NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 8705.4B Effective Date: November 01, 2024 Expiration Date: October 31, 2032

Subject: Risk Classification for NASA Payloads

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Preface

P.1 Purpose

a. This directive describes (1) the criteria for Mission Directorates to define the risk tolerance class(es) for NASA missions and instruments, (2) the Agency-level assurance expectations that drive design and analysis, test philosophy, and common assurance practices, and (3) corresponding Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) planning and implementation elements.

P.2 Applicability

a. This directive is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers. This directive is applicable to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (a Federally-Funded Research and Development Center) only to the extent specified in the NASA/Caltech Prime Contract.

b. This directive applies to NASA robotic programs and projects, including those flown on human vehicles, managed in accordance with NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements.

c. This directive does not apply to human vehicles, launch systems, and non-spaceflight aeronautical systems (e.g., airplanes), or as a result of foreign collaborations to on-orbit services or non-NASA missions provided to NASA. Applications of this directive to such instances is at the discretion of the responsible NASA Mission Directorate.

d. This directive does not apply to projects managed under NPR 7120.8, NASA Research and Technology Program and Project Management Requirements, or projects otherwise not managed under NPR 7120.5, though these projects may choose to impose the objectives from Appendix D in their project-level documentation.

e. In this directive, all mandatory actions (i.e., requirements) are denoted by statements containing the term “shall.” The terms “may” denotes a discretionary privilege or permission, “can” denotes statements of possibility or capability, “should” denotes a good practice and is recommended, but not required, “will” denotes expected outcome, and “are/is” denotes descriptive material.

f. In this directive, all document citations are assumed to be the latest version unless otherwise noted. Use of other versions of cited documents may be authorized by the responsible SMA Technical Authority (TA).

g. The requirements enumerated in this document are applicable to all new projects managed in accordance with NPR 7120.5 that are in Formulation Phase as of, or after the effective date of this document (see NPR 7120.5 for project phase definitions).

P.3 Authority

a. NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 8700.1, NASA Policy for Safety and Mission Success.

P.4 Applicable Documents and Forms

a. NPR 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements.

P.5 Measurement/Verification

Compliance by programs and projects with the requirements contained within this directive is verified as part of selected life-cycle reviews, and by assessments, reviews, and audits. Compliance with the requirements contained within this directive is also monitored by Centers, Mission Directorates, and the SMA TA.

P.6 Cancellation

NPR 8705.4A, Risk Classification for NASA Payloads, dated April 29, 2021.

DISTRIBUTION:
NODIS

This document does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract. This document is uncontrolled when printed. Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library to verify that this is the correct version before use: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov.