Erik Weiser, director of NASA's facilities and real estate division, told a blue-ribbon National Academies panel Thursday that the agency's budget for maintenance and construction is "wholly underfunded."

Some of the money comes from specific mission directorates responsible for ensuring launch pads, test stands, and other facilities are in good shape for operations at NASA's field centers.

"Each center knows what their most important facilities are for success, so when they see an issue, it’s all hands on deck to fix that problem so they don’t impact the mission," Weiser said.

Weiser briefed a National Academies panel chartered to examine the critical facilities, workforce, and technology needed to achieve NASA's long-term strategic goals and objectives.

Thursday's briefing was one in a series of public meetings the committee will hold before issuing a final report with recommendations to improve the situation.