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NASA Ball NASA
Policy
Directive
NPD 8010.3B
Effective Date: June 14, 2004
Expiration Date: June 14, 2024
COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY FOR NASA EMPLOYEES
Printable Format (PDF)

Subject: Notification of Intent to Decommission or Terminate Operating Space Systems and Terminate Missions (Revalidated w/Change 2)

Responsible Office: Science Mission Directorate


CHANGE HISTORY

Chg#
Date
Description/Comments
1
06/30/2014
Update to comply with 1400 Compliance,with administrative changes, update authority, office name changes, applicable documents, and added Attachment A - References.
2
06/11/2019
Update to comply with 1400, update appplicable documents and forms and updated Attachment A: References.

1. POLICY

It is NASA's policy to provide notification of intent to decommission or terminate operating space systems and terminate missions. When it is determined that an operating space system has reached the end of its intended useful life, or a mission has reached the end of its usefulness, or the space system should be decommissioned or terminated for any other reason, or the mission should be terminated for any other reason, adequate notification will be given to assure proper coordination with all concerned parties internal and external to NASA.

2. APPLICABILITY

a. This NPD applies to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities, and Technical and Service Support Centers.

b. Compliance with requirements for limiting orbital debris generation, and the production of, and adherence to, an end of mission plan for safe disposal, are applicable to projects that completed Preliminary Design Review (PDR) on or after April 5, 1993. Projects that completed PDR before April 5, 1993, are only subject to orbital debris provisions as applicable under NPR 8715.6, NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris and Evaluating the Meteoroid and Orbital Debris Environments.

c. Compliance with planetary protection requirements is applicable to all planetary missions.

d. In this directive, the terms: "may" or "can" denote discretionary privilege or permission, "should" denotes a good practice and is recommended, but not required, "will" denotes expected outcome, and "are/is" denotes descriptive material.

e. In this directive, all document citations are assumed to be the latest version unless otherwise noted.

3. AUTHORITY

The National Aeronautics and Space Act, (Space Act), as amended, 51 U.S.C. 20113(a).

4. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS AND FORMS

a. NPR 1441.1 NASA Records Retention Schedules.

b. NPR 8715.6 NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris Generation.

5. RESPONSIBILITY

a. The Associate Administrator for the Mission Directorate with management responsibility for each mission and operating space system is responsible for implementation of this policy. The following are the responsibilities of the managing Mission Directorate Associate Administrator:

(1) Contact participating Mission Directorate, mission support offices, functional offices, and affected user communities to communicate the rationale for planned mission termination and/or decommissioning or termination of operating space systems, and to determine if they have any basis or reason for continuing the operation of the mission and/or operating space systems.

(2) Prepare and forward to the Administrator a notification of intent to terminate a mission and/or decommission or terminate operation of a space system. This notification should be forwarded sufficiently in advance to communicate the declaration of intent and begin the coordination process prior to shutdown, but in no case less than 90 calendar days before the planned shutdown. This notification should provide the rationale for and implications of the action proposed. The notification should also describe the end of mission plan for safe disposal, and past coordination with all interested parties and the public, or include a plan for assuring such coordination prior to shutdown.

(3) Distribute copies of the notification to involved Headquarters offices and NASA Centers, including the Human Exploration and Operations Space Operations Mission Directorate, Office of the General Counsel, Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA), Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR), Legislative and Intergovermental Affairs, Office of Communications, Office of Protective Services, Office of the Chief Financial Officer and to the Planetary Protection for planetary missions.

(4) Obtain concurrence from OSMA that the mission termination plan complies with approved safety standards at the time of launch.

(5) For planetary missions, obtain concurrence from the Planetary Protection Officer that the mission termination plan complies with the approved planetary protection plan.

(6) For operating space systems that have international participation covered by an international agreement with NASA under the Space Act, the managing Mission Directorate Associate Administrator will inform the OIIR of a decision to terminate a mission and/or decommission or terminate a space system in a time frame that is consistent with the terms and conditions defined in the agreement with the international partner.

b. NASA Centers are responsible for operation of the mission and/or space system and also have the following termination responsibilities:

(1) Coordinate with the managing Mission Directorate to physically shut down the mission and/or space system on the planned shutdown date.

(2) Notify project management to coordinate with the Center Records Manager for proper disposition of mission/space system records in accordance with NPR 1441.1D, NASA Records Retention Schedules.

6. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

None.

7. MEASUREMENTS/VERIFICATION

None.

8. CANCELLATION

NPD 8010.3A, Notification of Intent to Decommission or Terminate Operating Space Systems and Terminate Missions, dated June 14, 2004.


REVALIDATED 6/11/19 with Change 2, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:


/s/ Sean O'Keefe
Administrator

ATTACHMENT A: REFERENCES

A.1 NPD 1440.6 NASA Records Management.

A.2 NPD 8020.7 Biological Contamination Control for Outbound and Inbound Planetary Spacecraft.

A.3 NPR 8020.12 Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions.

A.4 NSS 1740.14 Guidelines and Assessment Procedures for Limiting Orbital Debris.

(URL for Graphic)

None.



DISTRIBUTION:
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