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NSIAD-92-197R 1 (1992-04-15)

handle is hein.gao/gaobackaa0001 and id is 1 raw text is: GAO United States General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20548 National Security and International Affairs Diision B-248278 April 15, 1992 The Honorable Daniel S. Goldin Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dear Mr. Goldin: We have completed our survey of NASA's space suit alternatives (code 397040) and have briefed the staff of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. We have decided to close out the assignment; however, before doing so, we wanted you to be aware of our survey results. They point to a need to reevaluate the decision not to support the development of a new space suit if estimates of Space Station Freedom extravehicular activity (EVA) requirements are increased substantially in the future. Our work on this assignment disclosed that NASA's decision in 1989 to stop development of a new, high-pressure space suit (extravehicular mobility unit) for the station was budget driven and resulted from the need to make cuts in station projects to meet restricted funding levels. The decision was made to delete the new space suit and to continue use of the low-pressure space shuttle suit modified to satisfy space station era requirements. Our survey indicated that if the EVA requirements were increased, several factors concerning space suits would need to be reassessed. They are (1) the life-cycle costs of space suit alternatives, (2) the risks of decompression sickness or space debris harming the astronauts, and (3) the estimated impact on astronaut productivity. Although it was generally recognized that a new space suit could potentially provide lower life-cycle costs, and savings estimates were provided to the Congress, station officials were unable to provide us with any detailed cost analysis of the suit's life cycle to document the savings estimates. GAO/NSIAD-92-197R NASA Space Suits

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