This document discusses NASA project management challenges. It provides an overview of NASA, who they are, their locations, products, who they hire, career paths, and the importance of experience. Key points include that NASA hires US citizens with STEM degrees, career paths include project management, line management, and science & engineering roles, and that experience matters for design, operation, and maintenance tasks. The document uses examples from naval ship maintenance to illustrate how experience and data feedback inform maintenance plans and respond to urgent requirements.

1. NASA Project Management
Challenge
Mr. John H. James, Jr.
Executive Director
Logistics Maintenance
and Industrial Operations
24 February 2009

2. Who We Are
Maine
Connecticut
Kentucky PORTSMOUTH NSY
Idaho Indiana SUPSHIP GROTON SUPSHIP BATH
Louisville Submarine Maintenance
Bayview NSWC CRANE Wisconsin Engineering, Planning &
Pennsylvania
SUPSHIP Onsite West Virginia Procurement
Office Marinette, WI NSWC Ship Systems Engineering
Washington Allegany Ballistic Station Rhode Island
Laboratory Naval Sea Logistics Center
Navy Foundry and Propeller NUWC HQ
PUGET SOUND NSY & IMF Center NUWC NEWPORT
NUWC KEYPORT
New Jersey
AEGIS Technical Rep
Maryland
California NSWC CARDEROCK
NSWC INDIAN HEAD
NSWC CORONA Naval Ordnance Safety &
NSWC PORT HUENEME Security Activity
Pt Loma/ Naval Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Technology Div
North Island DMF
SUPSHIP Bath Detachment-
San Diego, CA Washington DC
NAVSEA DIR & PEOs
NSWC HQ
South Carolina
Japan
Naval Nuclear
Yokosuka- PSNS &IMF Power Training
Tennessee Unit
Virginia
Memphis NORFOLK NSY
SUPSHIP NEWPORT NEWS
NSWC DAHLGREN
Alabama NSWC Combat Direction
Georgia Systems Activity
Mississippi SUPSHIP
Support from Surface Combat Systems
Bath Onsite
and Louisiana Office NNSY to TRF Center
SEASPARROW Project
Kings Bay Support Office
SUPSHIP GULF COAST
Hawaii (Pascagoula, MS & AEGIS Ballistic Missile
New Orleans, LA)
Florida Defense
PEARL HARBOR NSY & IMF Bahamas NSWC Panama City
Keyport Det Waipahu, HI Naval Experimental Diving Unit
AUTEC ANDROS 2

3. Products
3

4. Who We Hire
U. S. Citizens with BS/MS/PhD in the following areas:
Main Disciplines Other Disciplines
• Computer Engineering • Aerospace Engineering
• Computer Science • Environmental Engineering
• Naval Architecture • Materials Engineering
• Electrical/Electronics Engineering • General Engineering
• Mathematics • Nuclear Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering • Biology/Molecular Biology
• Physics • Microbiology/Toxicology
• Physical Sciences • Chemistry
• Systems Engineering • Chemical Engineering
• Industrial Engineering • Operations Research Analyst
• Ocean Engineering • Metallurgy
In addition to these scientific and engineering disciplines we
also have many opportunities in Business Management, 4
Human Resources and general support areas

5. Career Paths
• Project & program management
– Leadership through management of a particular project
or program
• Line management
– Leadership through management of an organizational
unit
• Science & Engineering (S & E)
– Leadership through personal performance of S & E
work, from research through fleet support
All S&E Careers begin with a Technical
All S&E Careers begin with a Technical
Foundation in Science and Engineering
Foundation in Science and Engineering 5
5

6. Percent of Civilian Workforce Percent of Civilian Workforce
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
5
10
15
20
25
0.2
0.2
16-20 16-20
4.3
0.4
21-25 21-25
5.3
26-30 26-30
10.7
5
6.8
31-35 31-35
7.5
36-40 36-40
10.5
41-45 41-45
21.4
18.9
46-50 46-50
18.5
22.4
51-55 51-55
13.6
17.6
9.5
Warfare Centers
56-60 56-60
15.2
3.4
5.8
61-65 61-65
1
0.8
Headquarters and PEOs
66-70 66-70
0.3
0.4
Over 70 Over 70
Percent of Civilian Workforce Percent of Civilian Workforce
0
5
10
15
20
25
0
5
10
15
20
25
0.5
0.3
16-20 16-20
5.1
5.5
21-25 21-25
5.5
26-30 26-30
11.4
4.8
5.2
31-35 31-35
6
7.7
36-40 36-40
41-45
19.4
41-45
16.7
46-50
23.5
46-50
20.7
51-55
19.6
51-55
18.4
56-60
10.6
56-60
10.6
Naval Shipyards
Other Activities
3.5
2.9
61-65 61-65
1.6
0.5
66-70 66-70
0
Engineers/Scientist Age Distribution
0.1
Over 70 Over 70
6

7. Experience Matters
Design
Operation
Maintenance

8. Task Force Maintenance
• SSBN ABT Check Valve
Maintenance Plan
– 1980-1989; 54 month restore/replace
requirement
– 1989-1991; 72 month restore/replace
requirement. Extended based on
material condition feedback data
– 1991-2001; 120 month
restore/replace requirement.
Extended based on material
condition feedback data
– 2001; Deleted from maintenance
plan. Cross-class application of SSN
688 Task Force Mike RCM results

9. 688 Class SSN

10. USS BIRMINGHAM (SSN 695)

11. USS SAN FRANCISCO (SSN 711)
• 1 June 2000 – 8 May 2002 Norfolk
Naval Shipyard performed SAN
FRANCISCO’s ERO
• 8 Jan 05 SAN FRANCISCO struck an
underwater mountain at high speed
and at depth
• Four of the six Main Ballast Tanks
destroyed
• The ABT Check Valves held in the
two undamaged Tanks and allowed
the submarine to emergency surface

12. Responding to Urgent Requirements
USS SAN FRANCISCO (SSN 711)

13. DOLPHIN, as she arrived, with torpedo shields
on. Note gasket hanging outside of hatch

14. Close-up of starboard fwd torpedo shield with
side hatch dogged shut and gasket visible

15. DOLPHIN Sail with Torpedo shields removed

16. 688 w/ASDS Venting