understand the interactions of all those, things that cause the problems so that we can assist the responsible people to find solutions. In this manner, advance studies will add a new dimension as we search for a better understanding of the environment.

PROGRAM CONTENT

The studies which will be discussed are those selected for contracts by organizations outside of NASA. By no means do these studies represent the total area covered. In many cases, NASA, university, industry, and other government agencies contribute the results of their in-house studies to complement this work.

In consideration of the objectives outlined in the Introduction of this statement we have established three categories of activity to guide the studies. These are explained briefly as follows:

New missions and systems

These studies will be primarily aimed at defining requirements for new missions and the systems to support these missions. This means exploring the resources for conducting a mission with respect to how it supports the national goals. In effect, we will have identified compelling reasons upon which we can build future space missions. Primary attention is given to the utilization of currently available hardware from other programs to make maximum use of the systems and knowledge gained from past work. Included in this effort is the constant review of the options available so that we can update our long range planning to reflect advancements in technology, experience in current programs, and changes to natioal objectives.

Alternate programs and systems concepts

A second activity that we believe to be important to advanced studies is directed toward support of Manned Space Flight proposed programs such as Space Station and Space Shuttle. These investigations attempt to identify alternative approaches to achieve program objectives. Alternative approaches can be viewed not only as changes to the present program elements, but also unique combinations of these elements. Cost reduction and performance improvements are the underlying motivating forces. It is important to understand that the object of these studies is to introduce changes to the present program to effect improvements, and to incorporate those changes with minimum interruption to the on-going activities.

Operations analysis

The third category of advanced studies embraces all of the peripheral activities that support future missions. They include ground operations, flight operations, cost analysis, safety, and others, to form a pool of data and knowledge for use in the process of forming and analyzing future missions. The advantage of concentrating these activities in one area of study is the flexibility it allows to apply this pool of knowledge over a wide variety of advanced missions under consideration. This category further serves as a focal point for advanced concepts within these disciplines, that is, advanced concepts in flight and ground operations, new models for safety criteria, etc., that serve as guidelines to the people who are developing new missions and systems.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The following subjects are those we propose to study during FY 1972. These studies will be described in summary form together with their relationship to the Manned Space Flight Program.

New missions and systems

Our new missions and systems studies will concentrate on the Earth Orbital area during FY 1972. We will examine ways in which manned space flight systems can be used to contribute to the solution of social and economic problems. The use of the Shuttle for such applications will be a primary area of investigation.

On-going studies which are investigating possible areas of the Shuttle for scientific experiments will be extended and deepened during FY 1972.

Possible new and additional uses for the Space Station, MT 71-5244, will also be investigated in conjunction with the capabilities to be afforded by the Space Shuttle and Space Tug. These studies will all result in supplying important information upon which we will lean heavily during our decision processes and the updating of long range plans.

As stated previously, this category of study is primarily directed to the improvement of perfomance and cost of current missions with minimum interruption to the on-going work. Studies will examine the present configurations and major systems within the Shuttle and Space Station with specific attention given to partially reusable systems for the shuttle and modular combinations for the Space Station. The intent is to continue to look at unique concepts up to the time the designs become relatively stable and further changes lose their cost effectiveness.

Operations Analysis

The longer the duration of missions is extended, the more we are required to investigate new flight operational modes. In particular, we will study refuelling and resupplying techniques in orbital operations for propellants and other consumables. The information that results from these studies is necessary for two reasons. The first is the need to keep the current new mission studies updated by incorporating these new techniques, and the second is the advantage we gain by expanding mission concepts to make maximum use of these advanced modes. Similarly, ground operations will be studied as they interrelate with long duration missions such as the Space Station program, larger and more complex systems such as the shuttle, and advanced systems under study, one of which is the Space Tug. In order to allow us to evaluate proposed new concepts we require cost data collected from experiences with past and current programs. We intend to continue to collect these data and improve methods of projecting the run-out cost of a wide variety of probable missions. Finally, but of utmost importance, the safety guidelines for advanced missions will be generated as a result of study in this critical area. The output of these studies will be essentially recommendations as to the feasibility of increasing mission safety for crew and passengers involved in those programs projected in the Manned Space Flight Plan and recommendations for promising escape and rescue methods.

