Leveraging of Center Engineering Director’s perspectives/priorities
  • Coordination with CLTs on list of Engineering R&A activities
  • Integration of Engineering R&A selections within existing Program processes by each MD
  • Identify forum to report out on management/performance/funding of Engineering R&A activities
• Develop SPG and PRG guidance
  • Initiate execution of this process slowly for PPBE19 with goal to attain sustained ”steady-state” level in years thereafter

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