NASA/SP-2011-3422 
Version 1.0 
November 2011 
 
 
NASA  
Risk Management 
Handbook 
 
 
 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20120000033 2019-08-16T02:04:04+00:00Z
 
 
 
 
 
 
NASA/SP-2011-3422  
Version 1.0 
 
 
 
 
NASA  
Risk Management 
Handbook 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
NASA Headquarters 
Washington, D.C. 20546 
 
November 2011 
 
 
i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To request print or electronic copies or provide comments, contact the 
Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. 
 
Electronic copies are also available from 
NASA Center for AeroSpace Information 
7115 Standard Drive 
Hanover, MD 21076-1320 
at 
http://ntrs.nasa.gov 
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NASA STI Program … in Profile 
 
Since its founding, NASA has been dedicated 
to the  advancement  of  aeronautics  and  space 
science.  The  NASA  scientific  and  technical 
information (STI) program plays a key part in 
helping NASA maintain this important role. 
The  NASA  STI  program  operates  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Agency  Chief  Information 
Officer.  It  collects,  organizes,  provides  for 
archiving,  and  disseminates  NASA’s  STI. 
The  NASA  STI  program  provides  access  to 
the  NASA  Aeronautics  and  Space  Database 
and its public interface, the NASA Technical 
Report  Server,  thus  providing  one  of  the 
largest  collections  of  aeronautical  and  space 
science  STI 
the  world.  Results  are 
published in both non-NASA channels and by 
NASA  in  the  NASA  STI  Report  Series, 
which includes the following report types: 
in 
TECHNICAL  PUBLICATION.  Reports  of 
completed  research  or  a  major  significant 
phase  of  research  that  present  the  results  of 
NASA  Programs  and  include  extensive  data 
or theoretical  analysis.  Includes  compilations 
of significant scientific and technical data and 
information  deemed  to  be  of  continuing 
reference  value.  NASA  counterpart  of  peer-
reviewed  formal  professional  papers  but  has 
less stringent limitations on manuscript length 
and extent of graphic presentations. 
TECHNICAL  MEMORANDUM.  Scientific 
and technical findings that are preliminary or 
of  specialized  interest,  e.g.,  quick  release 
reports,  working  papers,  and  bibliographies 
that  contain  minimal  annotation.  Does  not 
contain extensive analysis. 
CONTRACTOR  REPORT.  Scientific  and 
technical 
findings  by  NASA-sponsored 
contractors and grantees. 
 
 
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from 
and 
scientific 
CONFERENCE PUBLICATION. Collected 
papers 
technical 
conferences,  symposia,  seminars,  or  other 
meetings 
co-sponsored  
by NASA. 
sponsored 
or 
PUBLICATION. 
SPECIAL 
Scientific, 
technical,  or  historical  information  from 
NASA  programs,  projects,  and  missions, 
often  concerned  with 
subjects  having 
substantial public interest. 
TECHNICAL  TRANSLATION.  English-
language  translations  of  foreign  scientific 
and 
to  
NASA’s mission. 
technical  material 
pertinent 
Specialized  services  also  include  creating 
custom 
customized 
databases,  and  organizing  and  publishing 
research results. 
thesauri, 
building 
For  more  information  about the  NASA  STI 
program, see the following: 
Access  the  NASA  STI  program  home  page 
at http://www.sti.nasa.gov 
E-mail  your  question  via  the  Internet  to 
help@sti.nasa.gov 
Fax  your  question  to  the  NASA  STI  Help 
Desk at 443-757-5803 
the  NASA  STI  Help  Desk  at  
Phone 
443-757-5802 
Write to: 
NASA STI Help Desk 
NASA Center for AeroSpace Information 
7115 Standard Drive 
Hanover, MD 21076-1320 
 
 
 
 
 
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
 
The  project  manager  and  the  authors  express  their  gratitude  to  NASA  Office  of  Safety  and 
Mission  Assurance  (OSMA)  management  (Mr.  Bryan  O’Connor,  former  Chief  of  OSMA;  Mr. 
Terrence  Wilcutt,  Chief  of  OSMA;  Mr.  Wilson  Harkins,  Deputy  Chief  of  OSMA;  and  Mr. 
Thomas Whitmeyer, Director of Mission Support Division) for their support and encouragement 
in developing this document. The development effort leading to this document was conducted in 
stages,  and  was  supported  by  the  individuals  listed  alphabetically  below,  who  each  brought 
unique experience and insights to the development.1  
 
AUTHORS: 
 
Dr. Homayoon Dezfuli 
(Project Manager) 
 
Dr. Allan Benjamin 
Mr. Christopher Everett 
Mr. Gaspare Maggio 
Dr. Michael Stamatelatos 
Information Systems Laboratories 
Information Systems Laboratories  
Information Systems Laboratories 
Director of Safety and Assurance Requirements Division, 
NASA Headquarters 
Idaho National Laboratory 
NASA System Safety Technical Fellow, NASA 
Headquarters 
Dr. Robert Youngblood 
 
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: 
 
The Aerospace Corporation 
Quality Assurance & Risk Management Services 
Information Systems Laboratories 
Idaho National Laboratory 
Information Systems Laboratories 
Dr. Sergio Guarro 
Dr. Peter Rutledge 
Mr. James Sherrard 
Dr. Curtis Smith 
Dr. Rodney Williams 
 
REVIEWERS: 
 
This development benefited from review comments provided on the initial draft by many 
individuals. The authors wish to specifically thank the following individuals: 
 
Dr. Robert Abelson 
Dr. Timothy Barth 
Mr. John Chiorini 
Mr. Chester Everline 
Mr. Louis Fussell 
Dr. Frank Groen 
Mr. David Lengyel 
Dr. Robert Mulvihill 
Ms. Sylvia Plants 
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
NASA Kennedy Space Center 
Center for Systems Management 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
Futron Corporation 
NASA Headquarters 
NASA Headquarters 
Quality Assurance & Risk Management Services 
Science Applications International Corporation 
                                                
1 Affiliations are as of the time of contribution to the development effort. 
 
v 
Mr. William Powell 
Mr. David Pye 
Dr. James Rose 
Dr. Fayssal Safie 
Dr. Nathan Siu 
Dr. Clayton Smith 
Ms. Sharon Thomas 
Ms. Ellen Stigberg 
Dr. William Vesely 
Mr. Tracy Wrigley 
Dr. Thomas Zang 
 
 
 
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 
Perot Systems 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
Applied Physics Laboratory 
NASA Johnson Space Center 
NASA Headquarters 
NASA Headquarters 
Bastion Technologies, Inc. 
NASA Langley Research Center 
 
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