Recommendation: 

NASA Advisory Council Recommendation 

Systems Integration 

2012-02-06 (HEOC-01) 

Integration among the Space Launch System (SLS), Orion, and Ground Systems programs 

requires definition and implementation. The Council recommends that a small team of 

experienced integrators, led by an empowered, accountable and responsible leader, should be 

established to ensure adequate integration of the three programs. 

Major Reasons for the Recommendation: 

Integration at the NASA Headquarters level appears to be insufficient to ensure schedule, 

technical and cost performance of the system composed of the three separate programs. 

Consequences of No Action on the Recommendation: 

Due to lack of adequate integration of the three programs, design and configuration disconnects 

will be identified late resulting in cost overruns, schedule slips and risk to mission. 

NASA Response: 

NASA agrees that sufficient integration is needed to assure the technical, cost, and schedule 

integration of the SLS, Orion, and the Ground Systems. The Exploration Systems 

Development (ESD) Division within the Human Exploration and Operations Mission 

Directorate (HEOMD) has been established for this purpose. ESD is led by experienced people 

with human spaceflight development and operations experience, as well as other NASA 

program hardware development expertise. ESD also takes advantage of the human spaceflight 

development and operations expertise across the Agency. This expertise has been integrated 

into the program management processes with appropriate oversight and monitoring by the 

ESD. 

NASA is using the Standing Review Board (SRB) process to review the integration activities as 

well as the detailed SLS, Orion, and the Ground Systems technical, cost, and schedule 

performance. The SRB provided an assessment ofthe integration activities as part of the Cross 

Program Systems Requirements Review earlier this fiscal year, finding that the approach and 

processes were sound for the level of integration needed at this phase of the programs. The 

SRB also pointed out certain areas requiring strengthening, and each of those findings is being 

addressed. 

This fall/winter, the SRB wi1l review the approaches and processes via the Cross Program 

Systems Definition Review. In addition, integration activities are key aspects of the SRB 

assessments of the individual programs, with findings and recommendations specifically 

addressing integration in addition to program specific findings. As we proceed through the 

development of the initial exploration capabilities, the need to continually assess the 

approaches, processes, and results has led to the establishment of periodic review checkpoints 

(annually at a minimum) to objectively assess the integrated technical, cost, and schedule 

performance, as well as quarterly focus briefings at the Agency Baseline Program Review. 

Enclosure 
2 

NASA recognizes that this model is being implemented in a constrained fiscal and schedule 

environment. This integration model has been established to fit within these constraints, assure 

timely decision making, and make efficient use of resources while assuring rigorous technical, 

cost, and schedule management. We welcome the NASA Advisory Council's (NAC) input as 

we continue to develop the next phase of human space exploration. We will provide a more 

detailed briefing of our approach and process at the next meeting of the NAC Human 

Exploration and Operations Committee in November 2012.