Aeronautical Facilities: Assessing the National Plan for Aeronautical Ground Test Facilities (1994)

The United States is increasingly challenged by advances in technologies that will affect its global competitiveness in virtually all economic sectors. Preeminent among these are advances in aerospace technology. These advances are paced by modern highly productive research, development and operational facilities. Recognizing this situation, on November 13, 1992, the NASA Administrator initiated the development of a comprehensive and integrated long-term plan for future aerospace facilities. This integrated plan would be accomplished in partnership with other Government agencies, industry, and academia to ensure that the facilities are world-class and to avoid duplication of effort. He contacted top officials in the Departments of Defense, Energy, Transportation, Commerce, and the National Science Foundation inviting them to participate in the development of the plan and the appropriate working groups. The Administrator proposed an Oversight Group chaired by John R. Dailey, NASA Associate Deputy Administrator, with representation from DoD, DOT, DOE, DOC and the NSF. Each of the agencies responded with nominations of individuals to serve on the Oversight Group and provide support on Task Groups to establish detailed plans. This Terms of Reference document provides the coordinated charter for development of the Aerospace Facilities Plan.

To formulate a coordinated National Plan for world-class aeronautical and space facilities that meets the current and projected needs for commercial and Government research and development, and for Government and commercial space operations.

The plan will include a catalogue of existing Government and industry facilities that support aeronautics and astronautics research, development, testing, and operations. International facilities will also be catalogued to determine capability relative to U.S. facilities and applicability to address U.S. facility shortfalls.

The plan will include a requirements analysis which will consider current and future Government and commercial industry needs as well as DoD and NASA mission requirements, through the year 2023, and specifically will address shortfalls in existing capabilities, new facility requirements, upgrades, consolidation, and phase out of existing facilities. All new facility requirements and upgrades will be prioritized and detailed schedules and total funding will be specified. Joint management schemes, life cycle costs, and siting requirements will be fully evaluated.

Joint funding between agencies and Government/industry will be considered. Shared usage policies will be developed where nonexistent.

Costing, definitions, evaluation methodology and dollar threshold for facility inclusion in review will be approved by the Oversight Group.

An Oversight Group, chaired by NASA with a DoD Vice-Chairman and including membership from DOE, DOT, DOC and the National Science Foundation, will have responsibility for implementing this TOR and plan development. The secretary will be nominated by NASA.

The chairman will appoint a study director for executing this TOR. This person will be responsible for conducting the study and its schedule, coordinating participation, integrating all inputs, preparing the final products, and providing those products to the Oversight Group.

To assist the study director, four task groups will be established. These are the Aeronautics R&D Task Group, the Space R&D Task Group, the Space Operations Task Group and the Facilities Costing and Engineering Group. The task groups will be co-chaired by NASA and DoD. All participating agencies will provide representatives to each task group. The task groups will have the authority to establish working groups to assist them in their tasks. Membership on the task and working groups will be limited to Government employees and participation is optional, except for NASA and DoD. The Aeronautics Task Group is an exception because of the special need to address commercial transport aircraft. For this reason experts from private industry participate as Special Government Employees, and the task group will function in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Throughout the study, however, industry and academic inputs and advice should be actively solicited.

The Oversight Group will provide guidance to the task groups, serve as the coordination mechanism, perform periodic progress reviews, resolve disputes or misunderstandings that may arise between the agencies under the memorandum, and recommend an integrated plan for agency approval. The task groups will have responsibility for planning, directing, and providing recommendations in their particular discipline area.

Each agency will utilize its own reporting and tasking authority and will bear its and its employees' own costs for participation. Activities shall be subject to the availability of funds and personnel of each party.

The study director will provide a summary report to the Oversight Group incorporating input from each of the task groups that includes a compendium of current facilities and capabilities; identification of shortfalls as a function of current and projected needs; and recommendations and rationale for new facilities, upgrades, consolidation, or closure of existing facilities. Recommendations will include cost impacts, either as investment costs or savings, and any other considerations that would bear on the decision (i.e., national security concerns, technology transfer, proprietary data rights, commercial competitiveness, etc.). The summary report will also include any recommendations relative to a policy nature, such as shared usage, common costing, and management and operation.

Upon approval by the Oversight Group, each report will be forwarded for agency approval. Final reports will be approved at the Deputy Administrator/Under Secretary level or equivalent. For the DoD, the responsible authority is the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition. Final reports should reflect a national viewpoint endorsed by NASA, DoD, DOC, DOT, DOE, and NSF.

This Terms of Reference shall enter into force upon the signature of all Parties and shall remain in force through July 1994. It may be modified, extended, or terminated by mutual consent of all parties.

Original Approved by:

Department of Commerce, David Barram, Deputy Secretary

Department of Defense, William J. Perry, Deputy Secretary

Department of Energy, Bill White, Deputy Secretary

Department of Transportation, Mortimer L. Downey, Deputy Secretary

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Daniel S. Goldin, Administrator