NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Discipline Super Problem Resolution Team (SPRT)

1. NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC)Discipline Super Problem Resolution Team (SPRT) Introduction and Staffing Mission Success Starts With Safety • Safety Starts With Engineering Excellence

2. NASA Engineering and Safety Center • On July 15, 2003, Administrator O’Keefe announced plans to create the NASA Engineering and Safety Center at Langley Research Center. The Center will provide a central location to coordinate and conduct robust, independent engineering and safety assessments across the Agency.

3. NESC philosophy and culture Safety through Engineering Excellence Mission Success Starts with Safety Safety Starts with Engineering Excellence NASA Engineering and Safety Center NESC will cultivate a Safety culture by providing knowledgeable technical leadership to perform independent in-depth technical assessments in an open environment with unequalled tenacity.

4. NASA Engineering and Safety Center • NASA lacks “value added” independent assessment of technical issues within its programs and institutions. • NESC created to provide independent assessment of technical issues • Scope • Independent in-depth technical assessments • Independent trend analysis • Independent systems engineering analysis • Mishap Investigations • Support Programs • Focus on High Risk Programs • NESC independent assessment uses discipline experts from across NASA and Nation in Super Problem Resolution Teams

5. NESC Principles of Operation • Proactive – Test and analysis of issues or trends not currently being addressed by the program • Active – Independent review of known risk areas • Reactive – Independent investigation of mishaps and close calls • Set example for safety culture through engineering excellence • Encourage/document /disposition dissenting opinions • Measure performance with metrics

6. NESC Personnel / Staffing • NESC permanent staffing includes: • Principal Engineers located at NASA Langley • NESC Chief Engineers (NCE) located at each NASA Field Center • Systems Engineers located across the Agency • NESC Discipline Experts (NDE) for specific disciplines located across the Agency • Fluids/Life Support/Thermal, Flight Sciences, Guidance Navigation & Control, Human Factors, Materials, Mechanical Analysis, Mechanical Systems, Non-Destructive Evaluation, Power & Avionics, Propulsion, Software, Structures • Chief Scientist & Chief Astronaut • NDE’s, Chief Scientist & Chief Astronaut are the leaders of National expert teams…called Super Problem Resolution Teams (SPRT)

7. Super Problem Resolution Teams (SPRT’s) • SPRT’s are the backbone of the NESC • SPRT’s shall have membership from multiple sources • NASA, industry, academia, other Government Agencies and possibly international experts • SPRT’s will provide technical support of NESC assessments • Independent expertise/reviews and leadership • Independent test, analysis and evaluation – not just technical opinions • Changes/additions to SPRT’s will be negotiated with the team members and their respective NASA Centers/organizations, as required

8. NESC SPRTs – Form & Function Guidelines NESC Director / Review Board (NRB) NESC Chief Engineers (NCE) NESC Principal Engineers (NPE) NESC Discipline Experts (NDE) • ITA/I Team – NESC led team of independent experts conducts independent test, analysis and inspection on selected requests • Primarily Led by NPE • Could be NDE or NCE • Comprised of Discipline SPRT experts Independent Technical Assessment / Inspection (ITA/I) Team Super Problem Resolution Team (SPRT) Core • SPRT Core – 10 to 30 experts with broad based experience and knowledge across the range of the discipline plus several crosscutting engineering specialists as appropriate • Regular SPRT Telecons (bi-weekly) • Peer Review of IAT/I Products • Think Tank for Discipline • Annual Working Group Meetings • Low Level Continuous Support to NESC • Time Covered via NESC PWC • On Call to Support an IAT/I • Sub-team leads as appropriate to support discipline SPRT expert(s) assigned to ITA/Is • SPRT Tech Experts – Roster of focused discipline experts with skills / capabilities in a particular field of the discipline • Conduct Test, Analysis, Evaluations in their field of expertise in support of NESC ITA/Is • Readily Accessible • Considered the Best of the Best • Matrix support to NESC as Requested • On Call to Support an IAT/I • Time / resources covered by NESC PWC SPRT Tech Experts (NASA) SPRT Tech Experts (Other Govt. Agency) SPRT Tech Experts (Industry) SPRT Tech Experts (Academia)

9. Benefits to being an SPRT Member • Provides an opportunity to interact with the best of the best in NASA, Industry, Academia and other Government Agencies • Challenging assignments & interaction with discipline experts • Invaluable Experience gained helping resolve NASA’s critical issues • High Impact / High Feedback / High Visibility / Job Satisfaction • Growth through addressing broad spectrum of technical issues and gaining experiences within chosen discipline • Problem Resolution Team is a challenging experience • Recognition and Interaction within technical discipline

