National Aeronautics and Space Administration

FY 2015 Summary of Performa

and Financial Informati

www.nasa.gov
Cover Image Captions and Credits

Front Cover:

Outside Front Main Image: Artist’s concept, Reach New Heights, Benefit All Humankind, Reveal The Unknown. (Credit: 

NASA)

Outside Front Bottom Images (left to right): The Ikhana UAS soars over the Mojave Desert during a flight from NASA 

Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. (Credit: NASA Photo/Carla Thomas) ; Engineers Clean Mirror with 

Carbon Dioxide Snow. (Credit: NASA); Rocket Sled Tests May Lead to Mars. (Credit: NASA)

Inside Front: Mars Weather-Station Tools on Rover’s Mast. (Credit: NASA)

Rear Cover:

Outside Rear: Solar Arrays on the International Space Station. (Credit: NASA)
Message from the Administrator

Message from the 

Administrator

February 11, 2016

I am proud to present NASA’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information, summarizing our financial performance and progress toward achieving our goals. This report also 

summarizes our progress toward achieving NASA’s Mission to drive 

advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration 

to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and 

stewardship of Earth. 

Efficient and effective financial management makes our mission possible. We received an unmodified “clean” audit opinion on our FY 

2015 financial statements, with no material weaknesses. The report 

of the independent auditors is included in NASA’s FY 2015 Agency 

Financial Report. I am able to provide reasonable assurance that the 

performance and financial information in this report is reliable and complete.

Our long-term goal is to send humans to Mars, and to enable that goal we are undertaking a sustainable campaign and developing new systems for the human exploration of deep space. In FY 2015, 

NASA accomplished the successful Orion Exploration Flight Test (EFT)-1 in December 2014. This was 

the first test flight of the Orion spacecraft, which is designed to take humans on deep space missions in 

the future. Orion did not carry any people into space on this flight, but it became the first human-rated 

spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit since the Apollo 17 mission. This year we also accomplished major 

milestones in the development of the new Space Launch System (SLS), including the first qualification 

booster test. With support from the Exploration Ground Systems program, these new capabilities will 

carry astronauts into deep space.

Even in the face of cargo resupply setbacks in FY 2015, we continued vital research and technology 

development activities on the International Space Station (ISS). In FY 2015, NASA initiated the U.S.-

Russian joint one-year human health and performance research project and the Identical Twins Study. 

The one-year crew mission is the latest step in the ISS’ role as a platform for preparing humanity for 

exploration into deeper space. In addition, Boeing and SpaceX, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program 

partners, have made great strides to re-establish America’s capability to launch astronauts to the ISS, 

including constructing the infrastructure needed to safely launch and operate crew space transportation 

systems, refining designs, and starting to build test vehicles.

Our robotic explorers also continued to astound in FY 2015, including the New Horizons mission’s accomplishment of the historic first-ever flyby of Pluto, and the Dawn mission’s exploration of the dwarf 

planet Ceres. We added to our scientific and exploration capabilities by launching several missions, including the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission and the significant achievement of launching five 

Earth-observing missions in one calendar year.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information Page i
Message from the Administrator

Transformative capabilities and cutting-edge technologies are being developed, tested, and flown by 

NASA today. Our space technology programs advanced several technologies, including the second 

near-space test flight of the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD), a technology that could enable 

larger payloads to Mars and set the stage for future human explorers, and printing the first 3D-printed 

object in space on the ISS. Our technologies, partnerships, and education for the next generation contribute to the Nation’s innovation economy. NASA accomplished a number of Federal government “firsts” 

this year, including the public release of NASA’s technology portfolio (TechPort) system and the release 

of NASA’s software catalog with an extensive collection of codes available for use at no charge.

NASA’s mission success is thanks to our multi-disciplinary team of diverse, talented people across our 

Centers. We are committed to nurturing an innovative environment that fosters teamwork and excellence. For the third year in a row, employees named NASA the Best Place to Work in the Federal Government among large agencies. 

As shown in this report, we strive to put your tax dollars to efficient and innovative use. In the year ahead, 

NASA will continue to push the boundaries of exploration. Along the way, we will make new scientific 

discoveries, develop new technologies and capabilities, and deliver tangible benefits to the public. Additional details on these achievements are provided in this report, and if you would like more information 

on our progress toward achieving our strategic goals, I invite you to read our Annual Performance Report, 

which will be released concurrently with NASA’s Budget Estimates in early calendar year 2016.

Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

Administrator

Page ii NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
 Table of Contents

Image Caption: European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, photographed the Gulf 

of Aden and Horn of Africa from the International Space Station. (Credit: NASA)

Welcome to NASA.................................................................................1

 Vision and Mission Statement.............................................................................5

Organization.......................................................................................................7

Workforce.........................................................................................................11

Core Values.......................................................................................................12

FY 2015 In Review...............................................................................13

Mission Performance.............................................................................................15

Performance Overview......................................................................................15

Performance Summary......................................................................................18

Strategic Goals and Highlights............................................................................24

Strategic Goal 1: Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, 

and opportunity in space.............................................................................24

Strategic Goal 2: Advance understanding of Earth and develop 

technologies to improve the quality of life on our home planet..................34

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information Page iii
Strategic Goal 3: Serve the American public and accomplish our Mission 

by effectively managing our people, technical capabilities,and 

infrastructure.............................................................................................42

Financial Performance...........................................................................................49

CFO Letter................................................................................................................49

Financial Highlights............................................................................................51

Overview of Financial Position...................................................................51

Sources of Funding...................................................................................54

Net Cost of Operations................................................................................55

Limitations of the Financial Statements..............................................................59

Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance........................................61

NASA’s Internal Control Framework.................................................................63

Management Assurances.................................................................................65

Financial Systems Strategies............................................................................67

Looking Forward..................................................................................69

Page iv NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Page 1

Welcome to NASA

Introduction............................................................................................................3

Vision and Mission Statement...............................................................................5

Organization..........................................................................................................7

Workforce.............................................................................................................11

Core Values.........................................................................................................12

Image Caption: Artist’s concept of the New Horizons spacecraft as it approaches Pluto and its largest 

moon, Charon, in July 2015. The craft’s miniature cameras, radio science experiment, ultraviolet and infrared spectrometers, and space plasma experiments will characterize the global geology and geomorphology 

of Pluto and Charon, map their surface compositions and temperatures, and examine Pluto’s atmosphere 

in detail. (Credit: NASA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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Page 2 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 3

Flying over an Aurora. (Credit: NASA)

 Introduction

NASA has chosen to produce an Agency 

Financial Report (AFR) and Annual Performance Report (APR). NASA will publish its 

Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 APR concurrently with 

its Congressional Budget Justification and 

will post it on NASA’s Web site at http://www.

nasa.gov by February 2016. 

This FY 2015 Summary of Performance and 

Financial Information provides an overview 

of NASA’s major programmatic and financial 

results for FY 2015. It integrates financial 

and program performance to demonstrate 

stewardship and accountability and highlights 

FY 2015 achievements. 

NASA demonstrates stewardship of its 

resources and accountability for results 

through compliance with the Chief Financial 

Officers Act (CFO Act) and the Government 

Performance and Results Act Modernization 

Act of 2010 (GPRAMA). Financial aspects 

of the Agency’s business operations are 

accounted for according to U.S. generally 

accepted accounting principles and Federal 

Accounting Standards Advisory Board 

standards.

NASA presents both performance and financial results of operations by strategic goal. 

Highlights of key program activities contributNASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 4 

ing to each strategic goal are provided in the 

Mission Performance discussion (page 15). 

A high-level summary of the linkage between 

program results and the cost of operations is 

provided in the Statement of Net Cost (SNC), 

which can be found in the Financials section 

of the AFR (page 73). The SNC presents 

comparative net cost of operations during 

FY 2015 and FY 2014 by strategic goal and 

for the Agency as a whole. In addition, the 

Financials section explains any significant 

changes in NASA’s financial condition from 

FY 2014 to FY 2015. 

Financial systems that meet requirements 

of the Federal Financial Management 

Improvement Act (FFMIA) are vital to NASA’s 

financial management program. The AFR 

describes NASA’s compliance with the FFMIA, 

as well as the built-in checks and balances 

required by the Office of Management 

and Budget’s (OMB) Circular A-123. OMB 

Circular A-123 places responsibility for 

internal controls over financial reporting on 

Agency management for the purpose of 

safeguarding assets and improving efficiency 

and effectiveness of operations. 

Finally, the AFR presents the Agency’s 

audited FY 2015 and FY 2014 financial 

statements and the related independent 

auditor’s financial statements audit opinion.

The FY 2015 AFR can be found on NASA’s 

Web site at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/.

Image Caption: This NASA/ESA Hubble Space 

Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, 

the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way. 

(Credit: NASA/ESA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 5

Vision and Mission Statement

The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 created NASA to provide for research into 

problems of flight within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere and to ensure that the United

States conducts activities in space devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of humankind. 

In 2010, the President and the Congress unveiled an ambitious new direction for NASA, 

laying the groundwork for a sustainable program of exploration and innovation. This new 

direction extends the life of the International Space Station (ISS), supports the growing commercial space industry, and addresses important scientific challenges while continuing our 

commitment to robust human space exploration, science, and aeronautics programs. The 

strong bipartisan support for the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 confirms our essential role 

in addressing the Nation’s priorities.

In 2014, NASA released a new Strategic Plan that builds upon the groundwork established in 

2010 by outlining the Agency’s vision for the future and providing a clear, unified, and longterm direction for all of NASA’s activities. The Strategic Plan is the foundation on which NASA 

will build and measure the success of its programs and projects. The Strategic Plan can be 

found on NASA’s Web site at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/FY2014_NASA_SP_508c.pdf.

As established in the strategic plan, NASA’s Vision and Mission are:

The NASA Vision

We reach for new heights and reveal 

the unknown for the benefit of humankind.

The NASA Mission

Drive advances in science, technology, 

aeronautics, and space exploration 

to enhance knowledge, education, 

innovation, economic vitality, and 

stewardship of Earth.

NASA’s three strategic goals are:

1. Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space.

2. Advance understanding of Earth and develop technologies to improve the quality of life on 

our home planet.

3. Serve the American public and accomplish our Mission by effectively managing our people, technical capabilities, and infrastructure.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

NASA’s overarching approach for achieving the Mission contains five key strategies for 

governing the management and conduct of the Agency’s aeronautics and space programs. 

These strategies are the standard practices that each organization within NASA employs in 

developing and executing their plans to achieve the Mission. They also provide a framework 

that guides NASA’s support for other areas of national and Administration policy: government 

transparency; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; energy 

and climate change; innovation; and increased citizen and partnership participation to help 

address the multitude of challenges faced by the Nation. The strategies listed below help 

strengthen the Agency and support U.S. competitiveness on a global scale.

Page 6 

Overarching Approach

Invest in 

next-generation 

technologies and 

approaches to spur 

innovation.

Inspire students to be 

our future scientists, 

engineers, explorers, 

and educators through 

interactions with NASA’s 

people, missions, 

research, and facilities.

Expand partnerships 

with international, 

intergovernmental, academic, 

industrial, and entrepreneurial 

communities, recognizing them 

as important contributors of 

skill and creativity to our 

missions and for the 

propagation of our results. 

Commit to environmental stewardship 

through Earth observation and science, 

and the development and use of green 

technologies and capabilities in NASA 

missions and facilities.

Safeguard the public trust through 

transparency and accountability 

in our programmatic and financial 

management, procurement, and 

reporting practices.

NASA developed four agency priority goals for FY 2014 - FY 2015, consistent with the requirements of GPRAMA. The statements for each FY 2014 - FY 2015 agency priority goal 

are in the following graphic. NASA will continue the four themes from the FY 2014 - FY 2015 

goals with new agency priority goals for FY 2016 - FY 2017. More information is available at: 

http://www.performance.gov/agency/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration?view=p

ublic#overview. 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 7

FY 2014 - FY 2015 Agency Priority Goals

Human Exploration and Operations, 

Commercial Crew Program:

By September 30, 2015, the 

Commercial Crew Program will 

complete the first phase of certification 

efforts with Commercial Crew 

Transportation partners and will make 

measurable progress toward the second 

certification phase with industry partners 

while maintaining competition. 

Human Exploration and Operations, 

International Space Station 

Program: 

By September 30, 2015, NASA will increase the utilization of the International 

Space Station internal and external 

research facility sites with science and 

technology payload hardware to 70 

percent.

Science, James 

Webb Space Telescope Program:

By October 2018, NASA will launch 

the James Webb Space Telescope, 

the premier space-based observatory. 

To enable this launch date, NASA will 

complete the James Webb Space 

Telescope primary mirror backplane and

backplane support structures and deliver

them to the Goddard Space Flight 

Center for integration with the mirror 

segments by September 30, 2015. 

Human Exploration and Operations, 

Exploration Systems Development: 

By September 30, 2015, NASA will 

complete the Space Launch System, 

Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems 

Critical Design Reviews (CDRs), 

allowing the programs to continue to 

progress toward Exploration Mission 

(EM)-1 and EM-2 missions.

Organization

NASA’s organizational structure is designed to accomplish its Mission and provide a framework for sound business operations, management controls, and safety oversight. The Office 

of the Administrator provides the overarching vision and strategic direction for the Agency. 

