Message from the NASA Administrator: NASA Strategic Alignment

Message from the Administrator

To: NASA Workforce

Subject: NASA Strategic Alignment

There continues to be a requirement for greater coordination in the Agency to ensure alignment with the Office of the Administrator given the increasingly diverse and growing interests and capabilities in space and aeronautics, and in light of the President’s major exploration campaign. Last November, I named Tom Cremins as the Associate Administrator for Strategic Engagement and Assessments to put a greater focus around these technical areas, as well as continue to support me in defining and setting Agency strategy and plans.

We have now determined that a Federated Board, working closely with Tom, and led by the relevant deputy associate administrators in the Human Exploration and Operations, Science, and Space Technology mission directorates, will add to these efforts. The Board will ensure Agency alignment and coordination with my strategic direction and help to define and implement Agency priorities. The Board leverages mission directorate staff and support from Agency support offices as needed for Board discussions and coordination. I have asked the associate administrators and the center directors for their full support in making the Federated Board successful in their efforts to ensure strategic alignment across the Agency.

Specifically, the Federated Board will focus on technical integration and coordination activities around the goals of a long-term lunar surface presence beyond the 2024 mission and the first human mission to the surface of Mars:

– Cross-directorate coordination and implementation of Agency strategic guidance.

– Out-year planning integration, including future architecture definition and planning.

– Long-term strategic assessments to inform NASA’s strategy.

The Federated Board operates within existing Agency management processes, including coordinating through the Mission Directorate Associate Administrators and the NASA Associate Administrator.

In addition to Strategic Implementation Planning Meetings, the Board will provide a status on their activities periodically to my Strategic Management Council. I look forward to this Board helping to increase our decision velocity, align our Mission level implementation and engagement strategies, and focus our planning and assessment efforts.

Ad Astra,

Jim Bridenstine