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 1996-07-17 monographic deposited born digital 42 p. GA 1.13:NSIAD-96-135 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135 P0b002ee18037a7e3 f:ns96135 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135 NSIAD-96-135 Space exploration Aerospace research Future budget projections Cost analysis Research and development costs Aerospace contracts Prime contractors Cost control International cooperation Cost overruns Mir Space Station NASA International Space Station Alpha Program Japan Canada Russia Chapter Report NSIAD Pursuant to congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) International Space Station (ISS) program, focusing on: (1) the program's cost and schedule status; and (2) NASA efforts to improve its cost reporting.<p/>GAO found that: (1) although ISS has sufficient financial reserves for funding some additional costs, future unexpected contingencies may deplete these reserves; (2) ISS program managers have attempted to reduce costs and find other ways to replenish its financial reserves; (3) since January 1995, changes to the prime contract baseline have increased total contract costs by over $723 million; (4) ISS reserves may be further reduced if ISS managers are not able to negotiate contract changes at lower prices; (5) since April 1996, the prime development effort was about $89 million over cost and $88 million behind schedule; (6) total overrun estimates range from $60 million to over $400 million; (7) ISS financial reserves may be further jeopardized by understated completion costs and the Russian Space Agency's (RSA) difficulties in meeting its ISS commitments; (8) RSA has renewed its ISS support commitments in exchange for additional flights to the Mir space station; (9) if RSA withdraws from the ISS program, sufficient financial reserves will not be available for program completion within the $17.4 billion estimate and a new funding profile and completion estimate will be needed; (10) the impact of RSA withdrawal on NASA depends upon the nature and timing of its withdrawal; and (11) although NASA prime development contractors and subcontractors have implemented performance measurement systems to monitor ISS cost and schedule status, the accuracy of this information is questionable because the baseline for measuring such performance has not been completely established or implemented. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135/html/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135/pdf/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135.pdf GAO/NSIAD-96-135 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-NSIAD-96-135 Chapter Report GAO/NSIAD-96-135; Space Station: Cost Control Difficulties Continue; Space exploration Aerospace research Future budget projections Cost analysis Research and development costs Aerospace contracts Prime contractors Cost control International cooperation Cost overruns Mir Space Station NASA International Space Station Alpha Program Japan Canada Russia