NASA's New Review and Assessment Approach for Ensuring Safety and Mission Success

摘要

On February 1, 2003, NASA again experienced a tragic accident as the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart upon reentry resulting in the loss of seven astronauts. Several of the findings and observations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board addressed the need to strengthen the safety and mission assurance function at NASA. This paper highlights crucial steps undertaken by the NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance to establish a stronger and more robust safety and mission assurance function for NASA programs and projects. An overview of the new Office of Safety and Mission Assurance Review and Assessment Division companion processes for programmatic review and assessment and pre-operations readiness reviews is provided herein. Vital attributes of the Review and Assessment Division approach discussed in this paper include the life cycle perspective, the multi-layer assurance agent approach, and the imperative that calls for objective quality evidence to prove compliance with requirements. Important process elements include: 1) verifying assurance requirements flow-down, 2) verifying that assurance processes and assurance agents are in place, 3) verifying process and assurance agents are capable, 4) verifying compliance with requirements, 5) verifying process discipline, 6) understanding risks and risk controls, and 7) understanding the rationale to accept risks that cannot be reasonably controlled. This new review and assessment approach for ensuring safety and mission success provides the knowledge, understanding, and visibility necessary to prepare NASA's Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer to make a more informed choice to concur (or nonconcur) in operational readiness decisions and to assist in recognizing potential signs of danger.