The NASA Range Flight Safety Program updated NPR 8715.5, Range Flight Safety Program and released the newly created NASA-STD-8719.25, Range Flight Safety Requirements, which went into effect on Feb .2 and Feb. 5, respectively. The creation of the standard and subsequent changes to the NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) support an agency effort to ensure NPRs focus on policy and process, while standards contain technical requirements.

Attendees of the Range Commanders Council’s 117th Range Safety Group Technical Interchange Meeting last November discussed the growing relevancy of autonomous flight systems in the Range Flight Safety community, as well as related policy changes needed to accommodate the new interest. In addition, they discussed resource protection, a launch vehicle failure, and upcoming policy and risk criteria changes related to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The meeting was hosted by the Missile Defense Agency at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, and attended by representatives from government agencies and industries with ties to and interest in the U.S. National Test Ranges.

Representatives from government agencies attended the 115th Range Safety Group Technical Interchange Meeting last November at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to discuss current issues, ongoing tasks and future work of the Main, Risk and Flight Termination System Committees.

As more NASA programs and projects begin using Unmanned Aircraft Systems to achieve their missions, the agency must carefully implement policies and controls to ensure safety.

NASA’s Range Safety (NRS) Program released its annual report earlier this year. The report, funded by NASA Headquarters, provides an NRS overview for current and potential range users.