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    The Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) assures the safety and enhances the success of all NASA activities. Take a look around our website to learn what's happening in NASA's Safety and Mission Assurance community, including updates on disciplines, programs, policies and personnel.

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What's Happening in the SMA Community?

JWST

Don’t Miss This JWST Micrometeoroid Mitigation Update

November 17, 2022
1-minute read

NASA engineered the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to withstand continual bombardment from dust-sized particles moving at extreme velocities, known as micrometeoroid strikes. To date, JWST is averaging one to two strikes a month.

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Planet Earth

Protecting the Planet: Planetary Protection vs. Planetary Defense

October 14, 2022
2-minute read

Although both Planetary Protection and Planetary Defense programs at NASA include the word “planetary” and aim to protect the planet, that’s where similarities end. These two vital efforts oversee very different aspects of the agency’s role in protecting Earth, and in some cases, other planets. 

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Agency QLF Meets at NASA Headquarters

Agency QLF Meets at NASA Headquarters

October 11, 2022
5-minute read

The agency’s Quality Leadership Forum (QLF) met Sept. 13-15, 2022, at NASA Headquarters to focus on issues of particular interest and significance that are faced by NASA Quality Engineering and Assurance practitioners assigned to aeronautics and space flight program and project teams. The focus was on processes executed internally by NASA. 

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Policy

NASA Releases New Planetary Protection Standard

August 31, 2022
2-minute read

NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance released NASA-STD-8719.27, Planetary Protection Standard, effective Aug. 30, 2022. The standard is a follow-on document complementing NPR 8715.24, Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions. It addresses and is relevant to both crewed and robotic missions and covers the technical details a mission should consider for the design and execution of the Planetary Protection mission throughout the project life cycle. It is relevant starting in the Mission Concept Review and System Requirements Review phase by defining the Planetary Protection categorization to end-of-mission disposal reporting.

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NASA Safety Reporting

NASA Safety Reporting

Learn more about reporting safety concerns at NASA.
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Yes, If Program

At NASA, safety is our first priority. When the possibility of something comes into question, our response should begin with, "Yes, if" instead of "No, because." Those who have exemplified this spirit of ingenuity, creativity and commitment to safety have received the "Yes, If" coin from the current chief of Safety and Mission Assurance. Recognize a NASA colleague who you believe should earn a "Yes, If" coin.

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Learn More About Yes, If Program

Featured Safety Message


nasa-nsc-smdec-thumb-lessons-from-challenger

Lessons From Challenger

January 04, 2021

This Jan. 28, marks the 35th anniversary of the Challenger accident. The loss of the crew was a tragedy felt by their families, friends and coworkers at the agency, as well as people throughout the world.

The Challenger accident taught us tough lessons and brought forward what have become recognizable phrases: normalization of deviance, organizational silence and silent safety program.

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Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

What We Do

The Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) assures the safety and enhances the success of all NASA activities through the development, implementation and oversight of agency-wide safety, reliability, maintainability and quality assurance policies and procedures. OSMA includes the Mission Support Division, Safety and Assurance Requirements Division, and NASA Safety Center, as well as the Independent Verification and Validation Facility.

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Policy Status Updates

Recently Published

Recently Published
Policy Title Effective Date    
 NPD 8700.1E Policy for Safety and Mission Success July 28, 2022 See NPD 8700.1E    
NASA-STD-8719.27 Planetary Protection Standard Aug. 30, 2022 See NASA-STD-8719.27    
 NPR 8715.6 NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris and Evaluating the Meteoroid and Orbital Debris Environments Aug. 30, 2022 See NPR 8715.6    
 NPR 8705.2 Human-Rating Requirements for Space Systems Sept. 2, 2022 See NPR 8705.2    
NASA-STD-8739.8 Software Assurance and Software Safety Sept. 8, 2022 See NASA-STD-8739.8    
NPR 8000.4  Agency Risk Management Procedural Requirement April 19, 2022 See NPR 8000.4  
NASA-STD-8719.24 Annex Annex to NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Payload Safety Requirements
 March 30, 2022 See NASA-STD-8719.24  
NASA-STD-8719.24
 NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Payload Safety Requirements
 March 30, 2022 See NASA-STD-8719.24  
NID 8715.140 Safety Policy Regarding Hazardous Chemicals Storage
 March 2, 2022 See NID 8715.140  
NASA-STD-8739.12
 Metrology & Calibration
 Feb. 7, 2022 See NASA-STD-8739.12  
NPR 8715.26
 Nuclear Flight Safety Feb. 4, 2022 See NPR 8715.26 See Article
NPR 8715.3 General Safety Program Requirements Dec. 21, 2021 See NPR 8715.3  
NASA-STD-8719.17 NASA Requirements for Ground-Based Pressure Vessels and Pressurized Systems (PVS) Jan. 6, 2022 See NASA-STD-8719.17  
NASA-STD-8719.9 Lifting Standard Jan. 18, 2022 See NASA-STD-8719.9  
NPR 8735.2 Hardware Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Programs and Projects Nov. 22, 2021 See NPR 8753.2  
» More Policy Updates

Currently in Review

Currently in Review
Policy Title  
NPR 8705.2 Human-Rating
Requirements for Space		  
NPR 8735.1 Exchange of Problem
Data Using NASA Advisories and
the Government-Industry Data
Exchange Program (GIDEP)		 See NPR 8735.1
 NPD 7900.4  NASA Aircraft Operations Management See NPD 7900.4
NASA-STD-8719.17 NASA Requirements for Ground-Based Pressure Vessels and Pressurized Systems (PVS) See NASA-STD-8719.17
NASA-STD-87xx
 Wind Tunnel Model Systems Criteria
» More Policy Updates

Upcoming Reviews

Upcoming Reviews To see that latest draft of a policy or participate in a review, please send us a request.
Policy Title  
NPR 8715.6  NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris and Evaluating the Meteoroid and Orbital Debris Environments See NPR 8715.6
NASA-STD-8719.29   NASA Technical Requirements for Human-Rating  
NASA-STD-8739.12 Metrology & Calibration See NASA-STD-8739.12
NPR 8735.2  Hardware Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Programs and Projects See NPR 8735.2
NASA-STD-8719.25  Range Flight Safety Requirements See NASA-STD-8719.25
NASA-STD-8729.1 NASA Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) Standard for Spaceflight and Support Systems See NASA-STD-8729.1
NASA-STD-8719.9  Lifting Standard See NASA-STD-8719.9
NPR 8715.3  General Safety Program Requirements  See NPR 8715.3
NPR 8715.PPHM Planetary Protection Provisions for Crewed Missions to the Earth's Moon  
NPR 7900.3 Aircraft Operations Management   See NPR 7900.3
NASA-STD-8719.12 Safety Standard for Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnics See NASA STD-8719.12
 NPR 8715.5  Range Flight Safety Program  See NPR 8715.5
 NPR 8705.2 Human-Rating Requirements for Space Systems See NPR 8705.2
NASA-STD 8739.11 EEE Parts Selection, Screening, Qualification & Derating
NASA-STD-8739.10 Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical (EEE) Parts Assurance Standard See NASA-STD-8739.10
NPR 8735.1 Exchange of Problem Data Using NASA Advisories and the Government-Industry Data Exchange Program (GIDEP) See NPR 8735.1
» More Policy Updates