The Agency’s science, research, and technology development work is implemented through 

four mission directorates supported by the Mission Support Directorate: 

Science Mission Directorate (SMD) manages the Agency’s science portfolio budget

account and focuses on programmatic work

on Earth, planetary, astrophysics, and heliophysics research. SMD engages the U.S.

science community, sponsors scientific research, and develops and deploys satellites

and probes in collaboration with NASA’s 

international partners and other agencies 

(through the Joint Agency Satellite Division) 

to answer fundamental scientific questions 

and expand understanding of space. Additional information on SMD is available at: 

http://science.nasa.gov/.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 8 

Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) manages the budget account for 

the Agency’s aeronautics research portfolio, 

which enables technology innovation and development allowing the U.S. aviation industry 

to continue to grow and maintain global competitiveness. Research programs conduct 

cutting-edge research at both the fundamental and integrated systems levels to address 

national and global challenges. ARMD guides 

its research efforts using a strategic vision that 

embraces the multiple roles of aviation and 

expands the understanding of those roles to 

the global stage, while working to address tomorrow’s challenges. Additional information 

on the ARMD is available at: http://www.nasa.

gov/topics/aeronautics/index.html.

Space Technology Mission Directorate 

(STMD) manages the Space Technology 

budget account, which also funds the crosscutting activities of the Office of the Chief 

Technologist. STMD pioneers new technologies and capabilities needed by the Agency 

and commercial sector. It develops technologies that support the broader space economy 

and other Government missions in space 

and complements technology development 

in NASA’s other mission directorates, delivering solutions to NASA’s technology needs 

for future science and exploration missions. 

Additional information on the Office of the 

Chief Technologist is available at: http://

www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/home/index.html.

Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) manages the 

budget account for the Exploration and 

Space Operations portfolio. HEOMD manages development of the Space Launch System 

(SLS), the Orion spacecraft, and future exploration technologies. It works with U.S. commercial space industry partners to develop 

commercial systems for providing crew and 

cargo transportation services to and from low 

Earth orbit. HEOMD also manages operations 

and research for the ISS, and communications systems and networks that enable deep 

space and near-Earth exploration. Additional 

information on the HEOMD is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/home/

index.html.

The Mission Support Directorate (MSD)

supports all NASA missions in a crosscutting manner. For example, MSD manages 

the Safety, Security and Mission Services 

(SSMS) and Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration (CECR) 

accounts, in addition to functions such as 

procurement and financial management, 

which cut across all mission directorates. 

SSMS and CECR accounts fund operations 

at Headquarters and the Centers as well as 

institutional and programmatic construction 

of facilities. MSD reports progress on major national initiatives to the Administrator 

and other senior Agency officials, provides 

independent reviews and investigations, 

and liaises with the public and other Federal agencies. MSD is based at Headquarters, but has representatives at the Centers 

to provide coordination and control. Additional information on the MSD is available at: 

http://msd.hq.nasa.gov/.

Office of Education (Education) develops 

and manages a portfolio of educational programs for students and teachers at all levels. 

Education seeks to develop a vibrant pool 

of future workforce for sustainable support 

of national and NASA missions by attracting 

and retaining students in STEM disciplines 

and raising public awareness of NASA’s activities. To achieve these goals, Education 

works in partnership with other Government 

agencies, non-profit organizations, museums 

and the education community at large. Additional information on the Office of Education 

is available at: 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 9

http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/

about/.

The Administrator’s Staff Offices support 

the Administrator’s administrative responsibilities by providing a range of high-level 

guidance and support in critical areas like 

safety and mission assurance, technology planning, equal opportunity, information 

technology, financial administration, small 

business administration, international relations, and legislative and intergovernmental affairs. Additional information on the 

Administrator’s staff offices is available at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/about/org_index.html.

NASA comprises Headquarters in Washington, DC, nine operating Centers located 

across the country, and the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, a Federally Funded Research 

and Development Center operated under a 

contract with the California Institute of Technology. NASA works in partnership with academia, the private sector, state and local 

governments, other Federal agencies, and a 

number of international organizations to support and achieve its Mission.

Organizational Structure

Note: Administrator may delegate direct reports to Deputy Administrator at his/her discretion.

* Center functional office directors report to Agency functional AA or Chief. Deputy and below report to

Center leadership.

** NMO oversees the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other Federally Funded Research and Development 

Center work.

Human Exploration 

and Operations 

Mission Directorate

Chief, Safety and 

Mission Assurance

Kennedy Space 

Center

Marshall Space 

Flight Center

Langley Research 

Center

Stennis Space 

Center

Johnson Space 

Center

Armstrong Flight 

Research Center

Goddard Space 

Flight Center

Glenn Research 

Center

Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory 

Ames Research 

Mission Support Center

Directorate

Administrator

Deputy Administrator

Associate Administrator

Chief of Staff

Deputy Associate Administrator

Associate Deputy Administrator 

Senior Advisor to the Administrator for 

Strategy and Policy Implementation

Chief Engineer

Chief Health and 

Medical Officer

Chief Financial Officer*

Chief Information Officer*

Chief Scientist

Chief Technologist

Diversity and Equal 

Opportunity

Legislative and 

Intergovernmental 

Affairs*

International and 

Interagency Relations

Education Communications*

Small Business 

Programs

General Counsel

Advisory Groups

NAC and ASAP

Inspector General

Human Capital Management

Strategic Infrastructure

Headquarters Operations

NASA Shared Services Center

Procurement

Protective Services

Aeronautics 

Research Mission 

Directorate

Reporting Structure

Administrator

Associate Administrator

Science Mission 

Directorate

Space Technology 

Mission Directorate

Office of 

Strategy and 

Policy

Office of 

Evaluation

Office of 

Agency Council 

Staff

NASA Management 

Office** 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 10 

Centers and Facilities Nationwide

Under the leadership of the Administrator, NASA’s mission directorates, MSD, and staff offices at Headquarters provide overall guidance and direction to the Agency. NASA’s Centers 

and installations conduct the Agency’s day-to-day work in laboratories, on airfields, in wind 

tunnels, in control rooms, and in NASA’s other one-of-a-kind facilities.

5

6

4 2

1

3

Ames Research Center (ARC)

Armstrong Flight

Research Center (AFRC)

Jet Propulsion

Laboratory (JPL)

Stennis Space Center (SSC) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Langley Research

Center (LaRC)

NASA Headquarters

Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Glenn Research

Center (GRC)

1) Plum Brook Station, Sandusky, OH, managed by GRC

2) Software Independent Verification and Validation Facility, Fairmont, WV, managed by GSFC

3) Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, NY, managed by GSFC

4) Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops, VA, managed by GSFC

5) White Sands Test Facility and Space Network, White Sands, NM, managed by JSC

6) Michoud Assembly Facilities, New Orleans, LA, managed by MSFC

(noted by numbers on map)

Select NASA Facilities

7) NASA Shared Services Center, Stennis Space Center, MS, managed by SSC

7

Note: JPL is a federally funded research and development center in Pasadena, California. The 

California Institute of Technology manages JPL.

The NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) was established in March 2006 to provide all 

NASA Centers timely, accurate, and cost-effective support services in the areas of financial 

management, human resources, information technology, procurement, and business support services.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 11

Workforce

As of the end of FY 2015, NASA employed 

more than 17,300 civil servants, including 

full-time, part-time, term appointee, student, 

and other non-permanent workers at its 

nine Centers, Headquarters, and NSSC. 

In addition, approximately 4,800 full-time 

equivalent employees perform NASA-funded 

work as employees of the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, operated by the California Institute 

of Technology. More information about 

NASA’s workforce is available at: https://wicn.

nssc.nasa.gov/. The NASA Office of Human 

Capital Management (OHCM) is responsible 

for planning and managing the Agency’s 

workforce to ensure that the right skills are 

available to support NASA’s Mission.

Talented and engaged people are NASA’s 

greatest resource. NASA’s Mission requires 

great responsibility and the continued need 

for a highly skilled, agile, inclusive, and innovative workforce. While many drivers of a 

positive workplace culture contribute to employee engagement and mission accomplishment, analysis has shown that three areas 

have the greatest potential to increase innovation given the current environment. The 

NASA Strategic Management Council will focus on the following three principal areas that 

will help to embed innovation in the NASA 

culture:

• Recognizing and rewarding innovative 

performance: Reward and appreciate employees for their innovative performance 

and contributions to their workplace.

• Engaging and connecting the workforce: 

Engage employees in the NASA Mission 

and enable them to cooperate, collaborate, and network with one another.

• Building model supervisors and leaders: 

Develop supervisors and leaders who 

view developing employees as an important and productive use of time.

NASA cares about the environment in which 

employees work. Direct attention to the NASA 

work environment, workforce, and culture 

through both inclusion and innovative strategies are critical to achieving NASA’s Mission.

Image Caption: Members of the New Horizons science team react to seeing the spacecraft’s last and 

sharpest image of Pluto before closest approach later in the day, Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. (Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Welcome to NASA

Page 12 

Core Values

NASA’s tradition of excellence is rooted in the 

four uncompromising shared core values of 

safety, integrity, teamwork, and excellence, 

as well as the firm belief that failure is not an 

option.

Safety: NASA’s constant attention to safety is 

the cornerstone upon which we build mission 

success. We are committed, individually and 

as a team, to protecting the safety and health 

of the public, our team members, and those 

assets that the Nation entrusts to us.

Integrity: NASA is committed to maintaining 

an environment of trust, built upon honesty, 

ethical behavior, respect, and candor. Our 

leaders encourage this virtue in the NASA 

workforce by fostering an open flow of communication on issues among all employees 

without fear of reprisal. At NASA, we regard 

and reward employees for demonstrating 

integrity. Building trust through ethical conduct as individuals and as an organization is 

a necessary component of mission success.

Teamwork: NASA’s most powerful asset 

for achieving mission success is a multidisciplinary team of diverse, competent people 

across NASA Centers. Our approach to teamwork is based on a philosophy that each team 

member brings unique experience and important expertise to project issues. Recognition 

of and openness to that insight improves the 

likelihood of identifying and resolving challenges to safety and mission success. We 

are committed to creating an environment 

that fosters teamwork and processes that 

support equal opportunity, collaboration, continuous learning, and openness to innovation 

and new ideas.

Excellence: To achieve the highest standards in engineering, research, operations, 

and management in support of mission success, NASA is committed to nurturing an organizational culture in which individuals make 

full use of their time, talent, and opportunities 

to pursue excellence in both the ordinary and 

the extraordinary.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Page 13

FY 2015 In Review

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly captured this image of Aurora 

trailing a colorful veil over Earth, taken from the International Space Station on August 15, 2015. (Credit: NASA)

Mission Performance.............................................................................................15

Performance Overview......................................................................................15

Performance Summary.....................................................................................18

Strategic Goals and Highlights.........................................................................24

Strategic Goal 1: Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and

opportunity in space ..................................................................................24

Strategic Goal 2: Advance understanding of Earth and develop 

technologies to improve the quality of life on our home 

planet..........................................................................................................34

Strategic Goal 3: Serve the American public and accomplish our 

Mission by effectively managing our people, technical capabilities, and 

infrastructure................................................................................................42

Financial Performance..........................................................................................49

CFO Letter........................................................................................................49

Financial Highlights..........................................................................................51

Overview of Financial Position..................................................................51

Sources of Funding...................................................................................54

Net Cost of Operations................................................................................55

Limitations of the Financial Statements............................................................59

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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Page 14 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 15

Mission Performance 

Performance Overview

NASA’s strategic goals and strategic objectives, as established in NASA’s 2014 Strategic 

Plan, are as follows: 

Strategic Goal Strategic Goal Strategic Goal

Expand the frontiers of knowledge, 

capability, and opportunity in 

space.

Advance understanding of Earth 

and develop technologies to 

improve the quality of life on our 

home planet.

Serve the American public and 

accomplish our Mission by 

effectively managing our people, 

technical capabilities, and 

infrastructure.

By empowering the NASA community 

to...

By engaging our workforce and partners 

to...

By working together to...

Objective 1.1: Expand human presence 

into the solar system and to the surface 

of Mars to advance exploration, science, 

innovation, benefits to humanity, and 

international collaboration.

Objective 2.1: Enable a revolutionary 

transformation for safe and sustainable 

U.S. and global aviation by advancing 

aeronautics research.

Objective 3.1: Attract and advance a highly 

skilled, competent, and diverse workforce, 

cultivate an innovative work environment, 

and provide the facilities, tools, and services 

Objective 1.2: Conduct research on needed to conduct NASA’s missions.

the International Space Station (ISS) to 

enable future space exploration, facilitate a 

commercial space economy, and advance 

the fundamental biological and physical 

sciences for the benefit of humanity. Objective 2.2: Advance knowledge of 

Earth as a system to meet the challenges of 

environmental change, and to improve life 

on our planet. 

Objective 3.2: Ensure the availability 

and continued advancement of strategic, 

technical, and programmatic capabilities to 

sustain NASA’s Mission. 

Objective 1.3: Facilitate and utilize U.S. 

commercial capabilities to deliver cargo and 

crew to space. 

Objective 1.4: Understand the Sun and its 

interactions with Earth and the solar system, 

including space weather. Objective 2.3: Optimize Agency technology 

investments, foster open innovation, and 

facilitate technology infusion, ensuring the 

greatest national benefit. 

Objective 3.3: Provide secure, effective, 

and affordable information technologies and Objective 1.5: services that enable NASA’s Mission. Ascertain the content, origin, 

and evolution of the solar system and the 

potential for life elsewhere. 

Objective 1.6: Discover how the universe 

works, explore how it began and evolved, 

and search for life on planets around other 

stars. 

Objective 2.4: Advance the Nation’s 

STEM education and workforce pipeline by 

working collaboratively with other agencies 

to engage students, teachers, and faculty in 

NASA’s missions and unique assets.

Objective 3.4: Ensure effective 

management of NASA programs and 

operations to complete the mission safely 

and successfully. 

