By Ed Hoffman Who is responsible for the knowledge that NASA creates? Since being named NASA’s Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) at the beginning of 2012, I have given this question a lot of thought.
ASK Magazine
![Ombudsman Program](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Ombudsman-670x380.jpg)
By Ruth McWilliams and Rex Elliott “Chris” works on a project with a tight deadline as part of a small team at a fairly remote site. The new head of his group has been with NASA for six months, after a long hiring process that resulted in the selection of an external candidate.
![Ronnie Barnes, of the Aerospace Composite Model Development Section at Langley, assembles one of forty-four arc-jet models for the Mars Science Laboratory entry, descent, and landing instrumentation program.](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/215643main_iotw-030308-hi-670x380.jpg)
By Keith L. Woodman and Paul W. Krasa Requirements change. Policies change. Personnel change. Projects are constantly exposed to internal and external challenges, and an inability to respond has been many a project’s demise.
![A Vital Project Resource](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/VitalProjectResource-670x380.jpg)
By Don Cohen To put it in the simplest terms, social capital is the value of the connections between people. NASA projects require a variety of resources. Money, of course. Appropriate technical and management skills.
![The refurbishment of the VAB will include removing seven Apollo-era platforms from high bay 3 and replacing them with modern versions that can be relocated and reconfigured for multiple launch vehicles.](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ApolloPlatforms-670x380.jpeg)
By Jose Lopez The challenge is twofold. First, as with any aging structure, much of the piping, HVAC, fire-protection, electrical, communications, and other systems are outdated or beyond their intended lifespan.
![Students fill a balloon for the team’s project test flight with the Rocket University payload launch and recovery lab.](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/image001.jpg-670x380.jpeg)
By Steven Sullivan and Chris Iannello Good systems engineers can handle technical leadership and systems management.
![Titanic Disaster Hearings held at the Waldorf Astoria New York, April 19, 1912.](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Image-4-Titanic-Disaster-Hearings-at-the-Waldorf-Astoria-New-York-April-19-1912-670x380.jpg)
” … my purpose is to ascertain what lessons this disaster teaches us … ” —Senator I. Raynor, May 28, 1912, during the U.S. Senate Inquiry on Titanic Disaster On April 15, 1912, the “unsinkable” RMS Titanic sank during its maiden voyage only 2 hours and 40 minutes after hitting an iceberg.
![The People Behind the NASA Engineering Network](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/NEN-670x380.jpg)
By Manson Yew This article has been several years in the writing. Sure, part of the reason it took so long was lack of time; part of the reason was fear of putting words out there, though I had no problem talking about the NASA Engineering Network (NEN).
![The unpiloted Japanese Kounotori 2 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV2) approaches the ISS, delivering more than four tons of food and supplies to the space station and its crew members.](https://appel.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/513318main_iss026e021017_full-670x380.jpg)
Based on an interview with Lyn Wigbels The International Space Station (ISS) is a technological marvel. The size of a football field, with a mass of almost one million pounds, it has been continuously inhabited by astronauts and cosmonauts for more than ten years.