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 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
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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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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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.
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Jean Hill Receives Yes, If Coin for Embodying the “Yes, If” Approach
February 17, 2022
2-minute read
Jean Hill, Human Landing Systems (HLS) and Lander Ground Operations Design Systems Safety Reliability and Maintainability engineer, Exploration Research and Technology Office at Kennedy Space Center, received a “Yes, If” coin for continuously embracing the “Yes, If” approach in her work. Hill is willing to have the tough and honest conversations that address mitigations needed to ensure the HLS program is meeting and identifying safety requirements.
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NASA Issues New Nuclear Policy: NPR 8715.26
February 07, 2022
3-minute read
The Office of Safety and Mission Assurance recently released NPR 8715.26, Nuclear Flight Safety, effective Feb. 3, 2022. The new NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) follows the 2019 National Security Presidential Memorandum-20 overhaul of the federal process for nuclear launch authorization of space nuclear systems and the 2020 release of Space Policy Directive-6, which established a national strategy to ensure the development and use of space nuclear power and propulsion systems, “when appropriate to enable and achieve the scientific, exploration, national security, and commercial objectives of the United States.” The NPR also brings NASA policy into alignment with present day practices.
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NASA Updates the NASA Mission Safety and Success Requirements Tailoring Process
December 21, 2021
1-minute read
NASA updated its process for tailoring agency-level mission safety and mission success requirements, found in NPR 8715.3, NASA General Safety Program Requirements, Section 1.3, Relief from Agency-level SMA Requirements. Previously, they were documented in the now cancelled NASA-STD-8709.20, Management of Safety and Mission Assurance Technical Authority (TA) Requirements, in addition to the NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR).
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December 2021 Issue of ODQN Now Available
December 20, 2021
1-minute read
The latest issue of Orbital Debris Quarterly News (ODQN) is now available. This December 2021 issue includes the articles "Accidental Collision of YunHai 1-02," "Updated NASA Technical Standard for Limiting Orbital Debris" and "Experimental Hypervelocity Impacts of Non-Spherical Projectiles on Whipple Shields."
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NASA Employee Plans Retirement 3 Years in Advance, Leads Successful Knowledge Transfer
December 16, 2021
5-minute read
For years, Jean-Marie Lauenstein has been the sole Subject Matter Expert in Silicon Carbide Wide Band Gap Power Device Radiation Hardness Assurance, which is critical to the advancement of technology within NASA. Because of this, Lauenstein had to be more forward-thinking when planning her retirement. She provided her three-year retirement notice in 2018, giving both herself and the NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Program managers enough time to prepare to transfer knowledge and find a reliable replacement.
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