Some of you may remember that visit I was the quiet and unassuming one.
Kidding aside, for a lot of us, it wasnt an easy day.
How do you tell the group that has no equal when it comes to exploring the outer limits
that it was time to explore the inner-workings?
That it was time to do things differently?
That if we wanted to continue along the path of discovery
we needed a new roadmap?
How do you say all that? Well, I just said it straight out.
Im quiet unassuming and dont forget subtle.
I remember one of the meetings I had in particular. I like to call it the "Catch 22" meeting.
The abridged version goes something like this.
I started with the pitch.
I said to that particular group the same thing I said to all of you.
Tell us how we can implement our missions in a more cost-effective manner.
Tell us how we can improve everything we do without compromising safety.
Tell us how NASA can be "Faster, Better, Cheaper."
When I finished, a few of the engineers stood up and said: "Mr. Goldin, we hear what youre saying.
We even have some great ideas. But theres more to it."
"If we take a chance
if we use new technologies
if we try new managerial approaches...
if we develop that exciting new design...
the powers-that-be will ask: Is it risk-free? Has it flown before?"
"We will say, No, it hasnt flown.
Its new and different. It wont fly unless and until you fly it."
"They will say: OK. Fine. Sounds good."
"Bring it back after it has flown."
Its hard to change even when you have little or no choice.
Thats why I made a pledge to all of you.
I said that we wouldnt be overly prescriptive because you know this place better than anyone else does.
I said we wouldnt be micro-managers -- authority and responsibility would belong to you.
But most of all, I said never forget that you are the best and brightest. Take some risks.
Dont be afraid to push the envelope. Press the boundaries.
Do things that havent been done. Fly things that havent been flown.
There will be some failure, but when it occurs...
we will face the problem together and fix the problem together.
So, by all means, have the confidence to take risk. Your courage will be rewarded.
Today, before I say anything else, let me say thank you to each and every one of you for accepting that charge.
And let me recognize one group in particular that I am very proud of.
I had dinner with the leaders of the Mars 1998 Team last night.
I was very candid with them.
I told them that in my effort to empower people, I pushed too hard...
and in so doing, stretched the system too thin.
It wasnt intentional but it may have made failure inevitable.
I wanted to demonstrate to the world that we could do things much better.
And you delivered --
you delivered with Mars Pathfinder... With Mars Global Surveyor... With Deep Space 1.
We pushed the boundaries like never before... And had not yet reached our limit.
Not until Mars 98.
I salute that teams courage and conviction. And make no mistake: they need not apologize.
They did not fail alone. As the head of NASA, I accept responsibility.
If anything, the system failed them.
And for that reason, even the best must do better.
Admitting the system failed, however, is not a substitute for acknowledging there were individual mistakes that could have been avoided and must be corrected.
The fact is, when we come up short, we deserve scrutiny. Thats we asked Tom Young to take a hard and critical look.
His report was tough and rightfully so.
Fundamental principals were compromised.
No individual will be singled out. And no blame will be assigned to any organizational unit.
But, still, for that reason, even the best must do better.
Doing better does not mean going back.
We cannot and will not let a failure overshadow how far weve traveled...
or how much weve seen... since we changed course 8 years ago.
For that reason, even the best must do better.
And just as we cannot let a mission failure diminish our success...
we certainly cannot allow it to detract us from our goals...
cloak us in the shroud of the timid...
or worse, paralyze the agency in a straight jacket of indifference and inactivity.
If there is one thing that I have learned as NASA Administrator, it is that our nations space program is strong, relevant and vital...
not because how we react to success, of which there have been many...
but how we learn from failure, of which there have been few.
When we suffer a setback, we must learn from mistakes and, yes, move on -- continuing to push back the boundaries of the unknown...
continuing to imagine what might be possible...
And by God, continuing our effort to land on Mars and one day send astronauts there.
Simply put, our mission, to explore the frontiers of space... and to enrich life here on Earth...
is simply too exciting, too inspiring, too important to do anything else.
For that reason, more than any other, even the best must do better.
The proof for all of this is in the numbers. Its in the missions. Its in the long-term vision we set.
When I accepted this job I was committed to giving the American people what they wanted a vibrant space agency that did more with less.
Since we changed our approach in 1993, the NASA budget has decreased by 5 percent without taking inflation into account.