Objective 1.7: Transform NASA missions 

and advance the Nation’s capabilities by 

maturing crosscutting and innovative space 

technologies. 

1 2 3

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

At the heart of NASA’s strategic goals and strategic objectives are the core missions of human space exploration, Earth and space science, aeronautics, and technology development. 

NASA is building capabilities for human space exploration, commercial space transportation, 

and the use of the International Space Station (ISS) for research, while also developing the 

James Webb Space Telescope (Webb). 

NASA sets near-term performance goals (PGs), which are targets for the next several years, 

as well as annual performance indicators (APIs) to measure and communicate progress 

towards achieving the Agency’s Vision and Mission. These PGs and APIs are aligned to 

the strategic goals and objectives. Together, the strategic goals, strategic objectives, PGs, 

and APIs, along with cross-agency priority (CAP) goals and Agency priority goals (APGs), 

form NASA’s strategy-performance framework. More information can be found in our 

2014 Strategic Plan, at nasa.gov/budget, and at performance.gov.

NASA Strategy and Performance Framework

2014 Strategic Plan

Annual Performance 

Indicator

1 Year

These goals cover the entire 

Federal Government; NASA 

supports many.

Cross-Agency 

Priority Goal

Up to 4 Years

Specific to NASA

Agency Priority 

Goal

2 Years

Strategic 

Objective

Up to 10 Years

Strategic Goal

Timeless

Performance Goal

Multi-Year

In this Summary of Performance and Financial Information, NASA presents a high-level summary of performance, reflecting year-end assessments of progress towards the PGs and 

APIs. More detailed information is provided in the Annual Performance Report (APR), published in February 2016 at nasa.gov/budget.

Page 16 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 17

NASA determines these ratings based on a series of internal assessments that are part of 

ongoing monitoring of NASA’s program and project performance. External entities, such as 

scientific peer review committees and aeronautics technical evaluation bodies, validate select 

ratings prior to publication in the APR. 

For reporting purposes, NASA uses a color-coded system to represent the assessment and 

rating of performance. Every performance metric has specific, individualized rating criteria. 

The generic rating criteria in the table below are illustrative of the types of individualized criteria assigned to each performance measure, and broadly apply to the performance metrics.

Generic

Performance Goal and Annual Performance Indicator

Rating Criteria

Green NASA completed or expects 

to complete this performance 

measure within the estimated 

timeframe.

On Track or Complete

Yellow

Slightly Below Target and/

or Behind Schedule

NASA completed or expects 

to complete this performance 

measure, but is slightly below the 

target and/or moderately behind 

schedule.

Red

Significantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

NASA did not or does not expect 

to complete this performance 

measure within the estimated 

timeframe. The program is 

substantially below the target and/

or significantly behind schedule.

White

Cancelled or Postponed

NASA senior management 

cancelled or postponed this 

performance measure. The 

Agency no longer is pursuing 

activities related to this 

performance measure, or the 

program did not have activities 

during the fiscal year.

Note: These are generic criteria provided for informational purposes only. NASA develops measure-specific 

criteria to rate all of the Agency’s performance goals and annual performance indicators.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 18 

Performance Summary

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information

In FY 2015, NASA reviewed progress toward 73 multi-year performance goals and 110 annual performance indicators – in total, progress against 183 performance metrics. NASA 

provided the FY 2015 Performance Plan online at nasa.gov in March 2014. 

The summary of NASA’s assessment of progress is provided below. RedSignificantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

White

Cancelled or Postponed

YellowSlightly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

Green On Track or Complete

FY 2015 Ratings Overview

All Performance Metrics

Number of Performance Metrics 183

Green Yellow Red

163 16 4

89% 9% 2%

Performance Metrics by Strategic Goal

Strategic Goal 1 Strategic Goal 2 Strategic Goal 3

Expand the frontiers of 

knowledge, capability, and 

opportunity in space.

Advance understanding 

of Earth and develop 

technologies to improve 

the quality of life on our 

home planet.

Serve the American 

public and accomplish 

our Mission by effectively 

managing our people, 

technical capabilities, and 

infrastructure.

Number of Performance Metrics

76 47 60

Green Yellow Red Green Yellow Green Yellow Red

64 11 1 46 1 53 4 3

84% 15% 1% 98% 2% 88% 7% 5%
Mission Performance

Page 19

Year Total

Metrics Green Yellow Red White

FY 2015 183 163 16 4 -

FY 2014 192 180 10 2 -

FY 2013 170 158 4 - 8

FY 2015

183 Metrics

89% 9% 2% -

163 Green 16 Yellow 4 Red - White

FY 2014

192 Metrics

94% 5% 1% -

180 Green 10 Yellow 2 Red - White

 FY 2013

170 Metrics

93% 2% - 5%

158 Green 4 Yellow - Red 8 White

Performance Metric Trending

Rating Trending Over Last Three Fiscal Years RedSignificantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

White

Cancelled or Postponed

YellowSlightly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

Green On Track or Complete

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 20 

Strategic Objective 1.1

Expand human presence into the solar 

system and to the surface of Mars to advance 

exploration, science, innovation, benefits to 

humanity, and international collaboration.

Green Yellow

2 PGs 1 PG

67% 33%

5 APIs 1 API

83% 17%

Strategic Objective 1.2

Conduct research on the International 

Space Station (ISS) to enable future 

space exploration, facilitate a commercial 

space economy, and advance the 

fundamental biological and physical 

sciences for the benefit of humanity.

Green Yellow Red

2 PGs 4 PGs -

33% 67% -

6 APIs 3 APIs 1 API

60% 30% 10%

Strategic Objective 1.3

Facilitate and utilize U.S. commercial capabilities to deliver 

cargo and crew to space. 

Green

2 PGs

100%

3 APIs

100%

Strategic Goal 1

Expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, 

and opportunity in space. 

Green Yellow Red

24 PGs 5 PGs -

83% 17% -

40 APIs 6 APIs 1 API

84% 13% 3%

Ratings by Strategic Goal and Objective

FY 2015 PG and API Ratings RedSignificantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

White

Cancelled or Postponed

YellowSlightly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

Green On Track or Complete

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 21

Strategic Objective 1.5

Ascertain the content, origin, and evolution of the 

solar system and the potential for life elsewhere. 

Green Yellow

6 PGs -

100% -

8 APIs 1 API

89% 11%

Strategic Objective 1.7

Advance knowledge of Earth as a system to 

meet the challenges of environmental change, 

and to improve life on our planet. 

Green Yellow

3 PGs -

100% -

5 APIs 1 API

83% 17%

Strategic Objective 1.6

Discover how the universe works, explore how it began 

and evolved, and search for life on planets around other 

stars. 

Green

5 PGs

100%

6 APIs

100%

Strategic Objective 1.4

Understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the 

solar system, including space weather.

Green

4 PGs

100%

7 APIs

100%

RedSignificantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

White

Cancelled or Postponed

YellowSlightly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

Green On Track or Complete

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 22 

Strategic Objective 2.2

Advance knowledge of Earth as a system to meet the 

challenges of environmental change, and to improve life on 

our planet.

Green

8 PGs

100%

14 APIs

100%

Strategic Objective 2.1

Enable a revolutionary transformation for safe 

and sustainable U.S. and global aviation by 

advancing aeronautics research.

Green Yellow

6 PGs -

100% -

6 APIs 1 API

86% 14%

Strategic Objective 2.3

Optimize Agency technology investments, foster open 

innovation, and facilitate technology infusion, ensuring the 

greatest national benefit. 

Green

2 PGs

100%

2 APIs

100%

Strategic Goal 2

Advance understanding of Earth and develop technologies 

to improve the quality of life on our home planet.

Green Yellow

20 PGs -

100% -

26 APIs 1 API

96% 4%

Strategic Objective 2.4

Advance the Nation’s STEM education and workforce 

pipeline by working collaboratively with other agencies to 

engage students, teachers, and faculty in NASA’s missions 

and unique assets.

Green

4 PGs

100%

4 APIs

100%

RedSignificantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

White

Cancelled or Postponed

YellowSlightly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

Green On Track or Complete

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 23

Strategic Goal 3

Serve the American public and accomplish our 

Mission by effectively managing our people, 

technical capabilities, and infrastructure. 

Green Yellow Red

21 PGs 2 PGs 1 PG

88% 8% 4%

32 APIs 2 APIs 2 APIs

88% 6% 6%

Strategic Objective 3.1

Attract and advance a highly skilled, competent, 

and diverse workforce, cultivate an innovative 

work environment, and provide the facilities, 

tools, and services needed to conduct NASA’s 

missions.

Green Yellow

7 PGs 2 PGs

78% 22%

14 APIs 2 APIs

88% 12%

Strategic Objective 3.2

Ensure the availability and continued advancement of 

strategic, technical, and programmatic capabilities to 

sustain NASA’s Mission. 

Green

7 PGs

100%

8 APIs

100%

Strategic Objective 3.3

Provide secure, effective, and affordable 

information technologies and services that enable 

NASA’s Mission. 

Green Red

5 PGs 1 PG

83% 17%

5 APIs 2 APIs

71% 29%

Strategic Objective 3.4

Ensure effective management of NASA programs and 

operations to complete the mission safely and successfully. 

Green

2 PGs

100%

5 APIs

100%

RedSignificantly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

White

Cancelled or Postponed

YellowSlightly Below Target 

and/or Behind Schedule

Green On Track or Complete

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Strategic Goals and Highlights

Strategic Goal 1: 

Expand the frontiers of knowledge, 

capability, and opportunity in space.

NASA’s enduring and core goal, for over 50 

years, is to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space 

and continually challenge the boundaries of 

science, technology, and imagination. This 

goal includes NASA’s strategic objectives 

for human exploration, the International 

Space Station (ISS), partnerships with U.S. 

industry, heliophysics, planetary science, 

astrophysics, and space technology development.

Strategic Objective 1.1: Expand human 

presence into the solar system and to the 

surface of Mars to advance exploration, 

science, innovation, benefits to humanity, 

and international collaboration.

NASA is entering a new era in human 

spaceflight: exploration beyond low Earth 

orbit, implementing a multiple destination 

exploration strategy with a capability-driven 

approach. The Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate’s (HEOMD’s) 

Exploration Systems Development programs are creating the first components of 

the architecture needed for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit. The first, foundational elements include the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System (SLS), and 

Exploration Ground Systems (EGS). Programs within this strategic objective also develop the technologies and capabilities for 

in-space propulsion, in-space operations, 

long-duration habitation, and other systems 

to support humans in hostile environments. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Orion’s 

Successful Exploration Flight Test-1

In December 2014, NASA launched the 

Image Caption: NASA’s Orion spacecraft awaits the U.S. Navy’s USS Anchorage for a ride home. Orion 

splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after its successful first flight test, where a combined team from NASA, 

the Navy, and Orion prime contractor Lockheed Martin retrieved the capsule. (Credit: U.S. Navy)

Page 24 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 25

Image Caption: The first test fire of the booster for NASA’s SLS rocket. (Credit: NASA)

Orion spacecraft on Exploration Flight Test 

(EFT)-1, aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket. 

This was Orion’s first flight test, which sent 

the vehicle 3,600 miles into space during a 

two-orbit, 4.5-hour test. One of the objectives was to test how the spacecraft would 

fare returning to Earth at high speeds and 

temperatures. The test also provided important insight into key separation events, 

including whether the Launch Abort System 

and protective fairings came off at the right 

times, how the parachutes assisting Orion 

during its descent fared, and how the operations to recover Orion from the Pacific 

Ocean progressed.

Orion’s flight test yielded millions of elements of data, every piece of which is providing unique insight into how to improve 

the spacecraft’s design so that it can safely 

send astronauts on their way to Mars and 

return them home.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: SLS Booster Test

At Orbital ATK’s Promontory, Utah, test facility, engineers fired the booster for NASA’s 

SLS rocket for a two-minute test on March 

11, 2015. The test is one of two that will 

qualify the booster for flight before SLS begins carrying NASA’s Orion spacecraft and 

other potential payloads to deep space destinations.

The Exploration Systems Development Web 

site provides further information about the 

development of Orion, SLS, and the ground 

systems to support operations.

Strategic Objective 1.2: Conduct research on the International Space Station 

(ISS) to enable future space exploration, 

facilitate a commercial space economy, 

and advance the fundamental biological 

and physical sciences for the benefit of 

humanity.

The ISS is the world’s only orbiting, microgravity research and development laboratory, where researchers can perform 

multidisciplinary research and technology 

development to prepare for our exploration 

of the solar system. The Administration recently announced the decision to extend 

operations of the ISS through at least 2024. 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 26 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information

Image Caption: On January 19, 2015, Expedition 45/46 Commander, Astronaut Scott Kelly (right) and his 

twin brother, former Astronaut Mark Kelly (left), spoke to news media outlets at the Johnson Space Center 

about Scott Kelly’s upcoming One-Year mission aboard the International Space Station. (Credit: Robert 

Markowitz)

Continuing ISS operations are critical to 

achieving NASA’s and the Nation’s goals in 

science, technology, and human spaceflight. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Start of the 

One-Year Mission

In March 2015, U.S. Astronaut Scott Kelly 

and Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko 

started a one-year mission on the ISS, which 

is twice as long as typical U.S. missions. 

The one-year crew mission is the latest step 

in the ISS’ role as a platform for preparing 

humanity for exploration into deeper space. 

These investigations are expected to yield 

beneficial knowledge about the medical, 

psychological, and biomedical challenges 

faced by astronauts during long-duration 

spaceflight.

