Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate

The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) is one of four mission directorates within NASA, the other three being the Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, the Science Directorate, and the Space Technology Directorate. The ARMD is responsible for NASA's aeronautical research, which benefits the commercial, military, and general aviation sectors.

ARMD is involved in the creation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).[1]

The current NASA associate administrator heading ARMD is Jaiwon Shin. He has held the position since 2008, after serving four years as deputy associate administrator for the directorate.[2]

A 2014 audit by the NASA Office of Inspector General reported that ARMD "solicits input from industry, academia, and other Federal agencies regarding research needs and...uses this information to develop its research plans", and concluded that the directorate supported "advancement of the nation's civil aeronautics research and technology objectives consistent with the National Plan" established in 2006.[3]

ARMD performs its aeronautics research at four NASA facilities: Ames Research Center, Armstrong Flight Research Center, Glenn Research Center and Langley Research Center.[1]

Funding

According to a 2012 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, NASA's aeronautics budget declined from over $1 billion in 2000 to $570 million in 2010, while shrinking from approximately 7 percent of NASA's total budget in 2000 to ~3 percent in 2010. It's staffing decreased by approximately 4 percent between 2006 and 2010. The result was the elimination of much flight research, hindering the advance of technologies and causing some research projects to collapse. In addition, the ambition of flight research projects decreased with respect to technical complexity, risk, and benefit to the nation. This decreased ambition was attributed to a risk-averse culture within NASA's aeronautics programs, as well as to budget reductions.[4]

As of 2011, 56% of NASA's aeronautics budget went to fundamental research, 25% to integrated systems research, and 14% to facility maintenance. Its budget breakdown by NASA Center was 32% to Langley, 25% to Glenn, 23% to Ames, 13% to Dryden (Armstrong), and 7% to NASA Headquarters. By expense category, 56% of the budget was dedicated to labor costs, 13% to research announcements, and 30% to procurement.[4]

Programs

The ARMD oversees four mission programs:[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "About Us". Nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  2. ↑ "Dr. Jaiwon Shin, Associate Administrator, NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD)". Nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  3. ↑ NASA Office of Inspector General (January 30, 2014). "NASA OIG: The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate's Management Strategy for Conducting Aeronautics Research". Spaceref.com. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 Committee to Assess NASA’s Aeronautics Flight Research Capabilities (2012). "Chapter 1: NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate—Why Flight Research?". Recapturing NASA's Aeronautics Flight Research Capabilities. National Research Council. ISBN 978-0-309-25538-7. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Programs". Nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
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