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NASA Headquarters Responsible Official: Tony Springer
Curator:
SAIC Information Services
www.aeronautics.nasa.gov
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The Transformation of NASA and the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate
The transformation announced by the Administrator in the summer of 2004 fundamentally restructured NASA's five Strategic Enterprises into four Mission Directorates to better position the Agency for implementing the National Vision for Exploration. It also restructured Headquarters support functions and clarified organizational roles and responsibilities. NASA's functional offices were restructured as Mission Support Offices, and Headquarters and Field Center offices were aligned to improve communications and lines of responsibility and accountability. Recommendations by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board and the Aldridge Commission were also woven into the transformation actions to improve decision-making processes and address issues such as assessing and managing risk in the context of Exploration. (See chart: http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/61295main_org_chart_20040804.pdf)
The Aerospace Technology Enterprise has become the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), a change that has strengthened ARMD's mission focus. The Mission Directorate's reorganization mirrors the Agency's structure. The three aeronautics research programs, Aviation Safety and Security, Airspace Systems, and Vehicle Systems were elevated to division level and report directly to the Associate Administrator. These are the Directorate's primary mission areas, with critical mission support functions as the remaining divisions in ARMD.
As seen from this figure, the ARMD "front office" was given more depth to ensure a stronger presence in internal and external forums. The other key positions associated with the front office enhance communications and relationships with external organizations, including academia, the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, and others. Center Directors also report directly to the Associate Administrator for accountability and for greater synergy in their responsibilities for enabling the Directorate's Programs.
In the divisions that comprise mission support, division members work across the formal "boundaries" for greater synergy in the functional responsibilities that include strategic planning, communications (internally, and with partners, stakeholders, and the public), partnership development, human resources, and financial and institutional management.
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