While astronaut Scott Kelly is in space, 

NASA will also undertake unprecedented 

twin studies with Scott’s identical twin brother, retired astronaut Mark Kelly. These studies will be unique investigations into the genetic aspects of spaceflight.

Updates on current ISS operations, crew 

information, photos and video, positional information, and live-streamed high-definition 

views of Earth are available on the ISS Web 

site. 

Strategic Objective 1.3: Facilitate and utilize U.S. commercial capabilities to deliver cargo and crew to space.

U.S. commercial space transportation capabilities will provide safe, reliable, and cost 
Mission Performance

Page 27

Image Caption: SpaceX conducts the pad abort test for the Crew Dragon spacecraft on May 6, 2015. 

(Credit: NASA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information

effective access to and from low Earth orbit 

and the ISS for crew and cargo. NASA’s 

partnerships with American industry also will 

stimulate commercial industry, promote job 

growth, and expand knowledge. Through 

HEOMD’s Commercial Crew program, 

NASA is providing technical and financial 

support to industry providers during the 

development phase of their crew transportation systems, while certifying providers’ 

transportation systems to carry NASA astronauts to and from the ISS. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: SpaceX 

Demonstrates Astronaut Escape System 

for Crew Dragon Spacecraft

In May 2015, SpaceX completed a successful pad abort test of its Crew Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft traveled 3,561 feet up 

before jettisoning its trunk and safely splashing down under three main parachutes 

in the Atlantic Ocean. The Crew Dragon 

launch escape capabilities demonstrated 

the spacecraft’s ability to save astronauts in 

the unlikely event of a life-threatening situation on the launch pad.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Construction of CST-100 Crew Access Tower

In FY 2015, Boeing and United Launch Alliance started assembly of a crew access 

tower a few miles from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station 

in Florida. The work is critical in readying 

the launch site for a crew flight test to certify 

their systems for operational missions to the 

ISS for NASA’s Commercial Crew program. 

Once assembled, the crew access tower 
Mission Performance

Page 28 

Image Caption: The first crew access tower tiers begin to take shape at Space Launch Complex-41 for 

flights aboard the Boeing CST-100. (Credit: NASA/Jim Grossman)

will stand about 200 feet and will provide 

safe access to Boeing’s Crew Space Transportation (CST)-100 spacecraft as it stands 

on the pad atop a United Launch Alliance 

Atlas V rocket. 

Strategic Objective 1.4: Understand the 

Sun and its interactions with Earth and 

the solar system, including space weather.

The domain of heliophysics ranges from the 

interior of the Sun, to the upper atmosphere 

and near-space environment of Earth (above 

31.1 miles, or 50 kilometers), and outward to 

a region far beyond Pluto, where the Sun’s 

influence wanes against the forces of interstellar space. Earth and the other planets 

of the solar system reside in this vast extended atmosphere of the Sun, called the 

heliosphere, which is made of electrified and 

magnetized matter entwined with penetrating radiation and energetic particles. The 

emerging science of interplanetary space 

weather is also crucial to NASA’s human 

and robotic exploration objectives beyond 

Earth’s orbit. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA 

Launches the Magnetospheric Multiscale 

Mission

In March 2015, NASA launched four identical spacecrafts that make up the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. MMS 

is the first mission dedicated to studying the 

mystery of how magnetic fields around Earth 

connect and disconnect, explosively releasing energy via a process known as magnetic 

reconnection. The four spacecrafts will fly in 

a pyramid formation through space to take 

unprecedented measurements of magnetic 

reconnection phenomenon as it occurs in 

different areas of Earth’s magnetosphere. 

Magnetic reconnection is a common process throughout the universe: occurring in 

space near Earth, in the atmosphere of the 

Sun and other stars, in the vicinity of black 

holes and neutron stars, and at virtually any 

boundary between space plasmas, includNASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 29

Image Caption: The four MMS observatories were processed for launch in a clean room at the Astrotech 

Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida. (Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky)

ing the boundary between the solar system’s heliosphere and interstellar space. It 

is one of the most important drivers of space 

weather events. Eruptive solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and geomagnetic storms 

all involve the release, through reconnection, of energy stored in magnetic fields. 

Space weather events can affect technology 

systems such as communications networks, 

GPS navigation, and electrical power grids.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA’s 

Solar Probe Plus Mission Successfully 

Completed Its Critical Design Review

NASA’s Solar Probe Plus mission, a spacecraft that will fly closer to the Sun than any 

before, reached a major milestone in March 

2015 when it successfully completed its Critical Design Review, or CDR. An independent NASA review board met at the Johns 

Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) to review all aspects of the mission plan. APL has designed and will build 

and operate the spacecraft for NASA. The 

CDR certifies that the Solar Probe Plus mission design is at an advanced stage and 

that fabrication, assembly, integration, and 

testing of the many elements of the mission 

may proceed. Solar Probe Plus is scheduled to launch in the later half of calendar 

year 2018. 

Scientists have long wanted to send a probe 

through the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, to better understand the solar wind 

and the material it carries into the solar system. The primary science goals for the Solar Probe Plus mission are to trace the flow 

of energy and understand the heating of 

the solar corona and to explore the physical mechanisms that accelerate the solar 

wind and energetic particles. To meet these 

goals, Solar Probe Plus will carry four instrument suites into the corona and study the 

solar wind and energetic particles as they 

blast off the surface of the star. The instruments will study magnetic fields, plasma, 

and energetic particles, and will image the 

solar wind. The spacecraft and instruments 

will be protected from the Sun’s heat by a 

4.5-inch-thick carbon-composite shield. 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Page 30 

Mission Performance

Image Caption: An artist’s rendering of Solar 

Probe Plus shows the solar panels folded into 

the shadows of its protective shield, as it gathers 

data on its approach to the Sun. (Credit: NASA/

JHU-APL)

During the closest passes around the Sun, 

temperatures outside the spacecraft will 

reach nearly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Strategic Objective 1.5: Ascertain the 

content, origin, and evolution of the solar system and the potential for life elsewhere. 

Planetary science is a grand human enterprise that seeks to understand the history of 

the solar system and the distribution of life 

within it. NASA is at the frontier of a journey of scientific discoveries that are yielding a profound new understanding of the 

solar system. Robotic exploration is the 

current approach to planetary science and 

is the necessary precursor to the expansion 

of humanity beyond Earth. Ground-based 

research and observations supplement 

NASA’s space-based assets. NASA’s Planetary Science Division continues to expand 

knowledge of the solar system, with active 

missions and Earth-based research programs exploring all the way from Mercury to 

Pluto and beyond. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: New Horizons Arrives at Pluto 

In FY 2015, the New Horizons mission accomplished the historic first-ever flyby of 

Pluto. The New Horizons mission will increase understanding of worlds at the edge 

of the solar system by making the first reconnaissance of the dwarf planet Pluto and by 

venturing deeper into the distant, mysterious 

Kuiper Belt, a relic of solar system formation. New Horizons traveled more than nine 

years and three billion miles to reach Pluto.

Image Caption: Pluto nearly fills the frame in 

this image by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, 

taken on July 13, 2015, when the spacecraft was 

476,000 miles (768,000 kilometers) from the 

surface. This is the last and most detailed image sent to Earth before the spacecraft’s closest approach to Pluto on July 14. The image is 

dominated by the large, bright feature, informally 

named the “heart,” which measures approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) across. 

(Credit: NASA/APL/SwRI)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

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Image Caption: A cluster of mysterious bright spots on dwarf planet Ceres can be seen in this image, taken 

by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft on May 4, 2015. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA)

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Dawn 

Arrives at Ceres

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft arrived at Ceres, 

the largest object in the main asteroid 

belt between Mars and Jupiter, on March 

6, 2015. Dawn is the first mission to visit 

a dwarf planet, and the first to orbit two 

distinct targets in the solar system. Dawn 

launched in 2007 and previously explored 

the protoplanet Vesta for 14 months, from 

2011 to 2012.

Dawn has provided images of mysterious and unique features on Ceres, including bright spots and a mountain with steep 

slopes protruding from a relatively smooth 

area of the dwarf planet’s surface.

Strategic Objective 1.6: Discover how 

the universe works, explore how it began 

and evolved, and search for life on planets around other stars. 

NASA leads the Nation and the world on a 

continuing journey to answer some of the 

most profound questions that touch the 

hearts of all humanity: How does the universe work? How did we get here? Are we 

alone? The scope of astrophysics is truly 

breathtaking, ranging from the birth of the 

universe and the development of stars and 

galaxies over cosmic time, to the search for 

life on planets around other stars. Often in 

cooperation with ground-based observatories, NASA astrophysics missions exploit the 

full range of the electromagnetic spectrum 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 32 

and the physics of high-energy subatomic 

particles to understand the broad diversity 

of objects in the universe.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Webb Pathfinder Telescope Tested in Cryovacuum 

Chamber 

The James Webb Space Telescope (Webb)

will be a large infrared telescope with a 

6.5-meter primary mirror. NASA continues 

to make progress toward the planned October 2018 launch date. A key step in FY 2015 

was the test of the pathfinder (or test model) 

of the Webb backplane inside NASA’s giant thermal vacuum chamber (Chamber 

A), located at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Previously used for 

manned spaceflight missions, this historic 

chamber is now being readied for a cryogenic test, which will simulate the frigid temperatures the Webb telescope will encounter in 

space.

Webb will be the premier observatory of the 

next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase 

in the history of the universe, ranging from 

the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, 

to the formation of solar systems capable of 

supporting life on planets like Earth, to the 

evolution of Earth’s solar system.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: TESS Mission Confirmed to Proceed into Development

NASA has officially confirmed the Transiting 

Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, 

clearing it to move forward into the development phase. This marks a significant step 

for the TESS mission, which will search the 

entire sky for planets outside the solar system, known as exoplanets. TESS is expected to find more than 5,000 exoplanet candidates, including 50 Earth-sized planets. It 

will also find a wide array of exoplanet types, 

ranging from small, rocky planets to gas giants. Some of these planets could be the 

right sizes, and orbit at the correct distances 

from their stars, to support life. TESS is an 

ideal follow-up to the Kepler mission, which 

searches for exoplanets in a fixed area of 

the sky, and will complement several other 

critical space-based missions and groundbased observations.

Image Caption: The pathfinder (or test model) 

of the Webb backplane is prepared for test inside 

Chamber A at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

(Credit: NASA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 33

Strategic Objective 1.7: Transform NASA 

missions and advance the Nation’s capabilities by maturing crosscutting and innovative space technologies.

For decades, NASA’s investment in space 

technology has helped make the United 

States the global leader in space exploration and scientific discovery, while significantly contributing to the technology-based 

U.S. economy. NASA’s Space Technology 

Mission Directorate (STMD) continues that 

legacy today with a portfolio that spans a 

broad range of technical areas and various stages of technical maturity, from early 

stage concepts through flight demonstration. 

Through STMD, NASA advances technologies to improve capabilities for future human 

exploration and science missions (e.g., SLS, 

Orion, outer planetary exploration). In addition, STMD collaborates with other Government agencies to transform the Nation’s capabilities in key technology areas; academia 

and other organizations to advance early 

stage concepts and technology development; and industry to advance technologies 

with potential to benefit the U.S. commercial 

space sector. The following are just a few 

examples of recent accomplishments:

• Advanced Orion compression pads, a 

game changing woven thermal protection system technology tailored to the 

needs of the Orion spacecraft. This 

technology has completed mission infusion review for Exploration Mission 1.

• The second near-space test flight of 

the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD), a technology that could enable larger payloads to Mars and set 

the stage for future human explorers. 

• The first in-space, 3D-printed object 

(aboard the ISS), paving the way to future long-term space expeditions.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA Advances the State of the Art in High Power 

Solar Arrays

High power solar arrays represent a key 

STMD technology investment that can significantly benefit future NASA missions, 

other U.S. Government agencies, and commercial space. In 2012, NASA selected 

two companies – Alliant Techsystems, Inc. 

(now Orbital ATK) and Deployable Space 

Systems (DSS) – to develop solar arrays to 

enable future electric propulsion systems. 

Each company has a distinct design for its 

array. The Orbital ATK MegaFlex design is 

a circular array that opens axially like a fan. 

The DSS Mega-ROSA (i.e., Roll-Out Solar 

Array) design features a rectangular shape 

with flexible, modular “winglets” attached to 

a composite boom that can be rolled in or out 

like a window shade. These novel arrays 

are sized to provide approimately 20 kilowatts of power per wing, offering significant 

benefits over current systems. Compared 

to those on current commercial satellites, 

for example, these solar arrays can produce 

electricity with half the mass, a quarter of the 

stowed volume, and four times the radiation 

tolerance. Additionally, automated manufacturing of the new arrays could reduce 

cost by 35 percent.

There are many potential applications. Together with advanced thrusters and other 

novel technologies, these arrays will enable 

high-power solar electric propulsion for future NASA missions. These missions could 

include planetary or cis-lunar science missions, deep space human exploration, satellite servicing, orbital debris removal, and 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Mission Performance

Page 34 

Image Caption: ATK’s MegaFlex and DSS’s Mega-ROSA high power solar arrays. (Credit: NASA)

payload delivery. Additionally, another infusion application includes a functional space 

demonstration of large, advanced solar arrays on the ISS as an upgrade for increased 

power. 

These systems are of interest for commercial satellite applications, as well. Current 

commercial satellites use large composite 

fold-out panels. The reduced mass and 

stowage volume afforded by these new solar arrays can lower satellite launch costs 

and eliminate the need for large, expensive 

launch shrouds. Similarly, these arrays offer potential costs savings and operational 

benefits for military satellite missions, and 

therefore are of interest to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Both teams have made great progress on 

their array designs, and possible applications for these systems continue to unfold. 

