From Newsgroup: sci.space.news

Nov. 16, 2016

RELEASE 16-107

NASA Receives Sixth Consecutive Clean Audit Opinion

NASA has received an unmodified audit opinion on its Fiscal Year 2016
(FY 2016) financial statements, marking the sixth consecutive year of
"clean" opinions. The agency has released its FY 2016 Agency
Financial Report (AFR), which provides details on its financial results
and performance highlights.

The auditor's unmodified opinion is that NASA's financial statements fairly present the agency's financial position and results of operations. An unmodified opinion is the highest audit opinion that may be received from
an external auditor.

"This sixth consecutive 'clean' audit opinion reflects
NASA's continued commitment to excellence in financial management
and effective stewardship of taxpayer dollars," said NASA Chief Financial Officer David Radzanowski.

The AFR highlights NASA's progress toward meeting its strategic goals, including significant achievements in research aboard the International
Space Station, Earth science, technology development, aeronautics research
and deep space exploration.

FY 2016 saw the return of the first one-year mission crew from the International
Space Station, a key step in preparing astronauts for future deep space missions, including journeys to an asteroid and Mars. Later in the fiscal year, NASA launched its Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification,
Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, the first U.S. mission designed to collect a sample of an asteroid and return it to Earth for
study.

NASA also reached a major milestone in the development of its next Mars
rover, getting approval in July to proceed with final design and construction. The Mars 2020 rover will investigate a region of Mars where the ancient environment may have been favorable for microbial life, probing the Martian rocks for evidence of past life. Throughout its investigation, it will
collect samples of soil and rock and cache them on the surface for potential return to Earth by a future mission.

NASA produces an Annual Performance Report (APR) that will include more details on these important accomplishments. The APR will be released in
early 2017, concurrently with the president's budget request for FY 2018.

For more information and to view the FY 2016 Agency Financial Report,
visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/budget

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

-end-

Karen Northon
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1540

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