Subject: Risk Classification for NASA Payloads

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Chapter 2. Roles and Responsibilities

2.1 Mission Directorate Associate Administrator

2.1.1 The Mission Directorate Associate Administrator’s (MDAA), as stated in NPD 1000.3, The NASA Organization, is responsible for defining, funding, evaluating, advocating, and overseeing the implementation of NASA programs and projects to ensure their outcomes meet schedule and cost constraints as well as performance requirements. As part of this responsibility, the MDAA operating or sponsoring the mission:

a. Implements SMA directives and requirements provided in paragraph 3.3.1.

b. Establishes and documents the risk classification and associated SMA objectives for NASA missions and instruments with support from the Chief, SMA and the Chief Engineer.

Note: A constellation of spacecrafts may be treated as one mission with a single risk classification. When individual elements of NASA missions and instruments have distinct mission objectives, the MDAA may designate different risk tolerance classes for the corresponding elements.

c. Reviews for approval the project’s formulation of SMA objectives consistent with the designated risk tolerance class(es).

2.1.2 As specified in NPR 8000.4, programmatic authorities are accountable for risk acceptance decisions for their programs and projects throughout the program and project life-cycle. The MDAA and NASA program offices flow risk acceptance authority down to NASA project offices as defined in their program-level documentation.

2.2 NASA Project Manager

2.2.1 The NASA Project Manager is responsible for:

a. Establishing, documenting, and executing the project’s SMA Plan specifying assurance plans, standards, methods, processes, and practices consistent with the mission or instrument risk classification and SMA objectives established by the Mission Directorate.

b. Reporting execution status of the project’s detailed implementation of assurance standards, methods, processes, and practices to the Mission Directorate, the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA), and the Office of the Chief Engineer (OCE) at all Key Decision Points (KDPs), Life-Cycle Reviews (LCRs), and Safety and Mission Success Review (SMSR).

2.2.2 When the responsible Mission Directorate or NASA program office has not established a NASA project office, any responsibilities or requirements levied on the NASA Project Manager in this directive are reverted to the NASA Program Manager.

2.3 The Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance

2.3.1 The Chief, SMA, as stated in NPD 1000.3 is responsible for advising the Administrator and other senior officials on matters related to risk, safety, and mission success. As part of this responsibility, the Chief, SMA:

a. Supports Mission Directorates in the development and review of risk classification for NASA missions and instruments.

b. Reviews the project’s formulation of SMA objectives consistent with the designated risk tolerance class(es).

c. Supports Mission Directorates in the implementation of SMA directives and requirements provided in paragraph 3.3.1.

d. Exercises general oversight and coordinates Agency-wide implementation of this NPR.

2.4 The Chief Engineer

2.4.1 The Chief Engineer, as stated in NPD 1000.3, is responsible for advising the Administrator and other senior officials on matters related to technical readiness in execution of NASA programs and projects. As part of this responsibility, the Chief Engineer:

a. Supports Mission Directorates in the development and review of risk classification for NASA missions and instruments.

b. Reviews the project’s formulation of SMA objectives consistent with the designated risk tolerance class(es).

2.5 Project-Level SMA Technical Authority

2.5.1 Project-Level SMA TAs are individuals appointed by the Center SMA Director to exercise the TA role within projects.

2.5.2 The Project-Level SMA TA is responsible for assuring that the formulation and implementation of the project's SMA Plan is technically sound and consistent with established risk classifications and associated SMA objectives.

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