In most cases, the studies that we propose for FY 1972 are continuations of studies from previous years but redirected as the results of past studies indicate that changes are desirable, and structured to include new areas of consideration as advanced ideas are generated.

It is from these studies that we draw to help us in our long range planning process. In addition, they allow use to provide guidance to both internal and external organizations in their efforts to support the programs.

MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION

With the current fiscal restraint efforts are continuing to achieve greater economy in manned flights as well as reduction of our operating base. To achieve these objectives within the present climate, a more economical Apollo launch schedule has been established. Additionally, a reduction of civil service personnel has resulted in a change to the Headquarters organizational structure and a new management approach in recognition of Apollo and Skylab program maturation and future mission planning at Manned Space Flight Center levels.

The reduction of civil service personnel at Headquarters and at the Manned Space Flight field installations, combined with the sharp downward employment trend in space hardware and support services contractors, has focused greater emphasis on efforts to achieve economy and efficiency while preparing the groundwork for major achievements in the 1970's and beyond.

We will continue efforts to develop concepts and management approaches that will contribute to the most efficient use of dollar and manpower resources.

MANPOWER

The FY 1972 budget was developed on the basis of a reduction in the civil service workforce at the three Manned Space Flight Centers, and component field activities. This manpower reduction is part of an overall agency reduction and approximates 5% across the board. Specifically, the reduction at the Manned Centers is 619 from the currently authorized amount of 12,605, which will provide an end year FY 1972 authorization of 11,986 permanent civil service positions MR 71-5148.

Employment during the budget year will be at the lowest level since 1961, when the program began. With the continued phasedown in contractor manpower, and disassociation of the many subcontractors, vendors and universities formerly a part of the Apollo program, the civil service workforce has essentially become our skilled cadre.

It now represents in many areas the only available concentration of space skills, and further reductions will critically erode our technical and scientific capability. Our major task in the period ahead is to preserve that cadre as an entity, for without it we will be unable to effectively continue our mission. We must also retain sufficient personnel to maintain and operate our installations and facilities and provide essential services. Many of these personnel are highly skilled, and even here further losses may compromise our ability to adequately support our program efforts.

REDUCTION-IN-FORCE

Our FY 1971 budget request reflected a reduction of 150 permanent positions below end year FY 1970. Subsequently, the FY 1971 Authorization Act imposed a ceiling of $506 million on NASA for purposes of personnel compensation and related costs. This ceiling caused Manned Space Flight to increase the reduction by an additional 275 permanent positions in FY 1971 for a total of 425 positions. To achieve the dollar savings required, the following positions were abolished as of October 1, 1970: 190 positions at the Marshall Space Flight Center, 150 positions at the Manned Spacecraft Center, and 85 positions at the Kennedy Space Center. Sixty-six positions were also abolished in the Office of Manned Space Flight. The Manned Space Flight Centers civil service staffing plan for the end of FY 1971 is 12,605 positions.

In the past, reductions in employment have been accomplished through random attrition. This had caused a maladjustment in the skill mix of the workforce. The personnel reduction completed in October partially rectified the staffing imbalances and would permit us to recruit some newly graduated scientists, engineers, and administrative professionals in order to complete the readjustment of the work force.

MANNED SPACE FLIGHT

RESEARCH AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

NUMBER OF PERMANENT POSITIONS

FY 1972 BUDGET ESTIMATE

Support services at the Manned Space Flight Centers comprise a broad range of activities from engineering and technical services to housekeeping functions such as security, storage, and mailroom operations.

The total NASA cost for support service contracts is $450 million. Of NASA's total cost, the Manned Space Flight Centers and the Office of Manned Space Flight account for about $280 million in contractor support services.

