NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

2024 CHARTER OF THE 

AEROSPACE SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL 

1. Official Designation: Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (“Panel”) 

2. Authority: Established under Section 6 of the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Authorization Act of 1968, as amended (51 U.S.C. § 31101). The NASA 

Administrator hereby renews the Panel’s charter, pursuant to the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. 10. 

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities: The Panel shall draw on the expertise of its 

members to provide advice and make recommendations to the NASA Administrator 

and Congress on matters related to safety. 

4. Description of Duties: In accordance with 51 U.S.C. § 31101, the Panel shall: review 

safety studies and operations plans referred to it, including evaluating the Administration’s 

compliance with the return-to-flight and continue-to-fly recommendations of the Columbia 

Accident Investigation Board, and make reports thereon; advise the NASA Administrator and 

the Congress with respect to the hazards of proposed or existing facilities and proposed 

operations, the adequacy of proposed or existing safety standards, and management and 

culture related to safety; and perform such other duties as the NASA Administrator may 

request. 

The Panel shall deliberate and report its findings and recommendations to the NASA 

Administrator and to Congress. Findings that are time critical will be reported immediately. 

The Panel shall submit an annual report to the NASA Administrator and to the Congress. 

The NASA Administrator may request certain special studies, reviews, and evaluations. The 

Panel will submit reports with findings and recommendations, as deemed appropriate by the 

Panel, to the NASA Administrator within the timeline specified by the NASA Administrator. 

5. Official to Whom the Committee Reports: The Panel will function in an advisory 

capacity to the NASA Administrator and the Congress. 

6. Support: The Office of International and Interagency Relations, NASA 

Headquarters, will provide staff support and operating funds for the Panel. 

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: NASA Headquarters will provide 

the budget for operation of the Panel. The estimated annual operating costs total $725,000, 

including two Full-Time Equivalents for NASA civil servant staff support (includingthe 
 

 

 

 

 

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Designated Federal Officer (DFO)), technical report writing, travel expenses, and meeting 

logistics support. 

8. Designated Federal Officer: The DFO will be appointed by the NASA Administrator 

and will serve as the Executive Director of the Panel. The DFO will be a full-time NASA 

civil servant employee who will: call, attend, and adjourn all Panel and subcommittee 

meetings; approve agendas; maintain required records on costs and membership; ensure 

efficient operations; maintain records for availability to the public; and provide copies of 

Panel reports to the NASA Committee Management Officer for forwarding to the Library of 

Congress. 

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: There will be approximately four full 

Panel meetings held each year, on a quarterly basis, to perform the duties as described in 

Section 4. Additional meetings of the full Panel, individual panelists, or small groups of 

panelists may be required (for fact finding, preparatory, or administrative work) and 

supported as needed. 

10. Duration: Since the Panel is a nondiscretionary Federal advisory committee requiredby 

statute, it is envisioned to be a continuing entity with charter renewals. 

11. Termination: The Panel charter shall terminate two years from the date of the filing of 

this charter unless renewed earlier by the NASA Administrator. 

12. Membership and Designation: In accordance with 51 U.S.C. § 31101, the Panel will 

consist of a maximum of nine members who shall be appointed by the NASA Administrator 

for terms of six years each. Not more than four such members shall be chosen from among 

the officers and employees of NASA. One member shall be designated by the Panel as its 

chairman. A member of the Panel who is an officer or employee of the FederalGovernment 

shall receive no compensation for services as such. A member of the Panel appointed from 

outside the Federal Government shall receive compensation, at a rate not to exceed the per 

diem rate equivalent to the maximum rate payable under Section 5376 of Title 5, for each 

day the member is engaged in the actual performance of duties vested in the Panel. A 

member of the panel shall be allowed necessary travel expenses per statute. Most members 

will serve as Special Government Employees, and the remaining members will serve as 

Regular Government Employees. The Panel will be comprised of recognized safety, 

management, and engineering experts from industry, academia, and other Government 

agencies. 

13. Subcommittees: Subcommittees, task forces, and/or work groups may be establishedby 

NASA to conduct studies and/or factfinding, requiring an effort of limited duration. Such 

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

directly to the Panel and must not provide advice or work products directly to the Agency. 
 

 

 

 

 

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14. Recordkeeping: The records of the Panel and established subcommittees, or other 

subgroups of the committee shall be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 

6.2, or other approved Agency records disposition schedules. These records shall be 

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

1966 (5 U.S.C. § 552, as amended). 

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

appropriate United States Senate and House of Representatives oversight committees. 

Filing Date: 

Bill Nelson 

07/11/2023

Signature Date 

Administrator 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration