By Bryan O’Connor When I was a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center, I worked closely with the engineers designing the first American version of the British Harrier, a vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) fighter, for two years before the first flight of the prototype.
By Chris Scolese As a boy growing up, I was enthralled by all aspects of space exploration. I soon realized that the success of all space initiatives was the result of solid engineering.
By Don Cohen Tom Gavin of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) heads the team responsible for writing NPR 7120.5D, the document that defines the policies and requirements that will govern the programs and projects that will take NASA back to the Moon and on to Mars.
By Ed Hoffman From the beginning, the Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership (APPEL) and its precursors have been shaped by direction from NASA’s senior management at major turning points in NASA’s history.
By Roger D. Launius When Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law, few politicians understood the magnitude of the complexity required to carry out the broad mandate it had given the new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
By Garry Lyles In the past, Agency-wide requirements documents for program and project management at NASA have typically been shaped by contributions and advice from the field centers, the mission directorates, and people who have been involved in past programs.
By Howard E. McCurdy The first phase of the Vision for Space Exploration—wherein humans and their machines return to the Moon—is no exception. NASA officials could dust off old blueprints and return to the Moon using 1960s technology.
By Don Cohen COHEN: I want to talk about your take on the 7120.5D processes and requirements, but let’s start with the Mars program experience that has shown you how projects work.
By Rex Geveden As someone who has worn a lot of hats within NASA, I would be the last person to say that policies and procedures don’t matter.
