Independent Safety office
The Independent Safety Office (TEC-QI) is an office of the ESA Product Assurance and Safety Department (TEC-Q) within the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality (TEC)
The ESA Independent Safety Office (TEC-QI) has the responsibility to oversee development, implementation, and maintenance of ESA policies, requirements and standards for:
- Human Spaceflight Safety
- Nuclear Safety
- Planetary Protection
- Re-entry Safety
- Space Debris Mitigation (SDM)
Human Spaceflight Safety
Safety certification of ESA ISS Payloads and Columbus Subsystems and Operations.
ESA Safety Review Panels (ESRP) for Payloads and Systems under delegation of the ISS Multilateral Mission Assurance and Safety Control Board.
Nuclear Safety
The presence of radioactive materials in Nuclear Power Sources (NPS) used for space applications and their potential harm to humans and the environment in Earth's biosphere due to an accident require that safety considerations must always be an inherent part of the design and operation of space missions making use of NPS.
Planetary Protection
Planetary protection regulations are in place since the very begin of the space age to ensure that scientific investigations related to extra-terrestrial life are not compromised (i.e. protect our investment in space science and exploration) and to protect the Earth from potential hazards posed by extra-terrestrial matter carried by a spacecraft returning from an interplanetary mission.
Re-Entry Safety
Re-entry Safety covers all aspects concerning human health and environment related to planned or unplanned re-entries of any human-made space object. The ESA Space Debris Mitigation Policy includes a section with instructions to manage risks associated with re-entry of space systems.
Space Debris Mitigation
Custodianship and maintenance of the ESA Space Debris Mitigation Policy and requirements.
