. "7 Benefit/Risk Assessment of Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Options." Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope: Final Report. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2005.
The following HTML text is provided to enhance online
readability. Many aspects of typography translate only awkwardly to HTML.
Please use the page image
as the authoritative form to ensure accuracy.
Assessment of Options for Extending the Life of the Hubble Space Telescope: Final Report
TABLE 7.1 Risk-related Terms
Term
Definition
Risk
An evaluation reflecting the combined answers to the questions (1) What can go wrong? (2) How likely is it? and (3) What are the consequences?
Risk assessment
The science of investigating the level of risk and the contributing factors associated with the risk of an event, process, or activity.
Risk management
The process of making decisions and taking actions to control risk based on a systematic process of risk assessment.
Risk benefit analysis
The evaluation of the risks and benefits of an activity, system, or program based on economic and performance considerations.
Programmatic risk
The potential for risk of an undesired impact on the cost, schedule, and success of a program, project, or activity.
Mission risk
The possibility of not meeting the objectives of a particular mission.
Health and safety risk
The potential for negative human health or safety consequences as a result of a particular event, process, or activity.
Risk communication
An interactive process of exchange of information and opinions regarding risk, among individuals, groups, and institutions, often involving multiple messages about the nature of risk and the expression of concerns, opinions, or reactions to risk messages.
De minimis risk
A level of risk considered below regulatory concern from the legal maxim “de minimis non curat lex” or “the law is not concerned with trifles.”
Risk perception
Sense of a hazard held by different groups of people and frequently dependent on factors other than the hazard itself, such as unfamiliarity, acuteness, and sensitization by catastrophic images.
Risk characterization
A synthesis and summary of information about a hazard that addresses the needs and interests of decision makers and of interested and affected parties.
required by NASA’s procedures for probabilistic risk assessment.1 Unfortunately, primarily because NASA has only recently required full-scope risk assessments, the risk assessment of primary interest to the committee is currently in the process of being developed and therefore was unavailable to the committee. Furthermore, the risk assessment procedures for NASA programs and projects do not require risk assessments for non-human-related missions. As a result of not having a risk assessment for either the shuttle or the robotic HST servicing missions for its review and analysis, the committee performed its own qualitative assessment of the risks of the two HST servicing options based on briefings, meetings with NASA and contractor personnel, and selected references.
1
NASA, 2004, “Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Procedures for NASA Programs and Projects,” NASA Procedural Requirements: 8705.5, NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, Washington, D.C.
