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Risk Management of NASA ProjectsVarious NASA Langley Research Center and other center projects were attempted for analysis to obtain historical data comparing pre-phase A study and the final outcome for each project. This attempt, however, was abandoned once it became clear that very little documentation was available. Next, extensive literature search was conducted on the role of risk and reliability concepts in project management. Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) techniques are being used with increasing regularity both in and outside of NASA. The value and the usage of PRA techniques were reviewed for large projects. It was found that both civilian and military branches of the space industry have traditionally refrained from using PRA, which was developed and expanded by nuclear industry. Although much has changed with the end of the cold war and the Challenger disaster, it was found that ingrained anti-PRA culture is hard to stop. Examples of skepticism against the use of risk management and assessment techniques were found both in the literature and in conversations with some technical staff. Program and project managers need to be convinced that the applicability and use of risk management and risk assessment techniques is much broader than just in the traditional safety-related areas of application. The time has come to begin to uniformly apply these techniques. The whole idea of risk-based system can maximize the 'return on investment' that the public demands. Also, it would be very useful if all project documents of NASA Langley Research Center, pre-phase A through final report, are carefully stored in a central repository preferably in electronic format.
Document ID
19970026824
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Sarper, Hueseyin (University of Southern Colorado Pueblo, CO United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
August 8, 1997
Subject Category
Administration And Management
Report/Patent Number
NAS 1.15:112882
NASA-TM-112882
Accession Number
97N25968
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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