During that same period, the Defense budget has gone up by almost 5 percent.
And the budget for other discretionary agencies like NASA has increased by 15 percent.
But and this is a real testament to the NASA team...
as our budget went down, our number of missions went up.
The success is indisputable.
Since 1992, overall we have launched 146 payloads into space with a value of 18 billion dollars.
The total losses have amounted to just half a billion dollars, or less than three percent of the total payloads value.
Planetary spacecraft, which used to be launched twice a decade...
are now launched each year at a fraction of the cost.
More specifically, there is no better evidence of that than the work thats been done right here.
Since 1992... You have given us Earth Science missions like:
SRTM its radar mapping that enables us to monitor the activity in the Earths crust that often precedes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
QuickScat which uses microwave signals to measure wind over our oceans and helps us track storms and hurricanes. It was developed in only one year -- a feat never done before.
MISR on EOS-Terra which is giving us valuable insight into the vegetation that covers our planet.
ATMOS which has given us a better understanding of just how sensitive the stratospheric ozone is.
The list goes on and on.
Maybe its only parallel is what all of you have accomplished in Space Science.
Whether it is Mars Pathfinder with its revolutionary airbag... or the Mars Global Surveyor... both of which have brought us closer to the Red Planet
Whether it is Cassini -- which has successfully completed its flyby of Earth... and is now on its way to Jupiter and Saturn.
Or whether it is Stardust which is collecting cosmic particles
or Deep Space 1
or the work on the telescopes that allow us to look to the heavens and peer into the farthest reaches of the Universe
Let there be no doubt:
JPL is and will continue to be the Center of Excellence for Deep Space Systems.
We cant forget, though, that more missions doesnt only mean more science.
More findings can also mean a chance of more failure.
In fact, thats one of the things we anticipated. We expected 2 or 3 setbacks out every 10 missions.
One of the driving factors in our shift to smaller and less expensive projects was precisely so these failures wouldnt cripple us.
And if you look at the record, were on target.
When NASA was first trying to get off the ground in the 60s, we had 37 failures compared to 134 successes.
By the 80s, the number of missions plummeted to an all-time low. We only had 2 failures, but we also only launched 54 payloads.
In my opinion, that just wasnt good enough for a pioneering agency like NASA.
It didnt even come close to reflecting the talent we have.
And I vowed wed do better.
Today, we can say, "We have done better."
Our scorecard for the 90s says we have more than tripled the amount of payloads. 179 with just 12 failures.
Were proud of that record, but were also well aware that the failure rate has gone up over the last two years.
We are still roughly within the bounds I set -- 2 or 3 failures to every 10 missions.
But the warning bells of a trend are sounding. And that trend is sobering.
It says that we pushed too hard that were approaching the breaking point.
Thats why we asked Tom Young to take that hard look that he did.
That also happens to be why Im here today -- not to say this is what you did wrong, but rather to say we need you now more than ever.
We need you to help us fix the problems so we can realize NASAs and JPLs bold vision.
The goals are risky. They will be difficult.
And theres a chance well encounter setbacks along the way.
But we are sure to come up short if we do not learn from our mistakes.
Failure often leads to greater success, but thats not an excuse. Nor is it a given.
If the recent setbacks are to clear the way for future advances, we must make it so.
Im not here with a "one size fits all" solution. The real answers will take time and cooperation.
And I will be back both to meet with you as a whole and in smaller groups to discuss your plans on how we can fix the problems.
And they will be your plans.
The Young report makes clear that we have three main areas to work on communication, training, and oversight and review.
At Headquarters that means, we must realize that, as I mentioned earlier, we have pushed too hard.
We must ensure that the appropriate checks and balances are applied to all the work we assign to JPL.
We must take into account that because of the inherent difficulty of our planetary programs.
We need to give you more margin, more flexibility, and adequate institutional resources to support your programs.
I have charged Ed Weiler -- the Associate Administrator for Space Science -- with making sure we do.
We must give you a single point of contact and we will in the Director of the Mars Program, Dr. Scott Hubbard.
And finally to put it plain we all need to listen better.
Yesterday at the press conference, someone asked if anyone from JPL voiced concern to Headquarters about the cost issue.
A man by the name of John McNamee did just that.
The problem was no one listened.
Were committed to change that.
But ultimately the answers we all seek are in this very room. They are sitting right next to you.
