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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.

Latest News

What's Happening in the SMA Community?

ODQN New

ODQN: First Issue of 2023 Now Available

March 23, 2023
1-minute read

The latest issue of Orbital Debris Quarterly News is now available. See the latest updates as of March 2023. 

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Test Stand 4693_1

Up Lifting the Space Mission: Strand Jacks and Hydraulic Jacking Systems

March 10, 2023
2-minute read

NASA personnel at Marshall Space Flight Center are preparing for a big lift in support of the Artemis Program.

In the coming months, NASA intends to use four strand jacks in unison to lower the test stand’s crosshead, which weighs 1.25 million pounds, or 625 tons, onto Test Stand 4693 with the Exploration Upper Stage test article underneath. 

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Benardini

SMA Leadership Profile: Nick Benardini

January 31, 2023
5-minute read

As NASA’s Planetary Protection Officer, James “Nick” Benardini knows his role is all about the community: his NASA discipline colleagues, agency programs and projects, the international community, and academia. 

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Truss-Braced Wind Model installed in the Ames 11x11 Foot Wind Tunnel

New Agency Standard for Wind Tunnel Model Systems Criteria

January 17, 2023
2-minute read

NASA released NASA-STD-8719.28, Wind Tunnel Model Systems Criteria, effective Oct. 10, 2022. The new agency standard — which replaces local center standards at Ames Research Center, Glenn Research Center and Langley Research Center — ensures models can move seamlessly between the centers for testing in various wind tunnels. 

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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    
NASA-STD-87xx  Wind Tunnel Model Systems Criteria Oct. 31, 2022 See NASA-STD-87xx    
 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    
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
» More Policy Updates

Currently in Review

Currently in Review
Policy Title  
NPR 8735.2 Hardware Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Programs and Projects See NPR 8735.2
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
» 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  
NASA-STD-8719.24 Annex NASA Payload Safety Requirements: Requirements Table See NASA-STD-8719.24 Annex
NASA-STD-8719.29 NASA Technical Requirements for Human-Rating  
NPR 8705.4 Risk Classification for NASA Payloads See NPR 8705.4
NPR 8715.6 NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris and Evaluating the Meteoroid and Orbital Debris Environments See NPR 8715.6
NASA-STD-8719.17 NASA Requirements for Ground-Based Pressure Vessels and Pressurized Systems (PVS) See NASA-STD-8719.17
NASA-STD-8739.12 Metrology & Calibration See NASA-STD-8739.12
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 7900.4 Aircraft Operations Management   See NPR 7900.4
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