Guessing is not a strategy: How to build decision velocity with AI and real-time data
June 10, 2026 | Live Webinar
GAO: NASA Needs PM Discipline
New report from Government Accountability Office identifies problems in five areas that can contribute to project cost and schedule issues.
NASA must increase the effectiveness of its project management and adopt better practices that focus on closing gaps in knowledge about requirements, technologies, funding, time and other resources before it makes commitments to large-scale programs, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report released March 6.
The report, titled "Projects Need More Disciplined Oversight and Management to Address Key Challenges," assessed 18 projects in NASA’s current portfolio. The GAO found that, in some cases, projects under review spent two to five years and up to $100 million or more before being able to formally set cost and schedule estimates. The GAO also reported that projects in its review had an average delay of 11 months to their launch dates.
In response to the report, NASA asserted that the unique nature of its work and external factors beyond its control make it difficult to apply the same criteria that are applied to other major government acquisitions, particularly those with large production runs.
“We disagree," said Cristina Chaplain, director of acquisition and sourcing management, in a statement to U.S. Congress. "The recent launch failure of [Orbital Science …
Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.
ADVERTISEMENTS