NASA Sounding Rocket Program Handbook. - NASA Visitor Center ...

810-HB-SRP
elements, test plans/procedures, test equipment, facilities and personnel are
thoroughly evaluated to ensure successful integration.
• Pre-Shipment Review: Verifies that the Integration and Testing process is complete
and all shipping arrangements are in place. Range approvals, remote/mobile or
foreign range logistics plans, license submittals, agreements for associated contractor
range support, and the field operations plan are also reviewed to ensure that every
facet of the launch has been prepared, documented, approved and verified prior to the
Mission Readiness Review.
• Mission Readiness Review: This final check answers the question: Are we ready to
launch? Has every system - telemetry, electrical, mechanical, environmental, range
safety - been checked and double checked to ensure a successful mission? Based on
this input, consent for launching is provided.
These meetings represent milestones in the overall project schedule. Each is treated as an
important event. The major events that occur in the life cycle of a typical sounding rocket
mission are shown in Figure 2-1.
2.1 The Mission Initiation Conference (MIC)
Flight projects must be approved by the appropriate science discipline chief at NASA
Headquarters. Once this approval has been obtained, the customer will be contacted by the
SRPO to establish a mutually acceptable date for a MIC between the customer and WFF
personnel. The purpose of this first meeting is for the customer to present a MIC Data
Package which details his requirements and specifies the support necessary for the mission.
An outline of the information required in the MIC Data Package is provided in Appendix B.
The MIC is chaired and documented by the SRPO. Attendees include the customer,
appropriate WFF supervisory and engineering personnel and NSROC supervisory,
engineering, and technical personnel. A well-conducted and documented MIC will result in a
strong foundation on which to begin the mission. The MIC provides the basis from which all
requirements for the mission are established. These include:
• Project Schedule: An outline of all important project milestones will be developed
at the MIC. These include pre-integration events, integration, testing, all planned
reviews, shipping, range approvals, and a field operations schedule. The customer
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