Tag Archives: NASA

Where No Auditor Has Gone Before

It’s Star Trek’s 50th anniversary—it first took viewers “where no man has gone before” in 1966. Since then, the Enterprise and its sister ships have spent much of their time at warp speeds, saving planets and fending off hostile life … Continue reading

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NASA’s Plans for Human Space Exploration (podcast)

In the 1960s, NASA had Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo to get humans to the moon. Today, the agency has the Orion multipurpose crew capsule and the Space Launch System, which could potentially get humans to Mars. Listen to Cristina … Continue reading

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Examining Ocean Acidification on World Oceans Day

Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and oceans are resulting in chemical changes known as “ocean acidification.” These changes may pose risks for some marine species and ecosystems, as well as for the coastal communities that rely on them … Continue reading

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Our 2016 “Quick Looks” at DOD, NASA, and DHS

Every year, we review the federal government’s priciest and therefore riskiest acquisition programs through our “Quick Looks.” The 3 agencies we focus on are the Department of Defense, NASA, and Department of Homeland Security. While these agencies have very different … Continue reading

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Federal Funding for Women in STEM

The federal government gives nearly $25 billion a year to universities to conduct cutting-edge research in science, technology, engineering, and math—commonly called STEM—fields. But studies show that women are still largely underrepresented in these fields. Given the underrepresentation, are the … Continue reading

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GAO Goes to the Oscars

As the Academy Awards ceremony approaches, we’re looking at how our work has Oscar-worthy appeal. And the nominees are…  Preventing a Sequel to The Big Short Using comedy and celebrity cameos, The Big Short reveals the complexities of the 2008 … Continue reading

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3, 2, 1…Liftoff of Our 2015 Assessment of NASA’s Major Space Projects!

Each year, we report on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) major projects. Last week, we issued our latest “Quick Look” report, with updates on projects that are expected to cost at least $250 million. This year, 16 projects … Continue reading

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GAO’s Acquisition and Sourcing Management Team

GAO’s workforce is organized largely by subject area, with most employees working in 1 of 14 mission teams, many of which we have highlighted on the WatchBlog. Today we’ll be putting the spotlight on the Acquisition and Sourcing Management (ASM) team, … Continue reading

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GAO Reports Help NASA Oversee Major Projects

Each year, we produce several reports that look at a variety of topics at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). One of these annual reports is known as the “NASA Quick Look,” which provides an overview of the NASA … Continue reading

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How Gaps in Weather Satellite Data Could Affect You

Heck of a lot of weather we’re having lately, with the polar vortex and record cold temperatures across the country. People rely on the weather forecast to determine how to be safe outdoors. This can also be important during hurricane … Continue reading

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