Updated Range Flight Safety Course Improves Training Experience
August 08, 2022
4-minute read
The NASA Range Flight Safety Program, with support from the NASA Safety Center, recently released an update to “Range Flight Safety Analysis” (SMA-AS-WBT-435), available in SATERN. The new training includes recent policy changes, updated materials and the new Federal Aviation Administration Code of Federal Regulations Part 450 requirements. It also converts previous in-class exercises to instructor-led demonstrations.
Read More
New Course Introduces Key Planetary Protection Concepts
August 01, 2022
2-minute read
Last month, the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance and NASA Safety Center released “Planetary Protection Overview” (SMA-STL-WBT-300) in SATERN. The new course includes the definition of Planetary Protection, details of its implementation and practices, and information about its applicability to some of NASA’s space flight missions.
Read More
NPD 8700.1 Restructured to Focus on Evolved Agency Needs
July 28, 2022
4-minute read
NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) updated NPD 8700.1, NASA Policy for Safety and Mission Success, effective July 28, 2022, building on developments from the past decade, including experiences from commercial crew, discussions about robotic mission classification, changes to the agency’s governance handbook and NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel recommendations. OSMA solicited and incorporated feedback from centers, mission directorates and other offices into the final release.
Read More
MCWG Holds Hybrid Technical Interchange Meeting
July 13, 2022
4-minute read
The Metrology and Calibration (MetCal) Working Group (MCWG) held its annual Technical Interchange Meeting (TIM) April 25-28, 2022, at NASA Wallops Flight Facility. Agency MetCal representatives, calibration laboratory managers, metrologists and other experts from associated fields across all of NASA’s 10 field centers, and two component centers, met in-person and virtually at this hybrid event to discuss technical challenges, best practices and improvements related to the agency’s MetCal program.
Read More
NASA Collaborates With External Organizations to Improve Workforce Development
June 29, 2022
6-minute read
NASA’s radiation effects community, with support from the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging program, collaborated with Texas A&M University academia and Radiation Effects Facility staff to develop a radiation effects training “boot camp,” first held in February 2022, with plans for future annual training. The boot camp was in response to a National Academy study called “Testing at the Speed of Light,” that looked at the available U.S. infrastructure available to provide the types of energy and ions used to do the type of spaceflight testing NASA aims to do and also the people available to do the work. Training included attendees from government, industry and academia.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
First 2022 Issue of ODQN Now Available
March 22, 2022
1-minute read
The latest issue of Orbital Debris Quarterly News (ODQN) is now available. This March 2022 issue includes the articles "The Intentional Destruction of Cosmos 1408," "Orbital Debris Engineering Model (ORDEM) 3.2 Release" and "Debris Assessment Software (DAS) 3.2.1 Release." Fragments from the Russian Anti-Satellite test in November 2021 were added to the new ORDEM and DAS. The timely release of the two models will help satellite operators better assess risks from Orbital Debris for the safe operations of their missions.
Read More