These high power solar arrays are only two 

examples of STMD’s investment in a broad 

range of technologies with crosscutting, 

transformative payoffs. 

Strategic Goal 2: 

Advance understanding of Earth 

and develop technologies to 

improve the quality of life on our 

home planet.

NASA’s accomplishments advance the understanding of Earth and help to improve life 

for its inhabitants, whether developing new 

aircraft technologies for safer, more efficient 

air travel, uncovering the complexities of 

Earth’s natural systems, or transferring technologies to the commercial marketplace. 

This goal includes NASA’s objectives for 

aeronautics research, Earth science, technology portfolio optimization, and science, 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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technology, engineering, and mathematics 

(STEM) education.

Strategic Objective 2.1: Enable a revolutionary transformation for safe and sustainable U.S. and global aviation by advancing aeronautics research.

The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) contributes unique innovations 

to aviation through research activities that 

help sustain and advance the U.S. civil aviation industry. The results of these activities 

will enable a revolutionary transformation of 

the aviation system to improve quality of life 

and productivity on Earth.

ARMD established a new strategic vision in 

the 2014 NASA Strategic Plan, identifying 

six new strategic research thrusts: safe, efficient growth in global operations; innovation 

in commercial supersonic aircraft; ultra-efficient commercial vehicles; transition to lowcarbon propulsion; real-time, system-wide 

safety assurance; and assured autonomy 

for aviation transformation. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA completes the Environmentally Responsible 

Aviation Project

The Environmentally Responsible Aviation 

project concluded its final year having successfully completed eight Integrated Technology Demonstrations that support a NASA 

goal to enable industry to build advanced, 

ultra-efficient commercial vehicles. For airplanes that will be flying in the 2020-2025 

timeframe, NASA research is aimed at cutting fuel use in half, reducing emissions up 

to 75 percent during takeoff and landing, 

and quieting aircraft noise 42 decibels below 

current standards. Two of these demonstrations took place this year aboard Boeing’s 

ecoDemonstrator 757, a flying laboratory 

that allows researchers to try out aeronautical innovations in real-world conditions. The 

first of the two demonstrations studied how 

small jets embedded in an aircraft’s vertical 

tail and blowing air over its surfaces could 

provide enough force to safely allow smaller 

tails on future aircraft designs. That would 

save weight, reduce drag and drop fuel usage up to 0.5 percent – a small number that 

quickly adds up to big savings for an airline 

operating hundreds of flights each day. 

Image Caption: NASA’s recent green aviation 

tests included the Active Flow Control Enhanced 

Vertical Tail Flight Experiment, for which 31 small 

devices called sweeping jet actuators were installed on the tail of a Boeing 757 ecoDemonstrator aircraft to determine what, if any, impact 

the devices had on the aerodynamics of the tail. 

(Credit: NASA/Boeing)

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Image Caption: Materials scientist Mia Sioch (left) and systems engineer Mike Alexander (center), both 

from NASA’s Langley Research Center, join Boeing technician Felix Boyett on a scissor lift so they can 

count insect residue on the right wing of Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator 757 aircraft as part of NASA non-stick 

bug coating research in Shreveport, Louisiana. (Credit: NASA/Paul Bagby)

Find out more about ARMD’s first demonstration with Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator in 

their press release, “NASA Wraps Up First 

Green Aviation Tests on Boeing ecoDemonstrator.”

The other demonstration studied how well 

special coatings worked to prevent sticky 

bug residue from building up on the leading edge of an airplane wing and increasing drag. Less bug residue would smooth 

airflow and help reduce fuel consumption. 

NASA knowledge gained through the ecoDemonstrator research will be publicly available to benefit industry.

Find out more about ARMD’s second demonstration with special coatings in their press 

release, “NASA Tests Aircraft Wing Coatings 

that Slough Bug Guts.”

Strategic Objective 2.2: Advance knowledge of Earth as a system to meet the 

challenges of environmental change, 

and to improve life on our planet.

NASA’s Earth Science programs shape an 

interdisciplinary view of Earth, exploring the 

interaction among the atmosphere, oceans, 

ice sheets, land surface interior, and life itself, which enables scientists to measure 

global and climate changes and to inform 

decisions by government, organizations, 

and people. NASA’s global observations 

provide a unique vantage point from which 

to study and gain understanding of changes 

in the planet. Since the Agency’s inception 

in 1958, NASA has established itself as a 

world leader in Earth science and climate 

studies. 

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Image Caption: NASA successfully completed the launch of five new Earth-observing missions in less 

than a year. (Credit: NASA)

NASA does more than develop and build 

Earth-observing spacecraft and sensors. 

The Agency’s multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and computer modelers 

also analyze vast archives of data for insights into Earth’s interconnected systems—

atmosphere, ocean, ice, land, biosphere—

and openly provide that data to the global 

community. NASA designs and deploys airborne, ground-based, and ocean-going field 

campaigns that complement, enhance, and 

improve space-based observational capabilities. NASA also works with other government agencies and partner organizations 

to apply Earth science data and computer 

models to improve decision making and 

solve problems.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: SMAP 

Launch Completes Five Launches in 11 

Months

With the launch of Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) on January 31, 2015, NASA 

successfully completed the launch of five 

new Earth-observing missions in less than 

a year. In addition to SMAP’s measurements of soil moisture to improve climate 

and weather forecasts, the new missions 

are making ground-breaking observations 

of carbon dioxide (Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2), ocean winds (ISS-RapidScat), clouds and aerosols (Cloud Aerosol 

Transport System, or CATS) and precipitation (Global Precipitation Measurement, or 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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GPM). Three of these missions, RapidScat, 

CATS, and SMAP launched in FY 2015.

These new missions will use the vantage 

point of space to give scientists the data they 

need to better understand Earth as a whole 

system. With these missions, including two 

instruments mounted on the exterior of the 

ISS, NASA now has 18 Earth-observing 

space missions in operation, providing the 

world with an improved global view of this 

changing planet. Observations from these 

missions, like all NASA data, will be freely 

available to the international scientific community and decision makers in the United 

States and abroad. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA Satellites Provide Critical Information on Extent of California Drought

Working with the California Department of 

Water Resources (CDWR) and other state 

and Federal agencies, a NASA Applied Sciences project team applied Landsat, Terra, 

and Aqua satellite observations to create 

monthly fallowed-area maps of the Central 

Valley of California. The maps depict crop 

development on more than 200,000 fields 

in the valley, and a key innovation was 

the monthly production during the growing 

season. In 2014 and 2015, CDWR used 

the maps and other data to gauge idle agricultural land and inform state authorities 

about the extent of a drought. The information helped inform the allocation of drought 

emergency funds to food banks and social 

services agencies in affected counties, to 

provide support for farmworkers and their 

families.

Image Caption: The statewide map of California is based on data from the Landsat series of satellites and 

from NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. They show changes in crop cultivation and idle agricultural lands 

in California in August 2011 (on the left) and August 2014 (on the right). Brown pixels depict farms and orchards that have been left fallow, or “idled,” since January 1 in each year. Green pixels show plots where 

at least one crop was grown during the calendar year. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua 

Stevens, based on data from Forrest Melton, California State University, Monterey Bay)

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Image Caption: NASA’s TechPort is an integrated, Agency-wide software system designed 

to capture, track, and manage NASA’s portfolio 

of technology investments. (Credit: NASA)

Strategic Objective 2.3: Optimize Agency 

technology investments, foster open innovation, and facilitate technology infusion, ensuring the greatest national benefit.

NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist 

(OCT) enables critical technology

development and open innovation, optimizes 

NASA’s technology portfolio, and maximizes 

the transfer of NASA technology to U.S.

partners. This work is performed under

the Partnership Development and Strategic 

Integration program.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA Releases TechPort

In FY 2015, NASA publicly released the

Technology Portfolio System (TechPort), 

which is NASA’s first comprehensive resource for locating information about NASAfunded technology development activities. 

NASA’s technology development activities 

cover a broad range of areas, such as propulsion, nanotechnology, robotics, and human health. TechPort contains a variety of 

useful information on these activities, including technology descriptions, images, and locations where work is being performed.

Image Caption: The NASA Software Catalog 

offers an extensive portfolio of software products for a wide variety of technical applications. 

(Credit: NASA)

This beta system enables the public to explore NASA’s technology portfolio and learn 

about technology programs and projects 

as NASA works to mature technologies for 

aeronautics, space exploration, and scientific discovery missions. NASA is offering the 

public the opportunity to give this beta system a trial run and then provide feedback. 

Users’ input will enhance the system design 

and the type of information provided in future versions. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA Releases Second Edition of the NASA Software Catalog

In 2015, OCT released the second edition 

of the NASA Software Catalog, a downloadable collection of software programs providing cutting-edge solutions for a wide array of 

industrial, academic, government, and public applications. 

The catalog includes more than 1,000 software codes organized into 15 categories, 

available for use at no charge. It enables 

NASA projects, government agencies, and 

other users to save money and time by using 

ready-made coding tools rather than buying 

or building their own. Since the catalog deNASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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Page 40 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information

buted in 2014, NASA has seen a dramatic 

increase in code sharing across government 

projects, and more than 100,000 downloads 

of the catalog and millions of visitors to the 

Web site to date.

Visit the Technology Transfer Program web 

site to find out more about NASA technologies, read success stories, explore additional resources, and to view the Patent Portfolio.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA Unveiled the Latest Technology Roadmaps 

for Future Agency Needs

NASA has released the Agency’s 2015 technology roadmaps, laying out the promising new technologies that will help NASA 

achieve its aeronautics, science, and human 

exploration missions for the next 20 years, 

including the NASA’s journey to Mars.

NASA released a Request for Information, 

seeking public comment on the draft roadmaps to increase awareness, generate innovative solutions for space exploration and 

scientific discovery, and inspire public involvement in the U.S. space program. Public input was received and incorporated into 

the roadmaps. The final roadmaps were 

posted on OCT’s Web site in July 2015.

The roadmaps are a key part of NASA’s 

Strategic Technology Investment Plan. 

They lay out the strategy, guiding principles, 

and priorities for developing technologies 

that are essential to NASA’s Mission and 

Image Caption: The 2015 NASA Technology Roadmaps are comprised of 15 distinct Technology Area 

roadmaps. (Credit: NASA)
Mission Performance

Page 41

help achieve national goals. Many of the 

technologies developed will also help meet 

the needs of other government agencies, as 

well as support the growth of the U.S. commercial space industry.

Strategic Objective 2.4: Advance the Nation’s Science, Technology, Engineering, 

and Math (STEM) education and workforce pipeline by working collaboratively 

with other agencies to engage students, 

teachers, and faculty in NASA’s missions 

and unique assets.

NASA’s education programs work in collaboration with other Federal agencies to 

improve the quality of STEM education 

in the United States, which supports both 

NASA’s Strategic Plan and the Administration’s STEM policy. To maintain a globally 

competitive Nation, the Office of Education’s 

programs develop and deliver activities that 

support the growth of NASA’s and the Nation’s STEM workforce, help develop STEM 

educators, engage and establish partnerships with institutions, and inspire and educate the public. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA Hosts 

Rocket Week at Wallops Flight Facility 

Rocket Week, held in June 2015 at NASA’s 

Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, provided 

student and educator participants with the 

Image Caption: On June 25, 2015, NASA successfully launched a Terrier-Improved Orion suborbital 

sounding rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. It carried student experiments developed through the 

RockOn/RockSat-C programs. More than 200 middle school and university students and instructors participating in Rocket Week at Wallops were on hand to witness the launch. (Credit: NASA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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opportunity to learn about rocketry, developing experiments for space flight, team work, 

and how to apply these lessons in the classroom and to careers. 

About 150 university and community college students and instructors built and flew 

experiments on a NASA suborbital rocket 

through the RockOn and RockSat-C programs. Conducted in collaboration with the 

Colorado and Virginia Space Grant Consortia, RockOn is in its eighth year, while RockSat-C is in its seventh year. In addition, 

20 high school educators examined how to 

apply rocketry basics into their curriculum 

through the Wallops Rocket Academy for 

Teachers (WRATS), which is in its fifth year.

Strategic Goal 3: 

Serve the American public and accomplish our Mission by effectively 

managing our people, technical 

capabilities, and infrastructure.

NASA maintains a dedicated, knowledgeable workforce and cutting-edge facilities 

and capabilities to carry out the ambitious 

tasks for its Mission. The programs under Strategic Goal 3 support all of NASA’s 

space-, air-, and Earth-based research and 

innovation activities, producing the best return on the Nation’s investment. Strategic 

Goal 3 includes NASA’s strategic objectives 

for the Mission Support Directorate (MSD), 

technical capabilities, information technology (IT) services, and Safety and Mission 

Success programs.

Strategic Objective 3.1: Attract and advance a highly skilled, competent, and 

diverse workforce, cultivate an innovative work environment, and provide the 

facilities, tools, and services needed to 

conduct NASA’s missions.

NASA is dedicated to innovation, bold ideas, 

and excellence, which enable the Agency to 

provide the day-to-day operations required 

to support and achieve its missions. Programs aligned with Strategic Objective 3.1 

ensure effective management of human 

capital, finance, information technology, infrastructure, acquisitions, security, real and 

personal property, occupational health and 

safety, equal employment opportunity and 

diversity, small business programs, external 

relations, internal and external communications, stakeholder engagement, and other 

essential corporate functions. 

Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA 

named the Best Place to Work in the Federal Government for the Third Consecutive Year 

NASA’s most powerful asset for achieving 

mission success is a multidisciplinary team 

of diverse, talented people across NASA 

Centers. For the third consecutive year, 

NASA was voted the Best Place to Work 

in the Federal Government, according to 

the Partnership for Public Service. Based 

on 2014 Employee Viewpoint Survey results, this survey also named NASA the topranked large agency on innovation. These 

results are a testament to the excellence of 

NASA’s workforce and their determination to 

maintain America’s leadership in space exploration. 

Information on careers at NASA, benefits, 

retirement information, and the Human 

Capital Program are available on the NASA 

People Web site. 

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Key Achievement in FY 2015: NASA 

achieves success in freezing the footprint from FY 2012 to FY 2015 

NASA identifies underutilized assets and 

demolishes facilities as part of its facilities 

strategy to renew and modernize the Agency’s facilities and to sustain capabilities. 

Since 2004, NASA has demolished or disposed of 1,380 facilities, and since FY 2012, 

when the Office of Management and Budget 

issued the Freeze the Footprint policy for the 

Federal Government, NASA has achieved a 

2.2 percent total reduction in square footage 

for office and warehouse space. In concert with demolition activities, NASA also 

consolidates facilities, uses public-private 

partnerships to offset operating costs, and 

requires offsets for new construction. These 

Image Caption: Buildings are demolished at NASA’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory in California. (Credit: 

NASA)

policies, activities, and investments reduce 

long-term facilities sustainment, utilities, and 

other support requirements, allowing NASA 

to focus on renewing and modernizing facilities and capabilities.

Strategic Objective 3.2: Ensure the availability and continued advancement of 

strategic, technical, and programmatic 

capabilities to sustain NASA’s Mission.

NASA’s technical capabilities and assets 

support NASA missions, as well as the work 

of others outside of the Agency. The programs under Strategic Objective 3.2 ensure 

that the Agency’s key capabilities and critical assets will be available in the future to 

support the missions that require them, such 

as launch services to NASA and civil sector 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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Page 44 

Image Caption: NASA’s SMAP observatory 

launches aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta 

II rocket on January 31, 2015, at Space Launch 

Complex-2, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. (Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)

missions, as well as an uninterrupted, reliable space communications network to allow data transmissions to Earth from space.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Successful 

launches of Expendable Launch Vehicles 

for NASA Missions

The Launch Services program achieved a 

100 percent success rate in FY 2015 with 

the successful launch of two NASA missions. 

This included the launch of the SMAP observatory on a United Launch Alliance Delta II 

rocket on January 31, 2015.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Successful Series of Tests for the Space Launch 

System (SLS) RS-25 Rocket Engine

During FY 2015, the RPT program performed 453 tests for a total of 116,262 seconds of test time, while maintaining 98.7 

percent test stand availability. RPT’s customers included the SLS program’s series 

of tests of the RS-25 developmental engine

as part of the engine’s preparation for a return to deep-space missions aboard the new 

SLS rocket. NASA is designing the SLS to 

carry humans deeper into space than ever 

before, to such destinations as an asteroid 

and Mars. Four RS-25 engines will power 

the core stage of the new vehicle. RS-25 

engines formerly served as the Space Shuttle’s main engines. They will be operated 

at slightly higher power levels to provide the 

additional thrust needed to power the SLS. 

The main goal of the series was to test the 

engine under simulated temperature, pressure, and other changes required by the 

SLS design. The first test in the series was 

in January, and the series concluded successfully at the end of the fiscal year.

Image Caption: Engineers conducted an SLS 

RS-25 rocket engine test fire at NASA’s Stennis 

Space Center, Mississippi, in June 2015. (Credit: NASA)

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Page 45

Image Caption: An artist’s concept of TDRS-L 

shows the satellite in orbit. (Credit: NASA)

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Initial Operational Capability achieved for TDRS-L

In FY 2015, NASA completed Initial Operational Capability for the Tracking and 

Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)-L, which was 

launched in January 2014. TDRS-L is the 

latest element in the communications network that links NASA’s ground controllers 

to orbiting spacecraft, including the Hubble 

Space Telescope, the ISS, and NASA’s 

Earth-observing missions.

Strategic Objective 3.3: Provide secure, 

effective, and affordable information 

technologies and services that enable 

NASA’s Mission.

Information technology is a critical component of NASA’s infrastructure to enable 

mission success. The Agency IT Services 

(AITS) program provides the policy and 

management for NASA’s enterprise IT services, including end user services, business applications, network management, 

computing platforms and data centers, and 

Web services for the Agency’s Web sites. IT 

security is a crucial element within the delivery of these services to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of NASA’s information assets. The AITS program 

provides innovative IT solutions to assist 

NASA’s scientists, engineers, and analysts 

with cost-effectively achieving their mission. 

The program also improves public access to 

NASA’s scientific and technical information 

and increases public participation in NASA’s 

diverse activities.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Leveraging 

NASA’s Data

NASA released over 30,000 datasets and 

40 application programming interfaces during FY 2015 through its public online portal at https://data.nasa.gov/, supporting the 

Federal cross-agency priority goal on open 

government data. Datasets available on 

NASA’s data portal are automatically listed 

on the Government-wide Web site, data.

gov. NASA’s data portal includes developer 

resources to help users build applications 

that utilize NASA’s data, as well as robust 

data visualization tools to increase the public understanding of the datasets. Additionally, participants in the 2015 International 

Space Apps Challenge used NASA datasets 

for their challenge submissions across four 

areas: Earth, Outer Space, Humans, and 

Robotics. To obtain a clearer understanding 

of the demand for NASA’s data, the Agency 

introduced a new capability at data.nasa.

gov that allows the public to request specific datasets. Furthermore, in order to improve the accessibility of certain key data, 

NASA’s Open Innovation team provided fully 

machine-readable datasets on NASA’s intellectual property and user facilities on data.

gov. Previously, these data were stored in 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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Page 46 

Image Caption: NASA’s data portal, located at http://data.nasa.gov, is a continually growing catalog of 

publically available NASA datasets, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), visualizations, and more. 

(Credit: NASA)

separate databases and in non-machine 

readable formats. The user facilities dataset alone has been viewed over 2,000 times 

on data.gov. 

NASA also took strides to use its data 

more effectively to improve mission performance. On July 16, 2013, there was a 

near catastrophic incident during NASA’s 

224th spacewalk, or extravehicular activity 

(EVA). A Mishap Investigation Board (MIB) 

later identified the EVA data and data systems as one of the root-causes that required 

correction since inability to quickly access a 

previous failure mode resulted in the team 

relying on data from memory. The MIB recommended the integration of EVA data systems to provide EVA users with easy access 

to complete, accurate, and up-to-date data, 

which led to the initiation of the EVA Data Integration (EDI) project. The EVA Management Office turned to the Office of the Chief 

Information Officer (OCIO) for help in solving this data integration challenge. Through 

this collaboration, the EDI project developed 

a vision and integration plan that leverages 

OCIO’s cloud computing and data architecture initiatives to solve the problems of the 

traditional stove-piped data systems. Ultimately, the EDI project reduces data complexity, increases value of data through unified systems, improves timely availability of 

data, makes data collaboration easier, and 

allows for smarter mission decisions.

Key Achievement in FY 2015: Upgrades 

to the Security Operations Center

NASA completed a set of upgrades in FY 

2015 for the Security Operations Center 

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(SOC) at Ames Research Center. The upgrades spanned across 27 Intrusion Detection Systems, increasing the Agency’s 

readiness to combat cyber threats. These 

technology upgrades improve the SOC’s 

capability to detect and prevent security incidents, increasing the ability to analyze system and network vulnerabilities across the 

enterprise as compared to known and evolving cyber threats.

Strategic Objective 3.4: Ensure effective 

management of NASA programs and operations to complete the mission safely 

and successfully.

Safety and Mission Success (SMS) programs protect the health and safety of the 

NASA workforce and improve the likelihood 

that NASA’s programs, projects, and operations will be completed safely and successfully. NASA’s commitment to safety and 

mission success encompasses its employees, contractors, commercial partners, and 

the American public. SMS activities are 

conducted by the Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE), Office of Safety and Mission 

Assurance (OSMA), and Office of the Chief 

Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO).

SMS successfully implemented its strategic 

objective of enhancing mission success of 

NASA’s programs, projects, and operations, 

while ensuring the safety and health of the 

public and the NASA workforce in FY 2015. 

SMS demonstrated this through the following:

• Zero fatalities or permanent disabling injuries to the public resulting from NASA 

activities. 

• Maintaining a Total Case Rate and Lost 

Time Case Rate that exceeded the goals 

of the President’s Protecting Our Workers and Ensuring Reemployment initiative.

• Reducing the non-mission failure damage to NASA assets. 

• Ensuring 100 percent of Category 1 and 

2 projects used Agency SMS policy, procedures, and independent assessments 

focused on both technical and programmatic mission success.

• Ensuring that 100 percent of the engineering and programmatic workforce 

had access to the standards and knowledge base needed to maintain and build 

their skills.

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NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Financial Performance

CFO Letter

Page 49

February 11, 2016

On behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 

I am pleased to present the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 financial highlights 

and financial statements. As demonstrated throughout this Summary of 

Performance and Financial Information (SPFI), NASA is committed to 

the highest standards of financial accountability in support of the Nation’s 

aeronautics and space missions executed around the world. The SPFI 

is the cornerstone of NASA’s efforts to provide transparent, meaningful 

financial information to the American public and to demonstrate the Agency’s effective stewardship of the finite resources entrusted to it. 

More importantly, the SPFI culminates the work and dedication displayed 

every day by the Agency’s workforce, the Office of Inspector General, and 

our independent external auditor. The SPFI represents the intersection 

between NASA’s programs and financial management. As the complexity and diversity of our mission 

portfolio grows, the Agency’s financial systems and processes are also evolving to meet expanding program, management, and other stakeholder information needs. 

NASA operates world-wide, with nine operating Centers and associated component facilities and one 

Federally Funded Research and Development Center. The SPFI represents the complexity of financing 

our operations, through a combination of public-private partnerships and relationships/agreements with 

a multitude of other Federal agencies to achieve our respective missions. Similar to the progress in our 

mission portfolios, NASA continues to make progress in the effectiveness of our financial management 

practices and systems. For example, this year NASA: 

• Initiated a business process documentation and streamlining effort with the goal of defining consistent, effective core business processes across our diversified Centers and facilities. NASA focused 

on the travel and reimbursable agreement processes in FY 2015 and additional areas will be added 

in the future. 

• Expanded the use of the Department of Defense’s Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) eInvoicing system. 

WAWF is an electronic invoicing, receipt and acceptance system that will improve NASA’s cash flow 

management, eliminate lost documents and, ultimately, reduce operating costs. 

• Improved the budget formulation and execution systems to better align with mission needs and 

to increase the usage of those systems across the Agency. These systems provide a consistent 

means for developing, maintaining and tracking NASA’s budget and budget decisions. 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

• Continued to meet Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA) and Improper Payments Elimination 

and Recovery Act (IPERA) compliance requirements over the last nine years. NASA has reviewed 

all of its programs annually and has not identified significant improper payments for any of its programs. 

As evidence that our efforts continue to have tangible results, I am pleased to report that NASA remains 

in substantial compliance with the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act (FFMIA). I also take 

great pride in reporting that for the fifth year in a row NASA received an unmodified “clean” audit opinion 

of our FY 2015 financial statements, with no material weaknesses. This year’s opinion identifies two 

significant deficiencies, one related to information technology and the other to NASA’s asbestos liability 

estimate, and non-compliance with the Single Audit Act. We take these issues seriously and have developed plans toward remediating the underlying issues as soon as possible.

The financial highlights that follow explain how we used the funds entrusted to us to perform our mission and achieve the results described in this SPFI’s Performance section. In the Financial section, we 

provide our audited financial statements, accompanying notes, and the independent auditor’s opinion on 

our financial statements. 

I am pleased with our achievements and remain committed to ensuring sound financial management that 

delivers reliable and actionable information for both internal and external decision makers and stakeholders. I appreciate the immense dedication of the entire Agency, with special thanks to the Office of 

Inspector General.

David P. Radzanowski

Chief Financial Officer 

Page 50 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Page 51

Financial Highlights

This section provides highlights of NASA’s financial performance for fiscal year (FY) 2015. 

The highlights explain the financial results of program and operational decisions. Key components of this section include:

Overview of Financial Position — Balance Sheet

Sources of Funding — Statement of Budgetary Resources

Net Cost of Operations — Statement of Net Cost

Overview of Financial Position

NASA’s Balance Sheet provides a comparable snapshot of the Agency’s financial position 

as of September 30, 2015 and September 30, 2014. It displays amounts in three primary 

categories:

• Assets, which are the 

future economic benefits 

owned or available for use 

by NASA; 

• Liabilities, which are 

amounts owed by NASA 

but not yet paid; and 

• Net Position, which reflects

the sources and uses of 

Agency funding.

 

 

Percent 

Balance Sheet Categories

(In Millions of Dollars) 2015 2014

(%) 

Change

Total Assets $ 16,979 $ 18,155 (6)

 Fund Balance with Treasury

 General Property, Plant and Equipment

 Other

 9,980

 6,782

 217 

10,293

7,679

183

(3)

(12)

19 

Total Liabilities

Accounts Payable

Environmental and Disposal Liabilities

Other Accrued Liabilities

Other Liabilities

$ 4,811 $ 4,560

 1,455 

 1,412 

1,372

 529

1,565

1,274

1,185

488

6

(7)

11 

16

8

Federal Employee and Veteran’s Benefits 43 48 (10)

 Total Net Position $ 12,168 $ 13,595 (10)

Unexpended Appropriations

Cumulative Results of Operations

 6,988 

 5,180 

7,413

6,182

(6)

(16)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Fund Balance with Treasury,

$9,980,

59%

General Property, Plant and Equipment, 

$6,782, 

40%

Other,

$217, 

1%

Asset by Type for FY 2015

(in Millions of Dollars)

Assets were the largest of the three categories (Total Liabilities plus Total Net Position 

will always equal Total Assets). NASA’s asset balance at the end of FY 2015, was $17 

billion, 6 percent lower than in FY 2014.

