The NASA Metrology and Calibration Program released a new course in SATERN, “More Than a Sticker: The Importance of Calibrating Measuring and Test Equipment.”

“The goal of this course is to explain why periodic calibration is necessary to ensure Measuring and Test Equipment [MTE] performs within its accuracy specifications and has metrological traceability to the International System of Units,” said Kenny Mathews, Metrology and Calibration Program manager. “NASA performs approximately 100,000 MTE calibrations annually in support of all programs, projects and institutional organizations, so it’s important that the benefits of calibration are clearly understood.”

NASA uses measurement data to make hundreds of important decisions daily, relying on measurements throughout the life cycle of programs and projects. MTE is the equipment used to perform those measurements. MTE directly affects the quality of measurement data and therefore requires calibration to ensure it is performing within its accuracy specifications.

NASA levies requirements to use calibrated MTE through NPD 8730.5, NASA Quality Assurance Program Policy; Quality Management Systems AS9100, ISO 9001, and AS9003; and Appendix A of NASA-STD-8739.12, Metrology and Calibration. However, this course focuses on the technical benefits of calibration beyond the levied requirements.

After completing this course, participants will understand

• What calibration means
• Why it is necessary
• Why MTE must be calibrated on a periodic basis
• What can go wrong with calibrated MTE

This course will benefit anyone who is part of an organization that uses or calibrates MTE in the support of NASA programs, projects and centers, including

• Managers
• Engineers
• Technicians
• Personnel that provide Quality and safety oversight

This new course can be found in SATERN under course number SMA-HQ-WBT-106.