NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 8715.6E Effective Date: April 18, 2024 Expiration Date: April 18, 2029

Subject: Orbital Debris Mitigation

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Chapter 3. Requirements

3.1 Mission Formulation

During formulation, Mission Directorates shall direct and verify that project plans, contracts, and agreements define applicable orbital debris mitigation standards and responsibilities for the implementation and review of orbital debris mitigation measures in accordance with this NPR. Mission Directorates should address orbital debris mitigation as part of Announcements of Opportunity for future missions.

Project Managers shall adopt NASA-STD-8719.14 as the applicable orbital debris mitigation standard for spaceflight systems to be operated under NASA’s authority as described in section 1.2 of this NPR.

Agreements for the delivery of hardware by NASA to another U.S. Government agency, a U.S. non-governmental organization, or international partner may cite alternative orbital debris mitigation standards accepted by the governmental entity providing authorization and supervision of the spaceflight activities. NASA organizations involved in the preparation of such agreements should consult with the ODPO to establish whether such alternative standards are consistent with the ODMSP or are otherwise acceptable, e.g., consistent with the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines.

For projects subject to NPR 8705.4, Risk Classification for NASA Payloads, orbital debris mitigation responsibilities and standards should be included in the Assurance Implementation Matrix defined in that NPR.

For projects not following the life cycle model defined in NPR 7120.5, the project documentation should identify a schedule for the review of orbital debris mitigation measures that meets the intent of the schedule defined in this NPR. This includes, but is not limited to, projects implemented under NPR 7120.8, NASA Research and Technology Program and Project Management Requirements.

3.2 Pre-Launch Review of NASA Spacecraft

As defined in Chapter 2 of this NPR, the review of orbital debris mitigation measures implemented by spacecraft and launch vehicles operating under NASA’s authority is performed by the ODPO on behalf of the Chief, SMA.

Project Managers responsible for spacecraft to be operated under NASA’s authority shall:

a. Prior to the mission Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR), prepare and obtain a review by the ODPO of the Orbital Debris Assessment Report. The purpose of these reviews is to confirm that the spacecraft and mission designs meet or are expected to meet NASA-STD 8719.14. Portions of the ODAR pertaining to the launch vehicle may be left incomplete if the information is not available.

b. Prior to the Operational Readiness Review (ORR) or equivalent readiness review, prepare and obtain concurrence on an updated ODAR covering the spacecraft and launch vehicle by or on

behalf of the Chief, SMA via the ODPO. Here, concurrence represents agreement that the spacecraft, launch vehicle and their planned launch, commissioning, operations, decommissioning, and disposal are compliant with NASA-STD 8719.14.

c. If the project does not follow the life cycle model defined in NPR 7120.5, follow the alternate review schedule established in accordance with paragraph 3.1.5.

Projects should keep the Mission Directorate informed regarding ODAR submittals and risks concerning the ability to meet applicable orbital debris mitigation standards.

The contents of ODARs are described in NASA-STD 8719.14. The ODPO normally requires 14 days to conduct its review.

Spacecraft using launch services that do not operate under NASA’s authority or that are launching as secondary payloads on a launch vehicle are exempted from submitting the launch vehicle portion of the ODAR. Such projects should include a statement referencing this paragraph and identify the organizations responsible for reviewing orbital debris mitigation measures by the launch vehicle.

The ODPO normally documents and provides projects and Center-level SMA Technical Authority with the results of its reviews via the evaluation form defined in NASA-STD 8719.14. The ODPO will notify the Chief, SMA when ODARs do not demonstrate compliance with NASA-STD 8719.14 to determine the need for further action.

The ODPO may exempt projects from some or all analysis and reporting requirements defined in NASA-STD 8719.14 if the spacecraft’s design and operational parameters fall within a standardized class of spacecraft that is approved by the Chief, SMA as being compliant with related technical requirements. In such cases, projects should document the basis for the exemption in the ODAR.

Table 1 summarizes the documentation and review requirements in this and other sections.

Table 1: Summary of documentation and review requirements for projects
following the life cycle model defined in NPR 7120.5.

3.3 Hardware Contributions

Project Managers responsible for hardware elements to be attached to or embedded in a spacecraft operating under NASA’s authority (including spacecraft already on orbit) or launch vehicle should share information relevant to the planning, implementation, and review of orbital debris mitigation measures required by this directive with the program responsible for the spacecraft or launch vehicle. NASA-STD-8719.14 defines the contents of an abbreviated ODAR that may be used for that purpose.

Project Managers responsible for hardware elements to be attached to or embedded in a spacecraft not operating under NASA’s authority should provide the operating entity with the information needed to demonstrate compliance with standards agreed to in accordance with paragraph 3.1.3 of this NPR.