The Agency’s Fund Balance with Treasury 

(FBWT) and its General Property, Plant and 

Equipment (G-PP&E) were the two primary 

components of the total asset balance. 

FBWT, which represents NASA’s cash balance with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, was the largest asset at $10 billion, 

59 percent of total assets. This cash balance included Congressional appropriations 

funds available for NASA’s mission work 

(for example, employee labor or purchased 

goods and services from contractors) that 

have not yet been paid. 

NASA’s G-PP&E had a net book value of 

$6.8 billion as of September 30, 2015, which 

was a decrease of $897 million, 12 percent 

lower than in FY 2014. The decrease was 

driven by depreciation of the International 

Space Station (ISS). 

The Other category represents the amount 

of Investments, Accounts Receivable, and 

Other Assets at the end of FY 2015. The 

increase of $34 million, 19 percent higher 

than in FY 2014, is primarily due to launch 

services supporting National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R (GOES-R). As the launch date is approached, milestone requirements increase 

in value. This increase is most apparent in 

the launch year and the two years before 

launch. GOES-R is slated to launch in early 

2016.

Page 52 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Page 53

Accounts Payable,

$1,455, 

30%

Environmental and 

Disposal Liabilities, 

$1,412,

29%

Other Accrued 

Liabilities,

$1,372, 

29%

Other Liabilities,

$529, 

11%

Federal Employee and 

Veteran's Benefits,

$43,

1%

Liabilities by Type for FY 2015

(in Millions of Dollars)

Liabilities as of September 30, 2015, 

were $4.8 billion. Accounts Payable, 

Environmental and Disposal Liabilities, 

and Other Accrued Liabilities represent the 

majority of NASA’s liabilities. 

Accounts Payable, which represents 

amounts owed to other entities, was $1.5 

billion, a decrease of $110 million, or 

7 percent, compared to FY 2014. The 

decrease is primarily due to contract 

closeout activities in FY 2015 which resulted 

in payment of invoices, thereby reducing the 

accounts payable balance compared to FY 

2014.

Environmental and Disposal Liabilities 

of $1.4 billion, represents the estimated 

cost to cleanup both known and projected 

environmental hazards. These liabilities 

increased by $138 million, or 11 percent, 

from FY 2014. The increase was primarily 

due to higher estimated cleanup costs for 

existing environmental restoration projects.

Other Accrued Liabilities with public entities 

were $1.4 billion, an increase of $187 million, 

or 16 percent, compared to FY 2014. This 

increase was related to the straight-line 

cost accrual process used for specific types 

of contracts and purchase orders that are 

accrued monthly and which will disburse 

over the period of performance.

Other Liabilities represents various amounts, 

including Advances to Others, Unfunded 

Annual Leave and Accrued Funded Payroll. 

The increase of $41 million, 8 percent 

higher than in FY 2014, is primarily due to 

more advance payments being received 

for the Planetary Ventures lease in FY 

2015. This agreement did not exist in FY 

2014. Additionally, more advances were 

received in FY 2015 from the Department 

of Homeland Security for NASA to provide 

application development and computing 

infrastructure support for the Automated 

Behavior Analysis (AuBA) system.

Federal Employee and Veteran’s Benefits 

are amounts the Department of Labor 

estimates on behalf of NASA for future 

workers’ compensation liabilities for 

current employees. The estimate for future 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Page 54 

workers’ compensation benefits includes the 

expected liability for death, disability, medical 

and miscellaneous costs for approved

compensation cases, plus a component of 

claims incurred but not reported.

Net Position, comprised of Unexpended

Appropriations and Cumulative Results of

Operations (“net worth”), decreased by $1.4 

billion, 10 percent from FY 2014. Unexpended Appropriations, at $7 billion, was

down by 6 percent from FY 2014 balances. 

This was primarily due to a decrease in unobligated balances available in FY 2015

compared to FY 2014. Cumulative Results 

of Operations, at $5.2 billion, was down by 

16 percent from FY 2014 balances, primarily 

due to the increase in depreciation expense 

associated with the ISS and higher costs to 

execute NASA missions.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information

Sources of Funding

The Statement of Budgetary Resources provides information on the budgetary/funding 

available to NASA. NASA’s resources consist 

primarily of funds received from two sources: 

• Appropriations from Congress for the 

current fiscal year and unobligated balances from prior fiscal years; and 

• Revenue from agreements with other 

governmental organizations or private 

entities

In FY 2015, the total funds available for use 

by the Agency were $22.2 billion. 

Appropriations from Congress for FY 2015, 

at $18 billion, comprised 81 percent of the 

funds available for use by the Agency. Congress designates the funding available to the 

Agency for a specific NASA mission or purpose. Appropriations that remained available from prior years comprised $1.2 billion, 

5 percent of NASA’s available resources in 

FY 2015. 

NASA’s funding also included $3.1 billion in 

FY 2015 from revenue earned from agreeCongressional 

Appropriations,

$18,013,

81%

Revenue from 

Agreements,

$3,067, 

14%

Prior Year 

Congressional 

Appropriation, 

$1,151, 

5%

Less: Other,

$(56), 

0%

Sources of Funding by Type for FY 2015

(in Millions of Dollars)
Financial Performance

Page 55

ments of $2.8 billion and recoveries of prior 

year obligations of $256 million. Earned

revenues with other governmental organizations or private entities were received under 

NASA’s authority to provide goods, services, 

or use of facilities to other entities on a reimbursable basis.

Of the $22.2 billion funding available to

NASA in FY 2015, NASA obligated $21.1 billion for programmatic and institutional use.

An obligation results from an agreement that 

binds the Government to make an expenditure (or outlay) of funds, and reflects a reservation of budget authority that will be used to 

pay for a contract, labor, or other items. The 

remaining $1.1 billion remains available for 

obligation until the funds expire. 

Net Cost of Operations

The Statement of Net Cost presents Net 

Cost of Operations by strategic goal and for 

NASA overall. NASA’s strategic goals are 

described in the Mission Performance section of the Agency Financial Report. The 

Net Cost of Operations represents gross 

cost incurred less revenue earned for work 

performed for other government organizations or private entities. As of September 

30, 2015, NASA’s gross cost was $21.9 

billion, an increase of $1.5 billion from FY 

2014. Earned Revenue from other government organizations or private entities was 

$2.3 billion, 10 percent of gross costs, leaving NASA with a FY 2015 net cost of $19.6 

billion, an increase of $1.4 billion from FY 

2014.

Gross Cost of Operations

NASA’s day-to-day operations are performed at NASA and contractor offices and 

facilities around the globe and in space. 

Gross Costs of Operations is presented in 

the following table, detailing select NASA 

programs that supported each strategic goal. 

Gross Cost of Operations includes expenses 

incurred for NASA’s R&D investments that 

are expected to maintain or increase national economic productive capacity or yield 

other future benefits. See the Required 

Supplemental Stewardship Information section of the AFR (page 99) for further discussion. Highlights of NASA program activities 

Strategic Goal 1,

$12,644

64%

Strategic Goal 3,

$5,024,

26%

Strategic Goal 2,

$1,902,

10%

Net Cost of Operations by Strategic Goal

(In Millions of Dollars)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Page 56 

Gross Cost by Strategic Goal

(In Millions of Dollars) 2015 2014

Percent 

(%)

Change

Strategic Goal 1 $ 12,962 $ 11,788 10 

International Space Station 3,941 2,921 35 

Space Launch System 1,753 1,825 (4)

Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle 1,319 1,041 27 

Other NASA Programs 5,949 6,001 (1) 

Strategic Goal 2 $ 3,741 $ 3,646 3 

Science Mission Directorate Reimbursable 1,493 1,474 1 

Earth Systematic Mission 633 590 7 

Earth Science Research 424 420 1 

Other NASA Programs 1,191 1,162 2 

Strategic Goal 3 $ 5,158 $ 4,895 5

Center Management and Operations 1,877 1,993 (6)

Space Communications and Navigation 514 566 (9)

Science & Engineering 496 363 37

Other NASA Programs 2,271 1,973 15

Total Gross Costs by Strategic Goal $ 21,861 $ 20,329 8 

as of September 30, 2015, that contributed 

to gross costs are provided for each strategic goal. A discussion of activities and costs 

that were reimbursed primarily by other government organizations or private entities (for 

example, earned revenue) is also provided.

Strategic Goal 1: Expand the frontiers of 

knowledge, capability, and opportunity in 

space. 

Gross Costs for Strategic Goal 1 were $13 

billion, an increase of $1.2 billion, 10 percent over FY 2014 costs. The costs for this 

strategic goal represent 59 percent of total 

Agency gross cost. The three primary programs that support this goal International 

Space Station (ISS), Space Launch System 

(SLS), and Orion contributed over 50 percent of the cost for Strategic Goal 1: 

• The ISS Program had costs of $3.9 billion, 

$1 billion higher costs in FY 2015 compared to FY 2014, and were largely driven by the launches of two domestic commercial cargo transportation systems.

• The SLS program had costs of $1.8 

billion, $72 million lower cost in FY 2015 

compared to FY 2014. SLS completed a 

key milestone ground test in preparation 

for future missions to help propel NASA’s 

SLS rocket and Orion Spacecraft while 

continuing the development of the SLS 

heavy-lift rocket.

• The Orion program incurred costs of $1.3 

billion, $278 million higher costs in FY 

2015 compared to FY 2014. The primary 

increase in Orion program costs resulted 

from a successful first orbital uncrewed 

test flight, and continued work to launch 

another uncrewed test flight in FY 2018.

Strategic Goal 2: Advance understanding of Earth and develop technologies to 

improve the quality of life on our home 

planet.

Gross Costs for Strategic Goal 2 were $3.7 

billion, an increase of $95 million, 3 percent over FY 2014 costs. The costs for this 

strategic goal represent 17 percent of total 

Agency gross cost. Almost half of the costs 

incurred for Strategic Goal 2 were in support 

of activities performed for other government 

organizations or private entities who reimburse NASA for these costs (earned revenue). The primary reimbursable activities 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Page 57

are described in the earned revenue discussion below.

The largest NASA organization and 

programs supporting Strategic Goal 2 were 

the Science Mission Directorate, Earth 

Systematic Mission, and Earth Science 

Research.

• The Science Mission Directorate Reimbursable organization incurred costs 

of $1.5 billion, $19 million higher costs 

compared to 2014. NASA conducted 

the “fit check” between the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS)-1 spacecraft and the Payload Attach Fitting 

to assure both components are mechanically compatible in preparation 

of mating the components at launch. 

• The Earth Systematic Mission program 

incurred costs of $633 million, $43 million higher costs in FY 2015 compared to 

2014. The Gravity Recovery and Climate 

Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO)

project completed development and design phase of the GRACE-FO satellites, 

which are scheduled to launch in 2017.

• The Earth Science Research program 

incurred costs of $424 million, $4 million higher costs in FY 2015 compared to 2014. The Scientific Computing project embarked on various 

experiments to test and improve onboard computing and reliability for 

the next generation of NASA’s Earth, 

Space and Planetary Science missions.

Strategic Goal 3: Serve the American 

public and accomplish our Mission by effectively managing our people, technical 

capabilities, and infrastructure.

Gross Costs for Strategic Goal 3 were $5.2 

billion, an increase of $263 million, 5 percent over FY 2014 costs. The costs for this 

strategic goal represent 24 percent of total 

Agency gross cost. Three of the largest 

NASA programs supporting Strategic Goal 

3 were Center Management and Operations 

(CMO), Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN), and Science and Engineering (S&E).

• CMO had costs of $1.9 billion, $116 million lower costs in FY 2015 compared 

to 2014. This is related to costs provided to the CMO for Agency programs 

and projects that reside at and are executed, along with the care of institutional assets, establishing and maintaining the staff and their competencies, 

and the maintenance and operation of 

facilities required by current and future 

programs and projects at the Centers.

• SCaN had costs of $514 million, $52 million lower costs in FY 2015 compared to 

2014.

• S&E program had costs of $496 million, 

$133 million higher costs in FY 2015 compared to 2014. The increase was due to 

an engineering services contract award 

at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

Earned Revenue 

Total earned revenue, which represents work 

performed by NASA for other government 

organizations or private entities, was $2.3 

billion in FY 2015, an increase of $156 million 

from FY 2014. Two programs accounted for 

over half of NASA’s earned revenue in FY 

2015: JPSS and GOES-R.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Page 58 

• NASA supports JPSS in partnership with 

NOAA. JPSS had earned revenue of $805 

million, an increase of $46 million from 

2014, primarily due to the completion of 

“fit check” for the JPSS-1 spacecraft. In 

addition, a delivery order was awarded for 

the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition III (Rapid III) contract for the JPSS-2 spacecraft. 

• Earned Revenue from GOES-R was 

$603 million, an increase of $39 million 

from 2014, primarily due to completion of 

the development of the GOES-R series 

satellite. The first satellite in the GOESR series is scheduled for launch in early 

2016. 

Image Caption: Engineers prepare to remove the CERES instrument from the Radiometric Calibration 

Chamber following the completion of thermal vacuum testing at Northrop Grumman’s manufacturing facility 

in Redondo Beach, Calif. This sensor will be integrated onto NOAA’s JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System) 

spacecraft, scheduled for launch in 2017. (Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Financial Performance

Limitations of the Financial Statements

The principal financial statements have been 

prepared to report the financial position and 

results of operations of NASA, pursuant 

to the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 3515(b). 

