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From the second link: The NASA Workmanship Standards Program has been working to adopt IPC/WHMA-A-620xS since 2008. The goal is to allow the use of IPC/WHMA-A-

From the second link: The NASA Workmanship Standards Program has been working to adopt IPC/WHMA-A-620xS since 2008. The goal is to allow the use of IPC/WHMA-A-620B-S, Space Applications Electronic Hardware Addendum to IPC/WHMA-A-620B as an alternative to NASA-STD-8739.4, Crimping, Interconnecting Cables, Harnesses, and Wiring. This change facilitates a move by suppliers towards the industry voluntary consensus standard but does not force those suppliers who cannot accommodate the current IPC/WHMA-A-620B training options to do so. Notice that the statement is undated but says they've been working on it "since 2008"; possibly that statement is old too. I see that NASA is turning to space industry standards, not general electrical standards (e.g., for a commercial building). But I wonder why do it at all? I assumed NASA's internal standards met their quality and performance needs, but maybe it was just that there were no industry standards when NASA developed theirs?

zokier 3y ago
I assume some of these standards might have their roots in Apollo days or something, and definitely there wouldn't have been many options back then. But why change now? The give clear explanation: > In 1998, NASA established by internal mandate, the need for all NASA standards users and custodians, to comply with the 1995 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119 on Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities. This directive compels the NASA Workmanship Project to actively identify, enhance and adopt industry standards which can be used in lieu of the NASA-STD-8739 series documents. Of course you might ask why that OMB was made, but tbh it just makes lot of sense imho, maintaining own set of standards is not cheap especially with all indirect effects that it implies

zokier 3y ago

I assume some of these standards might have their roots in Apollo days or something, and definitely there wouldn't have been many options back then. But why change now? The give clear explanation: > In 1998, NASA established by internal mandate, the need for all NASA standards users and custodians, to comply with the 1995 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119 on Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities. This directive compels the NASA Workmanship Project to actively identify, enhance and adopt industry standards which can be used in lieu of the NASA-STD-8739 series documents. Of course you might ask why that OMB was made, but tbh it just makes lot of sense imho, maintaining own set of standards is not cheap especially with all indirect effects that it implies