scope:

This NASA Technical Standard is directed toward materials and processes (M&P) used in the design, fabrication, and testing of space program flight hardware for NASA, including but not limited to crewed, uncrewed, robotic, launch vehicle, lander, in-space and surface systems, and spacecraft program/project hardware elements. All spaceflight hardware is covered by the M&P requirements of this document, including vendor-designed, off-the-shelf, and vendor-furnished items.

M&P used in interfacing ground support equipment (GSE), test equipment, hardware processing equipment, hardware packaging, and hardware shipment is covered by the M&P requirements of this NASA Technical Standard only to the extent required to prevent damage to or contamination of spaceflight hardware (see section 4). M&P used in NASA aircraft and aircraft operations are not covered by the M&P requirements of this document.

Purpose

The purpose of this NASA Technical Standard is to define the minimum requirements for M&P and to provide a general control specification for incorporation in NASA program/project hardware procurements and technical programs.

Applicability

The controls described here are applicable to all NASA spacecraft programs:

a. [MPR 1] Programs shall apply these controls to program/project hardware. Programs, projects, and elements are responsible for flowing requirements down to contractors, subcontractors, and the lowest component-level suppliers.

b. [MPR 2] Programs shall be responsible for demonstrating compliance with these requirements.

This NASA Technical Standard is approved for use by NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers and Facilities, and applicable technical requirements may be cited in contract, program, and other Agency documents. It may also apply to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (a Federally Funded Research and Development Center [FFRDC]), other contractors, recipients of grants and cooperative agreements, and parties to other agreements only to the extent specified or referenced in applicable contracts, grants, or agreements.

Verifiable requirement statements are designated by the acronym "MPR" (Materials and Processes Requirement), numbered, and indicated by the word "shall. This NASA Technical Standard contains 213 requirements. Explanatory or guidance text is indicated in italics beginning in section 4. To facilitate requirements selection by NASA programs and projects, a Requirements Compliance Matrix is provided in Appendix A. This appendix also contains justifications for each verifiable requirement statement.

Tailoring

a. [MPR 3] Tailoring of this NASA Technical Standard's requirements in the Materials and Processes Selection, Control, and Implementation Plan for specific programs/projects shall be formally documented as part of program or project requirements and approved by the responsible program/project NASA M&P organization, the responsible project/program, and the delegated Technical Authority in accordance with NPR 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements, or NPR 7120.8, NASA Research and Technology Program and Project Management Requirements. These requirements may be tailored simply by constructing a matrix of applicable paragraphs and paragraphs that are not applicable. Tailoring also includes using existing or previously developed contractor processes and standards as a submittal of the various required plans. Otherwise, the tailoring of requirements may be documented in the Materials and Processes Selection, Control, and Implementation Plan by providing the degree of conformance and the method of implementation for each requirement identified here.

b. When a Materials and Processes Selection, Control, and Implementation Plan has been approved by the responsible program/project as an acceptable means of compliance with the technical requirements of this NASA Technical Standard, the Plan may be used for the implementation and verification of M&P requirements on the applicable program/project.