United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office National Security and International Affairs Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-07-21 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:NSIAD-94-197 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-94-197 P0b002ee18038af0e f:ns94197 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-94-197 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-94-197 NSIAD-94-197 Property and supply management Equipment inventories Spare parts Aerospace engineering Agency missions Aerospace industry Satellites Space exploration Manufacturing contracts Accidents Space Shuttle Letter Report NSIAD The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has not established contingency plans to replace an orbiter in the event of a catastrophic accident or to repair an orbiter seriously damaged in an accident because national policy is not to produce any additional orbiters. The agency also is terminating its structural spaces program. Orbiter project officials argue that should the need arise for an additional orbiter or structural component, that capability to produce it could be obtained from the commercial sector. However, production would take longer than if spare structural components and critical manufacturing were readily available. Ending that program will result in the loss of some critical manufacturing skills that would be needed to produce another orbiter, such as the skills needed to make payload bay door skins. However, NASA believes that this situation poses significant risks to the shuttle because those skills could be reacquired if another orbiter is needed. The plants at Downey and Palmdale in southern California will be required to support the shuttle at least until modification for flights to the Russian space station and the international space station are completed. The National Facilities Study Team recommended that NASA consolidate production at the two plants after it completes major modifications to the orbiters. GAO agrees that a decision will be needed on the use of these plants when the modification program is completed since excess capacity will exist. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-94-197/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-94-197.htm GAO/NSIAD-94-197 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-94-197 Letter Report GAO/NSIAD-94-197; Space Shuttle: NASA's Plans for Repairing or Replacing a Damaged or Destroyed Orbiter; Property and supply management Equipment inventories Spare parts Aerospace engineering Agency missions Aerospace industry Satellites Space exploration Manufacturing contracts Accidents Space Shuttle