NASA reviews

NASA has no vision or plan. Many who work there no long have interest in space exploration. There are not enough executives at NASA who have real experience in the private sector. NASA promote too many executives from within its own ranks. NASA is more interested in protecting CS jobs, budget, and the various power struggles within D.C. than to perform its missions. NASA does not manage their technology or their projects. They are extremely risk adverse; therefore, NASA achieves very little. It is safer at NASA to do nothing, than to try to perform well.

Thought NASA is cutting edge. Perhaps it is, but certainly not Marshall space flight center. MSFC puts the "Administration" in NASA. This center is mostly oversight of prime contractor projects (eg Boeing, SpaceX, etc). The days of in-house, innovative work are long gone. If you are an early career employee, and want to work on something interesting and technical, do your future career and mind a favor and run as fast as you can from this center. You will NOT learn here. This place is only good for business and systems engineering types, and for those folks who care about climbing the ladder into business positions. Or those who dont care about a stimulating work environment. Paperwork, bureaucracy, and systems engineering abound. Paralysis by analysis defines this center. Lots of smart folks here, but not too many who are not "managing" a project. Project oversight is for those who have decades of experience with systems, not those who are <10 years out of college. In a word, it's boring. If you want an exciting career, go elsewhere. And if you really wish, perhaps come back when you have the drive and resume to become management.