NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

CHARTER OF THE

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

1. Official Designation: The International Space Station (ISS) Advisory Committee (the 

“Committee”). 

2. Authority: Having determined that it is in the public interest in connection with the 

performance of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) duties under law, 

and with the concurrence of the General Services Administration, the NASA Administrator 

hereby renews and amends the Committee’s charter, pursuant to the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App.

3. Scope and Objectives: The Committee shall draw on the expertise of its members and to 

provide advice and recommendations to NASA on all ISS aspects related to safety and 

operational readiness, utilization, and exploration. 

4. Description of Duties: Specific areas for review and/or assessment by the Committee may 

include spaceflight operations, including rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking 

procedures; crew, controller, and support training; aerospace systems test and verification 

procedures; aerospace structures, loads, and materials; aerospace medicine, including crew 

health; program and project management, including spaceflight safety and mission assurance 

strategies; the readiness of significant ISS missions; and the ability of Soyuz to support ISS 

operations. The Committee also has been tasked with assessing the options for using the ISS for 

future exploration. The Committee shall address additional issues and/or areas of interest 

identified to it by the NASA Associate Administrator (AA) for the Space Operations Mission 

Directorate (SOMD).

The Committee shall continue to reassess its current makeup, operations, and approach to 

providing advice and recommendations to NASA in order to remain effective and to respond to 

shifting program needs in this new era of ISS operations, utilization, and exploration and shall 

submit a report to the NASA Administrator within the timeline specified by the NASA AA for 

SOMD.

In support of its mission and objectives, the Committee shall conduct independent or joint factfinding meetings with counterpart international advisory review groups, including the State 

Space Corporation Roscosmos Advisory Expert Council. These fact-finding meetings may result 

in signed minutes (“summaries of discussion”) or other joint documents. 

The Committee shall function solely as an advisory body and will comply fully with the 

provisions of FACA.
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5. Official to Whom the Committee Reports: NASA Administrator.

6. Support: Travel funds for Committee non-Federal members shall be provided by the NASA 

Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR). Travel funds for Committee Federal 

members shall be provided by their respective NASA organizations. Operating funds for 

technical and administrative support, nonmember consultants, subject-matter experts, and their 

respective travel shall be provided by the NASA SOMD, as required. Operating funds for 

Federal staff support, including travel, shall be provided by OIIR.

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The estimated annual operating costs 

total approximately $700,000, including staff and contractor support. The estimated staff 

support is 0.3 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE).

8. Designated Federal Officer (DFO): The Executive Director of the Committee shall be a 

NASA Federal employee appointed by the NASA AA for SOMD, in consultation with the 

NASA AA for OIIR, and shall serve as the DFO. The DFO will approve or call all of the 

advisory committee meetings, prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all committee and 

subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the 

public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the NASA AA for SOMD. The 

DFO shall also work closely with the NASA Office of General Counsel (OGC) to ensure that all 

potential members (i.e., nominees) for the Committee, subcommittees, and task forces complete 

the mandatory Office of Government Ethics financial disclosure reports and receive full ethics 

vetting and clearance by OGC prior to formal appointment by NASA. In addition, the DFO shall 

ensure that all appointed members of the Committee, subcommittees, and task forces shall file 

the mandatory financial disclosure reports (annual and otherwise) and shall receive the 

mandatory annual ethics training by OGC. The DFO shall refer any issues that may arise 

relating to potential conflicts of interest to OGC for resolution.

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The Committee shall meet approximately 

two times a year or as required by the NASA AA for SOMD to fulfill its responsibilities. 

Meetings shall be open to the public unless it is determined that the meeting, or a portion of the 

meeting, will be closed in accordance with the Government in the Sunshine Act or that the 

meeting is not subject to the FACA open meeting and notice requirements.

10. Duration: This charter shall be effective for a two-year period. 

11. Termination: The Committee shall terminate two years from the date the charter is filed, 

unless renewed or terminated earlier by the NASA Administrator.

12. Membership and Designation: The chair, deputy chair, and members of the Committee 

shall be appointed by the NASA AA for SOMD. The Committee shall consist of 6 to 12

members. Membership shall be comprised of experts in disciplines that permit the assessment of 

any aspect of the ISS program. These experts are Special Government Employees (SGEs) and 

Regular Government Employees (RGEs). The term of membership shall be for the duration of 

this charter. The NASA AA for SOMD shall ensure a balanced representation in terms of the 

points of view represented and the functions to be performed.
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In addition to voting SGE members, the committee will also include non-voting RGE members, 

including the NASA Deputy Chief for Safety and Mission Assurance, and a representative from 

the NASA Astronaut Office. The SGEs are not compensated, but are reimbursed for their travel 

and per diem expenses. Nonmember personnel, such as other NASA employees and contractor 

personnel, may provide technical expertise and other support to assist the Committee, as needed, 

in a non-voting capacity. 

13. Subcommittees: Subcommittees, task forces, and/or working groups may be established by

NASA to conduct studies and/or fact-finding requiring an effort of limited duration. Such

subcommittees, task forces, and working groups will report their findings and recommendations

to the Committee and must not provide advice or work products directly to the agency. If the

Committee is terminated, all subcommittees, task forces, and working groups will terminate.

14. Recordkeeping: Records of the Committee shall be handled in accordance with General

Records Schedule 6.2, or other approved Agency records disposition schedule. These records

shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act,

5 U.S.C. 552.

15. Filing Date: This charter shall become effective upon the filing of this charter with the

appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives oversight committees.

______________________________________ ________________________ 

Bill Nelson Signature Date

Administrator

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

_ 9/28/2021_____________________ 

Congressional Filing Date 

9/27/2021