NASA's Requirement for a Single Solid Rocket Refurbishment and Assembly Facility at Kennedy Space Center

GAO evaluated the extent to which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) examined alternatives to constructing a rocket booster refurbishment and assembly facility for the space shuttle at the Kennedy Space Center.

Both NASA and the Department of Defense require additional capacity to refurbish 24 solid rocket booster flight sets a year by fiscal year 1988. GAO suggested previously that, for cost savings, NASA and DOD consider activating a facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base to be used in conjunction with the Kennedy Space Center. NASA and DOD determined that using both facilities would exceed the cost of providing additional capacity at the Kennedy Space Center. Although GAO found problems with the NASA and DOD evaluation, GAO stated that improving only the Kennedy Space Center would provide a cost advantage.