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).  

The updated tailoring process continues to delegate the authority to approve tailoring of agency mission Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) requirements imposed on programs and projects down the SMA TA chain, except for in the following areas:

• Orbital Debris mitigation
• Planetary Protection
• Nuclear Flight Safety
• Human Rating spaceflight systems
• Mission risk classification
• Mishap Investigation

The process for tailoring Institutional Safety and health requirements is described in NPR 8715.1, NASA Safety and Health Programs. A future update to NPR 8715.3 will focus on clarifying NASA’s mission safety and success responsibilities and procedures. In addition, NASA developed and is reviewing a new draft NPR to supersede NPR 8715.3, Chapter 6, Nuclear Safety for Launching of Radioactive Materials to address National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM)-20 and Space Policy Directive-6 (see “What’s New: Nuclear Flight Safety Program Updates” for more information).