NASA Procedures and Guidelines
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NPR 7120.11 Eff. Date: November 01, 2011 Cancellation Date: August 03, 2021	NASA Health and Medical Technical Authority (HMTA) Implementation
| TOC | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | AppendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | AppendixE | ALL |

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Health and Medical Technical Authority Overview

1.1.1 NASA has established the technical authority process as part of its system of checks and balances to provide independent oversight of programs and projects in support of safety and mission success through the selection of specific individuals at delegated levels of authority. HMTA originates with the Administrator and is formally delegated to the Associate Administrator (AA) and then to the CHMO.

1.1.2 HMTA implements the responsibilities of the OCHMO to assure that Agency health and medical policy, procedural requirements, and standards are addressed in program/project management when applicable and appropriate. HMTA provides independent oversight of all health, medical, and space crew/personnel performance matters that either arise in association with the execution of NASA programs or projects, or are embedded in NASA programs or projects.

1.1.3 In this NPR, a requirement is identified by "shall," a good practice by "should," permission by "may" or "can," expected outcome or action by "will," and descriptive material by "is" or "are" (or another form of the verb "to be").

1.2 Health and Medical Technical Authority Background

1.2.1 The CHMO is responsible for implementing HMTA at the NASA Centers. Due to resource (e.g., lack of personnel) and infrastructure (e.g., lack of medical expertise) differences, HMTA implementation varies among Centers, thus differing significantly from the OCE and OSMA Technical Authority (TA). These differences increase risk that HMTA issues will either be missed or identified too late in the program/project life cycle to allow for design modifications without significant impact to cost and schedule.

1.2.2 To assist the CHMO with HMTA implementation, the Chief Engineer and the Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) agreed to support HMTA implementation through the utilization of Engineering and SMA personnel as HMTA awareness and communication links at each Center (not including Johnson Space Center (JSC) due to its existing HMTA infrastructure), as described in this NPR (Appendix D). This support arrangement for HMTA implementation was documented in a Letter of Agreement between OCHMO, OCE, and OSMA, "Collaboration for Health and Medical Technical Authority (HMTA) Implementation," signed June 14, 2010 (Appendix C).

1.3 Health and Medical Technical Authority Scope

1.3.1 For NASA program/project management, the scope of HMTA shall encompass the following:

a. Health, medical, and human performance, policy, requirements, and standards for all human space flight programs and projects.

b. Health, medical, and human performance policy, procedural requirements, and technical standards levied on or supported by all R&T programs and projects.

c. NASA-unique occupational and environmental health requirements addressed in paragraph 1.4.3 of this NPR that are not mandated by external Federal entities (e.g., Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Environmental Protection Agency).

d. Health, medical, and human performance issues that arise where there is no NASA-unique or Federally mandated health/medical requirement or standard. In such cases, program/project management shall consult with the appropriate level of HMTA to resolve the issue.

1.3.2 HMTA is not related to non-program/project management health and medical issues (e.g., Center operations). Except as described in paragraph 1.3.1.c of this NPR, HMTA is not related to program/project health and medical issues which are governed by laws, regulations, and requirements external to NASA (e.g., Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and research subject protection regulations). NASA policy for occupational health is provided in NPD 1800.2, NASA Occupational Health Program. NASA policy for protection of human research subjects is provided in NPD 7100.8, Protection of Human Research Subjects.

1.4 NASA Health and Medical Policy, Procedural Requirements, and Technical Standards

1.4.1 The OCHMO establishes Agency-level health and medical policy, procedural requirements, and technical standards for use by programs and projects when applicable and appropriate. NPD 1000.0, NASA Governance and Strategic Management Handbook, identifies the CHMO as the Agency HMTA. NPD 8900.5, NASA Health and Medical Policy for Human Space Exploration, establishes NASA health and medical policy for human space exploration. NPR 8900.1, Health and Medical Requirements for Human Space Exploration, establishes requirements and processes for implementing NASA health and medical policy for human space exploration.

1.4.2 The OCHMO establishes and maintains NASA health, medical, and human performance technical standards for human space exploration as follows:

a. NASA-STD-3001, NASA Space Flight Human System Standard, Volume 1 - Crew Health, establishes standards for providing a healthy and safe environment for crewmembers and for providing health and medical programs for crewmembers during all phases of space flight.

b. NASA-STD-3001, NASA Space Flight Human System Standard, Volume 2 - Human Factors, Habitability and Environmental Health, addresses habitability and environmental health, focuses on human physical and cognitive capabilities and limitations and defines standards for spacecraft (including orbiters, habitats, and suits), internal environments, facilities, payloads, and related equipment, hardware, and software systems with which the crew interfaces during space operations.

1.4.3 Additionally, the OCHMO has developed several NASA-unique occupational health requirements that are included in the scope of HMTA. These requirements are addressed in the following specific sections of NPR 1800.1, NASA Occupational Health Program Procedures:

a. Section 2.15, Shift Work and Balancing Work-Rest Cycles.

b. Sections 4.2.3.2 and 4.2.3.3, Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs).

c. Section 4.5, Reproductive and Developmental Health.

d. Section 4.6, Nanotoxicology.

e. Section 4.8, Hearing Conservation.

1.4.4 Table 1 provides a list of relevant Agency and HMTA policy and requirements documents.

HMTA Document Number	Title
NPD 1000.0	NASA Governance and Strategic Management Handbook
NPD 1000.3	The NASA Organization
NPD 8900.5	NASA Health and Medical Policy for Human Space Exploration
NPR 8900.1	Health and Medical Requirements for Human Space Exploration
NPR 1800.1	NASA Occupational Health Program Procedures (Sections - 2.15, 4.2.3.2, 4.2.3.3, 4.5, 4.6 and 4.8 apply to HMTA)
NASA-STD-3001	NASA Space Flight Human System Standard, Volume 1: Crew Health
NASA-STD-3001	NASA Space Flight Human System Standard, Volume 2: Human Factors, Habitability and Environmental Health

Table 1 - HMTA Documentation

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