NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 7120.10B Effective Date: June 01, 2022 Expiration Date: June 01, 2027

Subject: Technical Standards for NASA Programs and Projects

Responsible Office: Office of the Chief Engineer

Chapter 4. Development of Technical Standards

4.1 NASA Participation in Standards Development with Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies and Other Government Agencies

NASA Headquarters offices shall determine, when a need is identified, if voluntary consensus standards or other Government agency standards exist or are in development that meet or can be adapted to meet NASA's needs.

4.2 Development of NASA Technical Standards

4.2.1 NASA Headquarters offices that sponsor NASA technical standards shall consider development of a new NASA technical standard when the following criteria are met:

a. A search and evaluation of similar technical standards has determined that established voluntary consensus standards or other Government agency technical standards do not exist, are not in development, or are not suitable for adapting (tailoring) to meet NASA technical needs.

b. A NASA technical standard is necessary to establish multi-Center practices and processes that have been identified, such as problem areas or areas contributing to past incidents, near misses, failures, or reduced mission capability.

c. A NASA technical standard is necessary to capture NASA-unique best practices, needs, and lessons learned.

4.2.2 NASA Headquarters offices that sponsor NASA technical standards shall provide the location or a link to the Web site of applicable documents whose requirements are cited in the NASA technical standard ("incorporated by reference" per OMB Circular No. A-119).

4.2.3 NASA Headquarters offices shall conduct Agency-wide technical reviews for adequacy and accuracy of each proposed NASA Technical Standard.

4.2.4 NASA Headquarters offices shall document and disposition all comments received from reviewers and provide the dispositions to all reviewers.

4.2.5 NASA Headquarters offices shall ensure that unresolved comments relative to NASA technical standards are appealed to the next higher level of authority, leading up to the responsible NASA Headquarters office in accordance with the process for handling dissenting opinions in NPR 7120.5.

4.3 Maintaining NASA Technical Standards

4.3.1 NASA Headquarters offices, or designees, shall:

a. Review their NASA technical standards and document the results at least once every five years for relevancy, currency, technical accuracy and adequacy, conflict with or duplication of other requirements, changes in scope, and feasibility of replacing the existing NASA technical standard with, or converting it to, a voluntary consensus standard and inactivating for new design or cancelling the NASA technical standard.

b. Establish, document, and implement a configurationally controlled process to control maintenance (e.g., revalidation, revision, inactivation, changes, cancellation) of NASA technical standards.

c. Maintain NASA technical standards in accordance with NPR 1441.1, NASA Records Management Program Requirements.

4.4 Processes for Developing and Maintaining Technical Standards

4.4.1 NASA technical standards development for Office of the Chief Engineer follows the direction provided by the NASA Chief Engineer.

Note: The current directions for engineering technical standards are provided at https://standards.nasa.gov/system/files/inline-files/nasa-ntsp-1a_0.pdf.

4.4.2 NASA technical standards development for safety and mission assurance follows the direction provided by the NASA Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance.

Note: The current directions for safety and mission assurance standards are provided at http://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/HQDQMS_Docs/QMS/HQ_OWI_1410_GA000_002_F_.pdf.

4.4.3 NASA technical standards development for information technology follows the direction provided by the NASA Chief Information Officer.

Note: The current directions for information technology standards are provided at http://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayDir.cfm?t=NPD&c=2800&s=1.

4.4.4 NASA technical standards development for the Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer are addressed in NPR 7120.11.

4.5 Designation of NASA-Endorsed Technical Standards

4.5.1 NASA Headquarters offices shall identify and approve technical standards as NASA-endorsed technical standards based on the following criteria:

a. The technical standard is approved in accordance with a documented, approved process and is reviewed and updated if necessary on a periodic basis.

b. The technical standard addresses common, high-level functions that are considered by projects across or within a given program or elements across or within a given project.

Note: Applicability of NASA-endorsed technical standards may be specified by NASA Headquarters offices.

c. The technical standard leverages sound engineering practices representative of the best, most current, available, and proven technical knowledge and testing.

d. The technical standard is suitable for wide acceptance by NASA, industry, and other government agencies to ensure proven, consistent, common practices in the discipline area are applied.

Note: NASA-endorsed technical standards do not include program- or project-specific or Center documents, Center-specific laboratory procedures or processes, or procurement specifications.

Note: The list of NASA-endorsed technical standards, accessible after login at https://standards.nasa.gov, Endorsed Standards, will be updated as necessary using the above criteria.

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