§ 1214.502 - Definitions.

(a) Mission Critical Space Systems. The Space Shuttle and other critical space systems, including Space Station Freedom, designated Expendable Launch Vehicles (ELV's), designated payloads, Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and other designated resources that provide access to space. The Director of each NASA Installation will designate areas associated with these systems that are mission critical space systems areas.

(b) Mission Critical Positions/Duties. Positions/duties which, if performed in a faulty, negligent, or malicious manner, could jeopardize mission critical space systems and/or delay a mission. While this regulation establishes suitability screening requirements which, if met, will allow unescorted access to mission critical space areas, compliance with the requirements does not authorize unescorted access to classified areas by Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) personnel who do not have security clearances.

(c) Medical Authority. A NASA civil service or contract physician/psychiatrist responsible for maintaining medical records, providing results of medical evaluations, and interpreting evaluations as they relate to reliable performance of mission-critical duties. The medical authority will coordinate evaluations with the investigatory authority.

(d) Investigatory Authority. A NASA civil service or contract individual responsible for reviewing court, law enforcement (Civil, DOD, NASA, other Federal), and other official records and NASA screening plans/procedures records to provide evaluations, recommendations, and guidance to NASA organizations, supervisors, and PRP adjudicators on issuing, denying, or revoking eligibility for mission critical positions/duties.

(e) Certification. The determination that an employee assigned to duties as described in §1214.505 of this part, is qualified to perform those duties, and that this employee has been found reliable in accordance with the adjudication guidelines set forth in Attachment B of NMI 8610.13.1

1Copies may be obtained from NASA Headquarters (Code NA-2), Washington, DC 20546.