NASA HQ Memo: Communique on Enterprise Council Retreat

I have been asked to share the results of this week’s Enterprise Council retreat with each of you. The retreat provided the opportunity to discuss the Agency’s agenda, alignment with the President’s Management Agenda, and organizing for the coming years. Perhaps the most important result of the retreat was the development of a draft Vision and Mission statement for the Agency, captured below:

The NASA Vision

  To improve life here,

    To extend life to there,

      To find life beyond.

The NASA Mission

  To understand and protect our home planet

  To explore the universe and search for life

  To inspire the next generation of explorers

            …as only NASA can.

These draft statements are the result of intense debate and discussion. When they have been finalized, they will serve as the looking glass through which we will examine and scrutinize all of our decisions — programs, budgets, organization, etc. These statements are only a beginning, however. A team has been commissioned to integrate a set of road maps that are aligned with our vision and mission, and will begin to shape how we move forward. The team includes: Bill Readdy, Paul Pastorek, Gary Martin, Glenn Mahone, Mary Kicza, Steve Isakowitz, Sue Garman, Jerry Creedon, Mark Craig, and Jeff Bingham. They are on a fast track to complete their task within the next two weeks; the results will set the stage for revising the NASA Strategic Plan and the NASA Strategic Management Handbook. While we expect to see significant change, please reassure your staff that assumptions or conclusions about resulting changes are premature. Our space science, earth science, aeronautics, human exploration of space, and biological and physical research enterprises are all encompassed within NASA’s vision and mission.

There were a number of other issues discussed at the retreat. In the near future, a portion of an Enterprise Council meeting will be devoted to reviewing Strategic Resources Review actions and coming to closure on them. The Centralized Business Office will be addressed, as well as other subjects, in ensuing senior management meetings.

Thanks —

Sue Garman