Columbia Accident Investigation Board Minutes of Open Meeting Date of Meeting: Thursday, June 12, 2003 Time of Meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Location of Meeting: National Transportation Safety Board Conference Center 429 L’Enfant Plaza, SW Washington, D.C. Board Members Present: Admiral Hal Gehman Major General John Barry Dr. Douglas Osheroff Mr. Steven B. Wallace Rear Admiral Stephen Turcotte Dr. Sally Ride Dr. John Logsdon Board Staff Present: Lt. Col. Tyrone Woodyard Laura J. Brown Patricia Brach Other Government Employees Present in Their Official Capacity: Mr. Terry Williams National Transportation Safety Board Members of the Public who Presented Oral or Written Statements: Mr. Allen Li Director of Sourcing Management, General Accounting Office Ms. Marcia Smith Senior Level Specialist in Aerospace and Telecommunications Policy Resources, Science and Industry Division Congressional Research Service Library of Congress Mr. Russell D. Turner President, Honeywell Engines, Systems and Services Mr. Tom Young Retired Aerospace Executive Matters Discussed: Historical trends in the annual budgets of the Shuttle Program. Puts and takes in the budget process over the past ten years between the President's budget request and the amounts ultimately made available to the Shuttle Program. The relationship between the Shuttle budgets and the Space Station budgets. The relationship between NASA's financial management processes and NASA's ability to effectively manage the Shuttle Program. Budget difficulties caused by changing projections over the years concerning the life of the Shuttle Program. The history of the Space Flight Operations Contract (SFOC) in terms of the relative numbers of contractor and NASA employees and in terms of shifts of accountability. The effect of SFOC award fee incentives on the safe operation and processing of the Space Shuttle. Characteristics of SFOC that should be changed or retained (e.g., eliminate competing goals and priorities, align processes across the Shuttle Program). The need for independent verification (i.e., test as you fly - fly as you test, IV&V, component qualification testing) to mitigate the unique risks of space flight. Matters Resolved at the Meeting: None Documents Received, Issued or Approved at the Meeting: None Back to Event