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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?

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IAQG Issues Guidance on Certifications

April 03, 2020
1-minute read

The International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) — the industry standards organization that manages coordination and publication of AS9100, Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Aviation, Space and Defense Organizations  — recently released guidance and relief for its normal certification policies and timing requirements. The IAQG made the announcement due to travel restrictions and work stoppages among AS9100-certified suppliers due to COVID-19.

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Human Factors

Human Factors Task Force Recognized for Improving Processes

April 01, 2020
2-minute read

The NASA Human Factors Task Force received the 2019 Agency Honor Awards Group Achievement Award for its outstanding leadership in improving the use of Human Factors processes and techniques to ensure the agency continues to carry out its mission safely.

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SCWG Recognized for Outstanding Leadership

April 01, 2020
2-minute read

NASA recognized the NASA Safety Culture Working Group’s (SCWG) outstanding contributions to the agency’s mission by presenting its members with the 2019 Agency Honor Awards Group Achievement Award.

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Explosives Warning Sign

OSMA Partners With NSC on New Training for Expected Cost Savings

February 24, 2020
3-minute read

The Office of Safety and Mission’s (OSMA) Explosives and Pyrotechnics Safety program recently released new online SATERN training, “Basic Explosive Safety Refresher,” to the agency.

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NASA Safety Reporting

NASA Safety Reporting

Learn more about reporting safety concerns at NASA.
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Featured Safety Message


SM-Jul19-Thumb

Risk Versus Risk Trades

July 01, 2019

As explorers and scientists, we at NASA have been making risk trades since the beginning. This safety message illustrates risk trades such as taking one risk versus another risk, as compared to taking a risk to gain a benefit. Which option seems to give the best opportunity to succeed? When decisions are time-critical and you have minutes or seconds to decide, the first workable option based upon experience (training and operations), skill, and systems knowledge can save the day.

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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    
NASA-STD-8719.12A Safety Standard for Explosives, Propellants, and Pyrotechnics Sept. 26, 2019 See NASA-STD-8719.12  
NPR 8705.6D Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Audits, Reviews, and Assessments
 March 29, 2019 See NPR 8705.6  
NASA-STD-8719.14B Process for Limiting Orbital Debris April 25, 2019 See NASA-STD-8719.14  
NPD 8730.2C, With Change 2 NASA Parts Policy April 2, 2019 See NPD 8730.2  
NASA-HDBK-8709.22 Safety & Mission Assurance Acronyms, Abbreviations, & Definitions May 14, 2019 See NASA-HDBK-8709.22  
» More Policy Updates

Currently in Review

Currently in Review
Policy Title  
NPR 8715.1 NASA Safety and Health Programs See NPR 8715.1
NASA-STD-8739.6 Implementation Requirements for NASA Workmanship Standards See NASA-STD-8739.6
NASA-STD-8719.11 Safety Standard for Fire Protection See NASA-STD-8719.11
NPR 8621.1 Mishap and Close Call Reporting, Investigating, and Recordkeeping See NPR 8621.1 
NPR 8715.7 Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) Payload Safety Program See NPR 8715.7
NASA-STD-8739.14 NASA Fastener Procurement, Receiving Inspection, and Storage Practices for NASA Mission Hardware  
NASA-STD-8739.8
 Software Assurance and Software Safety Standard
 See NASA-STD-8739.8
» 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  
NPD 8700.1 NASA Policy for Safety and Mission Success See NPD 8700.1
NPR 8735.2 Management of Government Quality Assurance Functions for NASA Contracts See NPR 8735.2
NASA-STD-8719.7 Facility System Safety Guidebook  
NPR 8705.4 Risk Classification for NASA Payloads See NPR 8705.4
NPR 8715.3 NASA General Safety Program Requirements (Chapter 6 only) See NPR 8715.3
NPD 8730.5 NASA Quality Assurance Program Policy See NPD 8730.5
NPR 8020.12 Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterestrial Missions See NPR 8020.12
NASA-STD-8739.6 Implementation Requirements for NASA Workmanship Standards See NASA-STD-8739.6
STD or HDBK EEE Parts Selection, Screening, Qualification & Derating
NASA-STD-8719.13 Software Safety Standard See NASA-STD-8719.13
NASA-STD-8739.4 Workmanship Standard for Crimping Interconnecting Cables, Harnesses and Wiring See NASA-STD-8739.4
NPR Nuclear Flight Safety
NASA-STD-8719.24 NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Payload Safety Requirements
NASA-STD-8719.24 Annex Annex to NASA Expendable Launch Vehicle Payload Safety Requirements  
NASA-STD-8739.1 Workmanship Standard for Polymeric Application on Electronic Assemblies See NASA-STD-8739.1
NASA-STD-8739.5 Workmanship Standard for Fiber Optic Terminations, Cable Assemblies, and Installation See NASA-STD-8739.5
STD Planetary Protection  
NPD 8020.7 Biological Contamination Control for Outbound and Inbound Planetary Spacecraft See NPD 8020.7
NASA-STD-8709.20 Management of Safety and Mission Assurance Technical Authority (SMA TA) Requirement  
NASA-STD-8719.XX Alternate Standard for Non-Code Metallic Pressure Vessels  
» More Policy Updates