NASA encourages AS9100/9110/9120 certification

[Sidney Vianna]

http://discovery.larc.nasa.gov/PDF_F...ty_Systems.pdf
AS9100 Quality Systems - Aerospace - Model for Quality Assurance in Design, Development, Production, Installation and Servicing
AS9100 compliance assessment and registration coupled with ISO 9001 registration is highly encouraged. Safety and reliability are vital and the quality systems that we use to ensure that safety and reliability are critical to our mission success. AS9100 is the Quality systems Aerospace Model for Quality Assurance in Design, Development, Production, Installation and Servicing. AS9100 includes ASQ9001:2000 quality system requirements and specifies additional aerospace industry requirements for a quality system. AS9100 places additional emphasis on structured design, control of software and design validation methodologies that is needed for NASA systems quality application. Additional quality systems requirements will include specific clauses for sharing of quality data, configuration management, reliability, maintainability, and safety. Manufacturers, suppliers and service organizations who regard quality management as a key business driver are highly desired as NASA hardware and service providers. Independent AS9100 and ASQ9001:2000 registration provides objective evidence of a commitment to quality, safety and reliability. NASA expects conformance to AS9100 and to the applicable derivatives such as AS9110 for Repair and Overhaul facilities and AS9120 for Pass-through Aerospace Distributors. Certification to the AS9100 though the Industry Controlled Other Party (ICOP) process is "strongly encouraged."
After all, this IS ROCKET science..

[Jim Howe]

I am a bit dismayed at NASA encouraging anything. The last I read they determined that it was the rework on the foam of main fuel tank that caused the foam to be damaged. This rework damage is claimed by NASA to be the root cause of the foam breaking off (AGAIN) during the last launch. Wasn't it just last month that NASA declared the shuttle program to have been a mistake! AS9100 isn't going to help them. They are so unsure of their own findings that they have moved the next launch back to April of 2006. In my opinion, I could care less what NASA encourages. Let them first get their act together.

[Sidney Vianna]

NASA's policy is available @ http://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayD...page_name=main

a. Work that is both critical and complex shall be performed in
accordance with the quality system requirements of AS9100.

(1). Critical work is any hardware task that, if performed incorrectly
or in violation of prescribed requirements, could result in loss of human
life, serious injury, loss of mission, or loss of a significant mission
resource (e.g., Government test or launch facility).

(2). Complex work involves either: a) the design, manufacture,
fabrication, assembly, testing, integration, maintenance, or repair of
machinery, equipment, subsystems, systems, or platforms; or b) the
manufacture/fabrication of parts or assemblies which have quality
characteristics not wholly visible in the end item and for which
conformance can only be established progressively through precise
measurements, tests, and controls applied.

b. Critical, but not complex, work shall be performed in accordance with
the quality system requirements of AS9100 or ISO 9001, or the inspection
and test quality system requirements of AS9003. Noncomplex work
includes manufacture of "build to print" piece parts or performance of a
discrete manufacturing/test operation such as plating, heat treating, non-
destructive testing, or laboratory testing for chemical composition or
mechanical properties.

c. Complex, but not critical, work shall be performed in accordance with
the quality system requirements of AS9100 or ISO 9001.

d. Work that is neither critical nor complex shall be performed in
accordance with the quality system requirements of AS9100, ISO 9001, or
AS9003, or in accordance with test and inspection requirements that are
specified or approved by the contracting agent and that are supported by
records evidencing their performance and outcome.

[Randy]

Originally Posted by Jim Howe

Let them first get their act together.

Can't say much other than I have personally been involved with NASA recently and the folks I've been with are absolutely sincere about improvement.

[Louis Reimer]

Thanks I was looking for this (NPD 8730.5) "Quality Program Policy" on NASA site and could not locate it.

[Cari Spears]

Originally Posted by Randy

Can't say much other than I have personally been involved with NASA recently and the folks I've been with are absolutely sincere about improvement.

We recently did our first job for Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We had to have a Quality System Audit in order to be eligible for the contract and there was also a lot of back and forth with engineers, quality assurance, etc. I agree with Randy, all those folks we dealt with are absolutely sincere about improvement.

Originally Posted by Jim Howe

Let them first get their act together.

I used to say the same thing about the B3.