While the statements have been prepared 

from the books and records of NASA in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for Federal entities and the 

formats prescribed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-136, the 

statements are in addition to the financial 

reports used to monitor and control budgetary resources, which are prepared from the 

same books and records. The statements 

should be read with the realization that they 

are for a component of the U.S. Government, a sovereign entity.

Image Caption: Lights of an Aurora From the International Space Station. NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly 

captured this photo of an aurora from the International Space Station on June 23, 2015. The dancing lights 

of the aurora provide spectacular views on the ground, but also capture the imagination of scientists who 

study incoming energy and particles from the Sun. Aurora are one effect of such energetic particles, which 

can speed out from the Sun both in a steady stream called the solar wind and due to giant eruptions known 

as coronal mass ejections or CMEs. (Credit: NASA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information Page 59
Financial Performance

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Page 60 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Page 61

Systems, Controls, and 

Legal Compliance

NASA’s Internal Control Framework...................................................................63

Management Assurances...................................................................................65

Financial Systems Strategies.............................................................................67

Image Caption: Soyuz Rocket Boosts Expedition 44 Crew to the International Space Station. 

Soyuz TMA-17M launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station on July 23, carrying Expedition 44 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space 

Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren of NASA, and Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui of the Japan 

Aerospace Exploration Agency into orbit to begin their five-month mission on the Station. (Credit: NASA)

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
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Page 62 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance

Page 63

Systems, Controls and

Legal Compliance

NASA’s Internal Control Framework

The Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA) requires agency heads to 

evaluate and report on the internal control 

and financial systems to ensure the integrity of Federal programs and operations. 

This evaluation aims to provide reasonable 

assurance that internal controls are operating effectively to ensure efficient operations, 

reliable financial reporting, and compliance 

with applicable laws and regulations. 

Internal control is at the core of NASA 

fulfilling its mission and achieving its goals 

while safeguarding governmental resources. 

NASA management is responsible for 

implementing internal control activities 

that are appropriate to their department’s 

processes. NASA’s policy is to comply 

with Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) Circular A-123, Management’s 

Responsibility for Internal Control, which 

provides government-wide requirements for 

internal control and accountability, based 

on the FMFIA. OMB Circular A-123 also 

requires agencies to establish internal 

controls over their programs, financial 

reporting, and financial management 

systems.

NASA evaluates internal control across 

the Agency at various levels of the 

organization to ensure significant risks are 

identified, and related internal controls are 

tested and evaluated. NASA evaluates 

the effectiveness of the internal controls 

over operations, management systems, 

and financial reporting with consideration 

of reviews and other relevant sources of 

information.

NASA management is responsible for 

establishing and maintaining effective 

internal controls in its respective areas of 

responsibility. As part of this responsibility, 

management regularly evaluates internal 

control, and NASA executive leadership 

provides annual assurance statements 

reporting on the effectiveness of internal 

controls at meeting objectives. In addition, 

the NASA Office of the Chief Financial 

Officer (OCFO) deploys an extensive annual 

testing and assessment methodology that 

evaluates internal controls over financial 

reporting.

The FMFIA assurance statement is primarily 

based on individual assurance statements 

submitted by NASA Officials-in-Charge 

(OIC). These statements are based upon 

organizational self-assessments that are 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance

Page 64 

informed by various sources of information 

such as internal reviews of controls, as well 

as recommendations for improvements 

from external audits, investigations, and 

reviews conducted by the Office of Inspector 

General (OIG) and the Government

Accountability Office (GAO). The Mission 

Support Council (MSC), the organization 

responsible for oversight of NASA’s Internal 

Control Program, advises the Administrator 

on the Statement of Assurance. The Senior 

Assessment Team (SAT), which is an arm 

of the MSC, helps to guide the internal 

control evaluation and reporting process. 

The Management System Working Group 

(MSWG) performs the first-level evaluation 

of annual results and serves as the primary 

advisory body for NASA internal control 

activities. The MSWG analyzes the annual 

assessment results and reports issues that 

may significantly impact the effective design 

and operation of internal controls to the SAT. 

An illustration of the Annual Statement of 

Assurance process is included below.

The NASA FMFIA Annual Statement of Assurance (SoA) Process 

NASA

Administrator

Mission Support Council

(MSC)

Senior Assessment Team (SAT)

Management Systems Working Group

(MSWG)

NASA Officials-in-Charge/Center Directors

Assurance Statements

Annual Assessment of Internal Controls over Programs,

Operations, Financial Reporting & Systems

NASA FY 2015 Agency Financial Report
Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance

Page 65

Management Assurances

Administrator’s Statement of Assurance

November 13, 2015,

NASA management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls 

and financial management systems that meet the objectives of the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA), the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act (FFMIA), as 

well as all other related laws and guidance. NASA is committed to a robust and comprehensive internal control program. We recognize that ensuring the effective, efficient, economical, 

and responsible use of the resources that have been provided to the Agency is not only good 

stewardship, but also the proper approach to maximize our progress toward the realization 

of our mission goals. Integrity and ethical values are emphasized throughout the Agency 

and communicated both formally and informally through training, codification in policy, and 

through organizational norms and culture. As a result, managers and employees throughout 

the Agency are actively engaged in identifying or updating key control objectives, assessing 

risks, implementing controls or other mitigating strategies, conducting reviews, and taking 

corrective actions as necessary.

NASA conducted its Fiscal Year 2015 annual assessment of the effectiveness of internal 

controls over operations and compliance with applicable laws and regulations in accordance 

with FMFIA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Management’s 

Responsibility for Internal Control. Based on the results of this evaluation, NASA provides 

reasonable assurance that its internal controls over the effectiveness and efficiency of operations and compliance with applicable laws and regulations as of September 30, 2015, were 

operating effectively and no material weaknesses were found in the design or operation of 

the internal controls.

In addition, NASA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer performed an assessment of the 

effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting in compliance with OMB Circular 

A-123, Appendix A-Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Based on the results of the 

evaluation, there were no material weaknesses identified in the design or operation of these 

controls. NASA provides reasonable assurance that internal controls over financial reporting 

were operating effectively, as of June 30, 2015. Finally, in accordance with the requirements 

of the FFMIA, we assessed the implementation and maintenance of NASA financial management systems. We found that these substantially comply with Federal financial management 

systems requirements, applicable Federal accounting standards, and the U.S. Government 

Standard General Ledger at the transaction level.

In conclusion, NASA makes an unqualified statement of assurance that its internal controls 

for FY 2015 were operating effectively.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance

Page 66 

NASA will continue its commitment to ensuring a sound system of internal control exists over 

operations, reporting, and financial systems and will continue to monitor and enhance its 

quality assurance activities.

Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

Administrator

NASA FY 2015 Agency Financial Report
Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance

Page 67

Financial Systems Strategies

NASA’s Core Financial (CF) and budget 

management systems include the Systems Applications & Products (SAP) Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) and the 

e-budget suite of tools. The CF system has 

served as NASA’s financial accounting system of record since 2003, and the e-budget 

tools have supported budget formulation 

and congressional presentation/justification 

since 2007. Both suites of tools provide the 

foundation for NASA’s ability to achieve its 

financial management objectives and management of the budget. 

To date, NASA has implemented the following CF modules: funds management, 

financial accounting, sales and distribution, 

investment management, materials management, controlling (cost), project systems, 

and real estate, as well as a Contractor Cost 

Reporting (CCR) extension. Collectively, 

these integrated components make up NASA’s financial system of record for financial 

statements, external reports, project analysis, and management control. Transactions 

within the integrated modules and interfaces 

are recorded on a real-time basis. The CF 

system is supported by other commercial 

off-the-shelf (COTS) software, NASA developed applications, and interfaces with systems managed by other Federal agencies. 

NASA is developing and evaluating options 

to receive and process all applicable invoices electronically by the end of 2018 in 

accordance with OMB’s directive M-15-19, 

Improving Government Efficiency and Saving Taxpayer Dollars Through Electronic 

Invoicing. We are working closely with the 

Procurement community and plan to make a 

decision regarding a system solution by the 

spring of 2016. Additionally, we will investigate end-to-end payment process changes 

to improve payment cycle time, reduce interest penalties, and reduce operating costs.

The Agency has implemented and developed 

several required Performance Measures 

Manager (PMM) system enhancements 

mandated by OMB for Strategic Objective 

Annual Review (SOAR) related activities, 

other Agency glossy reports and an updated annual performance plan. In addition, as 

part of this enhancement cycle, NASA has 

performed system maintenance to synchronize NASA’s system with Treasury’s system, 

Budget Formulation and Execution Manager 

(BFEM). NASA is continuously levied with 

evolving OMB requirements for Federal 

strategic planning, performance management, and reporting. To remain a leader in 

innovation and in anticipation of OMB requirements, NASA is investigating future initiatives to enhance performance reporting. 

Since initial implementations, all of these 

tools have been continuously enhanced and 

expanded for changing policies, standards, 

OMB requirements, and internal assessments to ensure tight controls. As a result 

of NASA’s efforts to continually enhance our 

Financial and Budgetary tools/systems, we 

have achieved an unmodified opinion for the 

last 4 years and have improved budgetary 

deliverables in accordance with congressional direction.

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Systems, Controls and Legal Compliance

Page 68 

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NASA FY 2015 Agency Financial Report
Page 69

Looking Forward

Image Caption: This image shows the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment 1 & 2 (GRACE 1 & 2). 

GRACE provides highly accurate measurements of the gravitational field of the Earth, and determines how 

this field varies with time. (Credit: NASA)

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Page 70 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Looking Forward

Page 71

Looking Forward

In FY 2016, NASA will build on the successes achieved across FY 2015, as it expands 

the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and 

opportunity. NASA, its partners, and the 

Nation are embarking upon an ambitious exploration program that will incorporate new 

technologies and leverage proven capabilities as humankind expands its reach out into 

the solar system. NASA is entering a new 

era in human spaceflight of exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Next year, the Space 

Launch System (SLS), Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) programs will 

make progress towards Exploration Mission 

(EM)-1, an uncrewed test flight to distant retrograde lunar orbit (and the first pairing of 

Orion with SLS).

In addition, to further knowledge about how 

humans live and work in space, the joint 

U.S.-Russian one-year mission will be completed in FY 2016. U.S. astronaut Scott 

Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will live on the International Space 

Station (ISS) for one year, which is twice as 

long as crew members typically stay on the 

ISS. The mission’s investigation of genetics 

and the effects of long-duration spaceflight 

on humans is being assisted through comparisons with astronaut Scott Kelly’s identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who 

remains on Earth.

NASA will complete concept refinement 

studies for the Low Boom Flight Demonstration (LBFD). These studies are elements of 

a research program over the next decade to 

focus on overcoming the adverse impact of 

sonic boom in order to alleviate public concern and environmental impacts. NASA is 

making progress towards innovation in commercial supersonic transportation, which 

could be a game changer for transcontinental and intercontinental travel. 

NASA’s science programs will continue to 

seek answers to profound questions, address the need to understand humanity’s 

place in the universe, and provide information to policy makers who address issues affecting all life on Earth. NASA is also working 

to improve its operations and is increasingly 

launching its science missions on schedule 

and on budget.

NASA will launch several missions in FY 

2016, including the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and 

Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx). 

OSIRIS-REx will travel to Bennu, a nearEarth asteroid, and bring a small sample 

back to Earth for study. As planned, the 

spacecraft will reach its asteroid target in 

2018 and return the sample to Earth in 2023. 

The sample will provide insight into the composition of the very early solar system, the 

source of organic materials and water that 

made life possible on Earth, and to better 

predict the orbits of asteroids that represent 

collision threats to Earth.

NASA will also continue to make strides 

in the development of other key science 

missions for future launches, including the 

following:

• Solar Probe Plus (SPP) 

• Solar Orbiter Collaboration (SOC) 

• Ionospheric Connection (ICON) 

• Global-scale Observations of the Limb 

NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
Looking Forward

and Disk (GOLD) 

• Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite 

(TESS) 

• Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) 

• Mars 2020 

• Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 

(ICESat-2) 

• Surface Water and Ocean Topography 

(SWOT)

• Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Follow-On mission

• James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) 

NASA expects its innovative research activities and technology development to lead to 

future spacecraft advancements, support 

life in space, and enable the next generation air transportation system. U.S. technological leadership is vital to national security, 

economic prosperity, and global standing. 

NASA will remain committed to contributing to science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics (STEM) education, the Nation’s economic vitality, and stewardship of 

Earth.

Humanity’s future in space is bright and 

NASA is leading the way. NASA reaches 

for new heights, toward the next giant leap. 

As a foundational component of this journey, NASA will continue to focus on fiscal 

responsibility, performance management, 

and long-term affordability, while addressing 

management challenges or risks that may 

pose roadblocks to future success.

Page 72 NASA FY 2015 Summary of Performance and Financial Information
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center currently flies an F-15D Eagle aircraft for research support and 

pilot proficiency. NASA research support aircraft are commonly called chase planes and fill the role of escort 

aircraft during research missions. Chase pilots are in constant radio contact with research pilots and serve as 

an “extra set of eyes” to help maintain total flight safety during specific tests and maneuvers. (Credit: NASA/Jim 

Ross)

Taking a Closer Look at NASA’s Orion Spacecraft After Successful Flight Test. (Credit: NASA)Artist concept of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) 70-metric-ton configuration launching 

to space. (Credit: NASA)
NASA Headquarters

Washington, DC 20546