If a host spacecraft has not been identified, Project Managers should prepare to share information as described in paragraph 3.3.1.

Once the hardware element is attached or embedded, the element is considered part of the spacecraft or launch vehicle for orbital debris mitigation purposes.

Project Managers responsible for on-orbit spacecraft operating under NASA’s authority and embedding or attaching hardware elements not described in a pre-launch ODAR shall negotiate a schedule for the evaluation of orbital debris mitigation measures with OSMA and ODPO.

3.4 Launch Services

Orbital debris mitigation measures for launch vehicles to be operated under NASA’s authority are normally reviewed as part of ODAR reviews described in section 3.2.

NASA managers providing launch services to non-NASA spacecraft should confirm prior to launch whether debris mitigation measures for those spacecraft were reviewed by the governmental entity providing authorization. Responsibilities for the review of orbital debris mitigation measures should be defined in relevant agreements. If a spacecraft cannot be shown to be compliant with NASA-STD 8719.14, the ODMSP, or an otherwise acceptable standard, e.g., the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, the launch service manager should consult with OSMA and OIIR regarding further steps. NASA will not adjudicate requests for relief from orbital debris mitigation requirements for spaceflight systems that do not fall under its authority.

3.5 Mission Operations, Extensions, and Termination for NASA Spacecraft

For spacecraft operating in Earth orbit under NASA’s authority, the final ODAR serves as the initial EOMP, which describes how the mission limits the generation of debris and protects the public and other spacecraft during decommissioning and disposal of operational spacecraft.

During the operations phase, projects should monitor the ability of the spacecraft to limit the generation of orbital debris and dispose of the spacecraft consistent with the final ODAR or EOMP, whichever is the most recent. Projects should inform the mission directorate and ODPO of events and conditions that significantly impact that ability.

Prior to any decision to extend a mission or otherwise change plans to decommission and dispose of a spacecraft operating in Earth orbit under NASA’s authority in a manner that could reasonably be viewed as impacting adherence to the most recent EOMP, Project Managers responsible for such spacecraft shall prepare and obtain a review by the ODPO of an updated EOMP. The applicability of this requirement includes cases in which plans are changed due to the loss of a spacecraft’s ability to perform previously planned decommissioning and disposal operations.

The updated EOMP should reflect the best available knowledge of the state of the spacecraft, its consumables, and the environment in which it operates.

The review of the updated EOMP will evaluate changes in the compliance with NASA- STD 8719.14 due to proposed changes. For operational missions already on-orbit, relief from requirements in NASA-STD-8719.14 is not required for existing non-compliances, e.g., those caused solely by design issues that existed prior to launch, changes in the environment models or assessment tools, or spacecraft anomalies or failures. In contrast, relief from the requirements via a waiver is required for non-compliances that would be the result of or worsened by planned operational changes or planned mission life extensions.

When a Mission Directorate intends to terminate a mission and/or decommission or terminate operation of a spacecraft, NPD 8010.3, Notification of Intent to Decommission or Terminate Operating Space Systems and Terminate Missions, requires notification of that intent to NASA Offices, including OSMA. The notification to OSMA should be provided via the

ODPO, and the information should include confirmation that the spacecraft will be passivated and disposed of in a manner that is consistent with the most recent EOMP.

3.6 Reentry and On-orbit Fragmentation Notifications

The ODPO, based on information provided by the U.S. Space Force, tracks and provides notifications of upcoming reentries of large NASA-related spaceflight systems to relevant NASA Offices and Mission Directorates.

To augment existing national procedures where the Department of Defense alerts “U.S. Government” agencies to the impending reentry of NASA-related space objects, OIIR may, in consultation with the relevant Mission Directorate, OSMA, Office of Communications, and the Office of the General Counsel, coordinate amplifying information with other U.S. Government agencies.

OIIR may also coordinate any NASA press releases for reentries with the Office of Communications, Office of the General Counsel, OSMA, the National Security Council, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, United States Space Command (via Department of Defense Public Affairs), and the Department of Homeland Security, as needed.

Project Managers responsible for NASA-related spaceflight systems conducting controlled reentries, in coordination with the Mission Directorate, shall notify OSMA and OIIR via the ODPO of such reentries to allow for coordination of external notifications and press releases. This notification may be accomplished as part of notifications required by NPR 8010.3.

The ODPO, based on breakup notifications provided by the Department of Defense, assesses risks from new major on-orbit fragmentation events to the International Space Station and to the environment. The ODPO also provides notifications, including results of the assessments, to OSMA and relevant NASA Offices.

3.7 Reporting

Not less frequently than every two years, the ODPO shall provide data concerning the compliance with orbital debris mitigation measures by NASA programs and projects to the NASA SESAB.

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