A process to define and evaluate candidate strategies for the civilian space program is being developed at NASA. This process will seek to identify possible strategies, then assess the likelihood of success and possible implications of each. They will be evaluated in relation to the existing and projected environment, and to the various conditions which may influence their success, such as:
NASA’s strengths, its weaknesses, and its culture
External threats to U.S. leadership
Opportunities to exercise leadership
Optimistic and pessimistic scenarios of uncontrollable factors which influence NASA and its ability to carry out its charter
The existing U.S. space policy