NASA May Disappear If It Doesn’t Change Its Strategy

NASA is in danger of disappearing. A report prepared by a committee of aerospace experts warns of the problems facing the US space agency. According to the report, NASA is old and lacks a strategic plantherefore it risks becoming unstable.

The report, “NASA at a Crossroads,” published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, paints a bleak future for the agency. The committee notes that lack of funding, focus on short-term missions and dependence on the private sector are leading NASA into an ’empty future.’ The study is part of a 14-month review of the agency’s long-term mission goals and plans.

The long-term decline in focus on aeronautics and civil space has taken its toll on NASA’s budget, experts say. The lack of resources to ensure mission continuity, as well as short-term vision that does not address future processes They are the key to the crisis the agency is currently experiencing.

“In an environment of abundant opportunity, the choice has been to pursue short-term missions at the expense of investment in core assets,” the committee notes. “The inevitable consequence of such a strategy is the erosion of those critical capabilities that have made the organization great and sustain its future potential.”

The focus on short-term missions also has a negative impact on infrastructure, experts say. 83% of NASA assets have long exceeded their useful lifeThis is caused by the “disproportionate” allocation of resources to current goals without thinking about the future.

China Continues to Grow While NASA Collapses

One part of the report mentions China and its strategy in this sector. Although NASA has achieved the impossible in its 66 years of existence, Asian giant’s progress in space race is remarkableIn just a few years, China has managed to launch a space station into orbit, land a rover on Mars, and send satellites to the dark side of the Moon.

“The influence of science and technology in general continues to grow. According to President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, “technological innovation has become the main battlefield on the global playing field, and the competition for technological dominance will become increasingly fierce.”

For NASA to regain its place in the space race, it will have to adjust its priorities. The report suggests Invest in staff, equipment and advanced technologieseven if it means launching new missions. The agency must nip in the bud a problem that has plagued it for years, which is that carry out more missions than the budget justifies appointed by the Government.

On the other hand, dependence on the private sector poses a long-term threat. According to Norman Agustin, former CEO of Lockheed Martin and the author of the report, NASA will have difficulty hiring innovative and creative engineers if your job involves managing other people’s projects. Companies like SpaceX attract top talent, leaving the space agency in the background.

The report, commissioned by the U.S. Congress, includes findings and proposals for fixing the spacecraft. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the document is consistent with his ongoing efforts to secure the agency’s future. “We will continue to work diligently to implement the committee’s recommendations and advance our cutting-edge work on Earth, in the sky, and in the stars,” he said.