ABSTRACT
Most US Government organizations that sponsor aerospace programs and projects impose procedural requirements that govern how those projects are executed and how decisions are made to authorize beginning, continuing, and ending those projects. This chapter briefly describes the NASA life cycles as described in NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements (NASA NPR7120.5E) and compares them to the Department of Defense (DoD) 5000 documents, which include the Life Cycle Processes and then focus on the NASA process to allow more in-depth discussion. Within the life cycle model, there are three 'NASA Life Cycles Phases' further divided into project phases. The life cycle phases are 'Pre-Formulation', 'Formulation', and 'Implementation'. A Decision Memorandum resulting from a Key Decision Point Meeting authorizes transitioning from one phase into the next. NASA uses review boards with members having relevant expertise to assess the status, progress, and plans of the activity under review.