Now is the time for a self-assessment that is open and full at JPL.
Ask every question.
How do you fix the mistakes and make sure they never happen again?
What can you do to validate your operating procedures?
What tools do you need to stay aggressive...
to keep pushing the envelope...
to keep taking the risks that have brought so much reward?
Are the steps we are taking working?
Are the recommendations that will be put forth by senior management good ones?
Do they encourage you to try the new "Faster, Better, Cheaper" technologies?
Are they allowing you to press the boundaries?
Are you receiving the right training?
Is there enough mentoring? Do you need more?
I have asked NASAs Chief Engineer, Brian Keegan, to put together a matrix that will incorporate NASAs responses and actions to all the reports.
But let me say this: if you have a question that has gone unanswered
a recommendation or an idea that needs an outlet
or a comment that needs to be heard
E-mail Brian. E-mail Ed Weiler. E-mail Ed Stone.
E-mail me.
But make sure you say something.
Too often people dont want to speak up because they are afraid of the reaction their word will bring.
Sometimes they are afraid of a business loss.
Other times they are worried about how a boss will react.
We need to hear from you because you are closest to these projects. You know them best.
Never let worries escalate so much that you feel you cant communicate your fears.
I cant promise any quick fixes. I cant promise that there wont be changes.
But, at NASA, people will never be punished for telling the truth.
That I can promise.
I usually end my presentation by answering some of your questions.
Im not going to do that this morning.
There are just too many detailed questions and it is too soon for me to give you the answers you deserve.
In lieu of Q & A, I would like end by sharing a story about my mother.
I dont tell it often. But, youre family.
Right before my father passed away about four years ago, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and had major surgery.
It was pretty bad and, especially after just losing her partner of over 60 years, my sisters and I werent sure if shed survive.
But my mother is an incredible woman. And she decided that she was still young, and that she wanted to live.
The doctors told her they would have to prescribe radical post-operative procedures.
My sisters and I sided with the doctors and tried to convince my mom that she needed the treatment.
They know what theyre doing. Theyve had the best training. This isnt a cold were talking about.
My mother is incredible shes also incredibly stubborn.
She absolutely refused to have the recommended therapy.
She said: "Im 84 years old. That stuff will kill me. Its my body and I know whats best."
So she started to do research and ultimately, believe it or not, convinced her doctors that a less radical therapy was the way to go.
I say "convinced" the doctors would probably say "beat into submission."
Four years later, my mother is 88 years old and doing great.
She travels all over the country by herself. She plays with her great grandchildren. She has a ton of energy.
Her children still side with the doctors every time they prescribe something.
But our pleas are met with the same response:
"Its my body. I know whats best."
I know what youre all thinking.
Its a good thing that stubbornness and the "I know best" attitude doesnt run in the family.
The point I want to make is not that JPL is sick and needs treatment. And Im not saying ignore your doctors.
Far from it.
The point I want to make is that nobody nobody knows this place like you do.
The only people who can prescribe the exact remedy for JPL are those who work at JPL.
Only you know about the individual genius that resides here.
Only you know about the wonderful chemistry that is created here when a team of scientists and engineers works on a tough challenge.
Only you know of JPLs sheer desire to open the space frontier for future generations.
Because it is all of you who know JPL best... It is all of you who control JPLs destiny.
So Ill leave you today with a challenge similar to the one you responded to so well 8 years ago.
You are still the best and brightest nothing in any report tells me otherwise.
Assess yourselves and this Laboratory with the same vigor the same courage, conviction and confidence the same heart and soul that have always set you apart.
And as you do, remember this:
A problem can be fixed. A spacecraft is hardware that can be rebuilt.
The science has not been denied only delayed.
But the exuberance, pride, and spirit that each of you bring here day-in and day-out is irreplaceable.
Ill say it again: Irreplaceable.
Just outside my office at headquarters, there is quote from Teddy Roosevelt something he said at the dawn of the 20th century.
"Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even those checkered with failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat."
On the dawn of this new century and this new millennium, we know both victory and defeat.
And because we do, let our spirit be both rich and ready.
Lets do as we have always done dare the mightiest of things.
And then, lets do what the American people have come to expect from us...
have the confidence and take the risks that can bring those glorious triumphs
on Earth
on Mars
and wherever our dreams take us.
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