10. Benefits to being an SPRT Member (cont.) • Exposure to other NASA programs, projects, cultures, methods, business practices across the agency • Potential career development experiences and opportunities • NESC is pursuing human resource initiatives and benefits to supporting NESC • Provides a review team for Programs and Projects members to identify their own project concerns and issues for the SPRT to review and decided if further study/review is required

11. Organization Benefits of Supporting NESC • Provides employees opportunity to interact with the best of the best in NASA, Industry, Academia & other Government Agencies • Comprehensive expertise obtained through NESC agency level experience broadens employees technical experience • Across full spectrum of discipline • Provides a better employee through this experience • Teaches method for problem resolution and how to obtain corrective actions • Lead & Participation in a “OneNASA” initiative • Exposure to other NASA programs, projects, cultures, methods, business practices across the agency • Broadens employee horizons via wide network of interaction • Gains experience outside employee’s own work area • Potential for NESC funding • Recognition of Discipline Expertise within your center/organization

12. Back-up

13. NASA HQ Senior S&MA Integration Manager Office of the Director NESC Leadership Team Director - Ralph Roe Deputy Director - Dr. Paul Munafo Deputy Director for Safety - Vacant Chief Astronaut - Dr. Steve Hawley (JSC) Chief Scientist - Dr. David Leckrone (GSFC) Tinsley, John NASA HQ Chief Engineer Representative Hudkins, Keith LaRC *Management & Technical Support Office Systems Engineering Office Principal Engineers Office Ken Cameron Clinton Cragg Dr. Richard Gilbrech Dr. Charles Harris Manager – Dawn Schaible (Acting) Manager - Stan Newberry LaRC LaRC LaRC NESC Chief Engineers Office *NESC Discipline Expert Engineers Office GNC - NDE - Propulsion - Power & Avionics - Mechanical Analysis - Flight Sciences - Mechanical Systems - Human Factors - Materials - Structures - Fluids/Life Support/Thermal - Software - Frank Bauer (GSFC) Dr. Ed Generazio (LaRC) George Hopson (MSFC) Robert Kichak (GSFC) Julie Kramer-White (Acting) (JSC) Steve Labbe (Acting) (JSC) John McManamen (JSC) Dr. Cynthia Null (ARC) Dr. Robert Piascik (LaRC) Dr. Ivatury Raju (LaRC) Henry Rotter (JSC) Steve Scott (GSFC) GRC - Derrick Cheston ARC - Dr. Michael Freeman SSC - Randy Galloway LaRC - Dr. Michael Gilbert GSFC - Michael Hagopian JSC - David Hamilton MSFC - Danny Johnston DFRC - Michael Kehoe JPL - Matt Landano (Acting) KSC - Tim Wilson NASA Centers NASA Centers *Proposed Organizational Titles

14. NESC Path-Finder Assessments Orbiter Rudder Speed Brake Actuator Braycote Grease • Requested by Space Shuttle Program Manager • Assessed the potential breakdown of Braycote grease in the rudder speed brake actuators • Discovered planetary gear assembly installed backwards X-43A • Requested through a “dissenting opinion” email to the NESC • Specific technical concerns with several aerodynamic issues in return to flight approach • Worked with project manager to ensure concerns are addressed and properly dispositioned • X-43A a resounding success

15. NESC Path-Finder Assessments (cont’d) CALIPSO – Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations • Requested by GSFC Deputy Center Director/Center Director • Assessed human safety risks associated with the possibility of leakage through threaded mechanical fasteners in a mono-propellant system Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Flight Operations • Requested by JPL Safety and Mission Assurance Office • Provided human factors review of flight controller operations and review of entry, descent and landing phases---several recommendations provided to the MER team to improve ops • Assisted in data review following landing of first rover to determine potential impacts to second rover’s entry, descent and landing phases

16. NESC Work in Progress • Orbiter Rudder/Speed Brake Gear Margins • Orbiter Main Propulsion System Flowliner • Orbiter Reaction Control System Reaction Jet Driver Wire-to-Wire Short • Kevlar Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels • Shelf-life of Graphite-Epoxy Overwrapped Pressure Vessels • Shuttle Ascent Debris Transport Analysis Review • KSC System Data Integrity Review • Shuttle/ISS Flip Maneuver for Thermal Protection System (TPS) Repair • Non-Destructive Evaluation for External Tank TPS Closeout

17. NESC Work in Progress (cont’d) • Statistical Analysis Support for External Tank Project • Improved Methods of Pressure Leak Detection for ISS • ISS Cooling Water Chemistry/Compatibility • Post Proof NDE of ISS European Module Welds • Soyuz 7 Helium Leak • ISS Control Moment Gyro • Field Programmable Gate Arrays Reliability • Arnold Engineering Development Center Solid Rocket Motor Plume Test • Cassini Saturn Orbit Insertion Critical Events Readiness Review