Table 1 FBC adaptive capabilities... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1

FBC adaptive capabilities contributing to enhanced resilience at NASA

Adaptive capability	Contribution to resilience at NASA
Stronger risk management	NASA increased testing and oversight, and built in more robust safeguards, to prevent failures like those seen in the MCO and MPL missions (Paxton, 2007)
Strategic flexibility	The agency diversified its mission portfolio, balancing high-risk exploratory missions (such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity) with low-risk, high-impact scientific projects [such as the GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) mission] (Eaton et al., 2022)
Balanced cost efficiency	The FBC philosophy was underpinned by a model of cost efficiency predicated on strategic resource allocation rather than indiscriminate budget reductions. Project success stemmed from deliberate simplification of complexity and focused investment in critical areas. This approach facilitated improvements across cost, schedule and performance domains, demonstrating that constrained budgets need not compromise mission value (Ward, 2010)
Public–private partnerships	NASA expanded collaborations with commercial space companies, such as Raytheon STX and Swales Aerospace, leveraging private-sector innovation while maintaining rigorous safety standards. The shift towards public–private partnerships allowed NASA to remain agile, leveraging commercial advancements while maintaining scientific integrity (Dumas and Walton, 2000)
Technology development and sustainability	The agency focused on long-term technological advancements, ensuring that new missions benefited from lessons learned and improved engineering practices. NASA's focus on long-term technology development ensured that future missions were built on a foundation of tested and reliable engineering (NASA, 2000a)
Response agility	The FBC approach emphasised finite resources and continuous change, ensuring that NASA could navigate challenges effectively. Resilience engineering within NASA focused on adaptive capacity, allowing systems to respond to surprises and disruptions. This included preparatory investments to enable future adaptive actions and graceful extensibility, ensuring systems could stretch beyond their boundaries when needed (Woods, 2018)
Organisational learning	Through lessons from both successful and failed missions, the agency improved risk management and balanced cost-cutting with safeguards. External collaborations expanded its knowledge base, while cultural shifts towards agility promoted flexible decision-making. Over time, NASA integrated stronger risk-awareness strategies, ensuring that FBC evolved from a rigid cost-saving model into a more adaptive, sustainable approach (Ward, 2010, 2012)

Adaptive capability	Contribution to resilience at NASA
Stronger risk management	NASA increased testing and oversight, and built in more robust safeguards, to prevent failures like those seen in the MCO and MPL missions (Paxton, 2007)
Strategic flexibility	The agency diversified its mission portfolio, balancing high-risk exploratory missions (such as the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity) with low-risk, high-impact scientific projects [such as the GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) mission] (Eaton et al., 2022)
Balanced cost efficiency	The FBC philosophy was underpinned by a model of cost efficiency predicated on strategic resource allocation rather than indiscriminate budget reductions. Project success stemmed from deliberate simplification of complexity and focused investment in critical areas. This approach facilitated improvements across cost, schedule and performance domains, demonstrating that constrained budgets need not compromise mission value (Ward, 2010)
Public–private partnerships	NASA expanded collaborations with commercial space companies, such as Raytheon STX and Swales Aerospace, leveraging private-sector innovation while maintaining rigorous safety standards. The shift towards public–private partnerships allowed NASA to remain agile, leveraging commercial advancements while maintaining scientific integrity (Dumas and Walton, 2000)
Technology development and sustainability	The agency focused on long-term technological advancements, ensuring that new missions benefited from lessons learned and improved engineering practices. NASA's focus on long-term technology development ensured that future missions were built on a foundation of tested and reliable engineering (NASA, 2000a)
Response agility	The FBC approach emphasised finite resources and continuous change, ensuring that NASA could navigate challenges effectively. Resilience engineering within NASA focused on adaptive capacity, allowing systems to respond to surprises and disruptions. This included preparatory investments to enable future adaptive actions and graceful extensibility, ensuring systems could stretch beyond their boundaries when needed (Woods, 2018)
Organisational learning	Through lessons from both successful and failed missions, the agency improved risk management and balanced cost-cutting with safeguards. External collaborations expanded its knowledge base, while cultural shifts towards agility promoted flexible decision-making. Over time, NASA integrated stronger risk-awareness strategies, ensuring that FBC evolved from a rigid cost-saving model into a more adaptive, sustainable approach (Ward, 2010, 2012)

Source(s): Authors' own work