FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

NASA - 16600 - Return to Flight Task Group - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Return to Flight Task Group	Agency Name	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Fiscal Year	2005	Committee Number	16600
Original Establishment Date	4/24/1997	Committee Status	Terminated
Actual Termination Date	8/17/2005	Committee URL	http://returntoflight.org
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	Unlimited
Terminated This FY	Yes	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Executive Secretary
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Mr.
Current Charter Date	7/22/2005	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Vincent
Date Of Renewal Charter		Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	D.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Watkins
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority	Issuance of Final Report (8/17/2005)	Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(281) 483-4348
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	281-483-6275
Specific Establishment Authority*	Public Law 85-568, As Amended, Section 203 (c)(7)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	vincent.d.watkins@nasa.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	4/24/1997
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Terminate
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status	Enacted
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Task Group performed an independent assessment of NASA's actions to implement the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB), as they related to the safety and operational readiness of STS-114. As necessary to their activities, the Task Group consulted with former members of the CAIB. While the Task Group did not attempt to assess the adequacy of the CAIB recommendations, it did report on the progress of NASA's response to meet their intent.
How is membership balanced?*	The Task Group consisted of non-NASA employees and one NASA non-voting, ex officio member, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance. Members of the Task Group and panels were chosen from among industry, academia, and government with recognized knowledge and expertise in fields relevant to safety and space flight.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	Estimated Number of Meetings per Year - 2 Estimated Total Meetings - 4
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The NASA Administrator determined that the establishment of this Task Group was in the public interest, in connection with performance of the Agency duties under the law.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A. All deliberative meetings were open to the public.
Recommendation Remarks	On August 17, 2005, the Return to Flight Task Group completed its work with the delivery of a Final Report to the NASA Administrator and members of Congress.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	The task group was chartered to perform an independent assessment of NASA’s actions to implement the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB), as they relate to the safety and operational readiness of STS-114. Although there are no direct cost savings attributed to the task group, there is potential cost avoidance through its independence assessment of significant changes made in the Space Shuttle Program. There are measurable, quantifiable items that have resulted from this committee's assessment for return to flight. This compliance, although not quantifiable at this point, is most certainly a cost avoidance measure by protecting the multi-billon dollar Shuttle fleet through this independent assessment.	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	0	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The task group was not charted to assess the adequacy of the CAIB recommendations but to review the actions of the Agency in implementing the CAIB recommendations. As a result, the task group did not collectively formalize any additional recommendations beyond CAIB for return to flight.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The task group did not collectively formalize any additional recommendations beyond CAIB for return to flight.	Access GSA FACA Website	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	The task group did not collectively formalize any additional recommendations beyond CAIB for return to flight.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	NA
Agency Feedback Comment*	The Space Flight Leadership Council (SFLC) reviewed and approved all official CAIB recommendations closure transmittals from NASA to the RTF TG. Since this information is generated in the technical organization and reviewed at the SFLC, this assures that integrated feedback from the agency is provided to the task group.	Narrative Description*	The task group supports NASA's mission and strategic plan by performing an independent assessment of the agency's Return to Flight efforts which helped the nation return the Space Shuttle safely to flight. The Space Shuttle enables humans today to build the world's largest orbiting laboratory, paving the way to the moon, on to Mars and further into the universe.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$440,367.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$830,052.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$341,280.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$7,580.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$133,995.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$104,990.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$29,401.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$1,133,792.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$3,021,457.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified		Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	9.00	Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

No interest areas selected for this committee.

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