The level of manpower committed to Manned Space Flight support services has been subject to continuous review within NASA, and requirements have been reduced since FY 1969 by 30%. Wage increases have offset this manpower reduction so that the cost of our support service contracts has declined only 18%.

In 1965, each Center prepared a comprehensive, time-phased management plan for the procurement of support services through 1970. The emphasis of this plan was on consolidation of services into manageable packages. This was necessary to solve some of the problems associated with the rapid build-up of capability in the early 1960's, when the need for immediate support for Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo was of paramount importance. As a result of this plan, since 1965 the number of support service contracts was reduced at MSC from 51 to 27, at MSFC from 77 to 15, and at KSC from 11 to 7.

Early in 1970, we developed another five-year management plan for the use of support contracts. The achievement of the initial manned lunar landing, the increasing scarcity of resources, and the definition of new manned space flight goals prompted us to re-examine our existing philosophies and practices. The objectives of this five-year planning activity were: (1) to ensure that there will be adequate and timely support for the on-going and emerging manned space flight programs, (2) to assure ourselves that we are operating in the most effective manner in the post-Apollo environment, and (3) to take advantage of the favorable market conditions which currently exist.

The positive results of our planning activity have been manifold:

First, support service requirements were reduced. Contractor engineering support to Headquarters program offices will be phased out. Boeing will provide support until June 30, 1972, Bellcomm until March 31, 1972, and General Electric will be phased out by June 30, 1971.

Second, the manner of procuring those services which are required has been re-examined. At MSC, the total number of major support service contracts will be reduced from 27 to 18 by consolidating work now being performed under 16 contracts into 7 new packages. The consolidations will be along functional lines. KSC is combining the base support, information support, and certain parts of the launch support scope of work in to one contract for installation support. MSFC intends to consolidate the reliability and quality assurance work being performed by three contractors into one contract, and to consolidate the support to the Astronautics Laboratory being provided by two contractors into one contract. Despite the trend towards consolidation many support functions were set aside exclusively for small business competition.

Third, early recompetition of all the support contracts has been stressed. All of the major support contracts at MSFC and several at MSC and KSC are being recompeted currently, and the five-year plans call for early recompetition of other contracts where no adverse program impact will permit it.

ORGANIZATION CHANGES

In the Office of Manned Space Flight, a major review was undertaken of its mission, organization, and resources which took into consideration the maturation of Apollo and Skylab and the emerging future manned space flight programs. Also taken into consideration was a civil service manpower reduction of 19% in OMSF. The main changes were:

The Space Shuttle effort from a Task Force to a formal Program Office. These realignments should provide management with greater flexibility to employ its limited manpower among the various programs; provide a more uniform approach in accomplishing our technical tasks, with increasing emphasis on economics; centralize management for development of our systems engineering capability; place all budget activity into a single organization; orient administration toward management of the Centers resources; and, bring together the NASA life sciences research program, now performed by the various NASA program offices, into a single organization.

At the Kennedy Space Center, the Apollo and Skylab Program Offices were merged and placed under a single manager because many support items are becoming common to both programs. The new office is entitled Apollo-Skylab Program. A Sciences and Applications Projects Office was established to interface with program offices and activities associated with other than manned space flight launches.

At the Manned Spacecraft Center, the Advanced Missions Office was abolished and its functions absorbed within the Directorate of Engineering and Development. Consolidating long-range study efforts and advanced systems planning and design work under a single Center executive will provide better coordination and integration of these related efforts.

A Technical Planning Office was established to provide the Center Director with technical assistance in planning and coordinating the allocation to, and cognizance over, the application of all MSC resources in support of technical programs.

A Space Shuttle program Office was established as the effort in this area had increased to the level where it requires full status as a program office.

The Flight Safety Office was redesignated as the Safety Office. Substantial industrial safety responsibilities also are performed, so the new title is more descriptive.