Commercial space transportation: improvements to FAA's workforce planning needed to prepare for the industry's anticipated growth : report to congressional requesters / United States Government Accountability Office.

Format:

Book

Government document

Author/Creator:

United States. Government Accountability Office, author, issuing body.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Commercial Space Transportation--Personnel management--Planning.

United States.

United States. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

Outer space--Civilian use--United States--Planning.

Outer space.

Aerospace industries--United States--Planning.

Aerospace industries.

Aeronautics, Commercial--United States.

Aeronautics, Commercial.

Aerospace industries--Planning.

Personnel management--Planning.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (iii, 54 pages) : color illustrations, color maps, color photographs

Other Title:

Commercial space transportation: improvements to Federal Aviation Administration's workforce planning needed to prepare for the industry's anticipated growth

Improvements to FAA's workforce planning needed to prepare for the industry's anticipated growth

GAO-19-437 Commercial space transportation

Place of Publication:

Washington, DC : United States Government Accountability Office, 2019.

Summary:

The commercial space transportation industry provides launch services that enable national-security and commercial satellites, among other things, to be sent into orbit for government and private customers. Continued growth and evolution in the industry is expected as reliance on space-based applications increases. AST is charged with overseeing the industry, including licensing and monitoring launch vehicle operations. GAO was asked to review developments in this industry. This report (1) describes FAA's actions to integrate commercial space launches into the national airspace and (2) examines how well-positioned AST is to determine its current and future workforce needs, among other objectives. GAO is making four recommendations on workforce planning to AST, including that AST establish a timeline for finalizing longer-term workload projections and that AST ensure that it collects information from staff on skills and competencies in those areas that are currently needed and may be needed in the future.

Contents:

Background

Funding for infrastructure at active U.S. commercial launch sites has shifted from federal to state, local, and private sources

Launch customers in our review consider the launch provider's capabilities and price, among other factors, when deciding where to launch

DOT published a proposed rule in April 2019 but related rulemaking activities affect when regulatory changes will be in full effect

AST has taken steps to better understand current workforce needs, but understanding of future needs is limited by a lack of information

FAA is exploring technological and procedural solutions to more efficiently accommodate commercial space operations

Conclusions

Recommendations for executive action

Agency comments

Appendices.

Notes:

"May 2019."

"GAO-19-437."

In scope of the U.S. Government Publishing Office Catalog and Indexing Program (C&I) and Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (GAO, viewed May 25, 2019).

OCLC:

1102466420