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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?

Group Meeting

ISHMC Meeting Brings Together Institutional Safety and Health Experts

May 25, 2022
3-minute read

The Institutional Safety and Health Managers Council (ISHMC) brought together safety and health leaders from across the agency this April at Kennedy Space Center. The meeting marked the beginning of a new approach to safety and health management at the agency level. 

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O’Connor Receives Yes, If Coin From DeLoach

O’Connor Honored for Career Embodying Yes, If Attitude

May 18, 2022
3-minute read

Ken O’Connor, Mishap program executive at the NASA Safety Center, received the “Yes, If” coin from Chief of Safety and Mission Assurance Russ DeLoach during his retirement celebration on May 5. O’Connor retired after more than 30 years of NASA service. 

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COSPAR Meeting on Planetary Protection for Crewed Mars Missions

COSPAR Meeting on Planetary Protection for Crewed Mars Missions

May 09, 2022
1-minute read

The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) is holding a workshop June 1 and 2, 9:30 a.m.  to 3 p.m. Eastern, for experts to weigh in on aspects of quarantine and sample containment for the first crewed Mars mission. 

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Risk Management

Changes to NPR 8000.4 Reflect Increased Relevancy of Cyber-Related Threats

April 22, 2022
3-minute read

Revision C of NPR 8000.4, Agency Risk Management Procedural Requirements went into effect on April 19, 2022. The changes made primarily reflect the increasing relevance of cyber-related threats and incidents across both government agencies and the private sector. The update reflects an action item from the NASA Enterprise Protection Board to the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance to make the subject of cybersecurity and cyber risk explicit within NPR 8000.4.

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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    
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  
NASA-STD-8719.14
 Process for Limiting Orbital Debris
 Nov. 5, 2021 See NASA-STD-8719.14  
NPR 8705.6  Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Audits, Reviews and Assessments Oct. 21, 2021 See NPR 8705.6  
NASA-STD-8739.1 Workmanship Standard for Polymeric Application on Electronic Assemblies Oct. 4, 2021 See NASA-STD-8739.1  
NASA-STD-8739.5 Workmanship Standard for Fiber Optic Terminations, Cable Assemblies and Installation Oct. 4, 2021 See NASA-STD-8739.5  
 NPR 8715.24 Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions Sept. 24, 2021 See NPR 8715.24  
 NPR 8705.4  Risk Classification for NASA Payloads Sept. 17, 2021 See NPR 8705.4  
NPD 8730.5 NASA Quality Assurance Program Policy Sept. 10, 2021    
NASA-STD 8719.25  Range Flight Safety Requirements May 24, 2021 See NASA-STD 8719.25  
» More Policy Updates

Currently in Review

Currently in Review
Policy Title  
NPD 8020.7
 Biological Contamination Control for Outbound and Inbound Planetary Spacecraft
 See NPD 8020.7
NPD 8700.1E
 Policy for Safety and Mission Success
 See NPD 8700.1E
NPR 8000.4
 Agency Risk Management Procedural Requirement
 See NPR 8000.4
NASA-STD-87xx
 Wind Tunnel Model Systems Criteria
NPR 8705.5
 Technical Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Procedures for Safety and Mission Success for NASA Programs and Projects
 See NPR 8705.5
NPD 8720.1
 NASA Reliability and Maintainability (R&M)
 NPD 8720.1
NASA-STD-8739.8
 Software Assurance and Software Safety
 See NASA-STD-8739.8
NASA-STD-87XX.PP Planetary Protection Standard  
» 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-8719.25  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  
 NPD 7900.4  NASA Aircraft Operations Management  See NPD 7900.4
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-8739.12  Metrology and Calibration See NASA-STD-8739.12
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 (VPS)  
NASA-STD 8709.20 Management of Safety and Mission Assurance Technical Authority (SMA TA) Requirements See NASA-STD 8709.20
NASA-STD 8739.11 EEE Parts Selection, Screening, Qualification & Derating
NPD 8730.2 NASA Parts Policy See NPD 8730.2
NPD 8720.1 NASA Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) Program Policy See NPD 8720.1
NID 8715.xx Safety Policy Regarding Hazardous Chemicals
Storage		  
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