Promotion of risk management at the European Space Agency - ESA

In January 2002 the risk management policy of the European Space Agency (ESA) has been issued. It sets out common risk management principles and concepts relevant to the domains where ESA is exposed to risk. In the promotion and implementation of risk management on ESA projects and ESA establishments, the present role of the ESA Product Assurance & Safety Department is to act as "facilitator". This task includes the stimulation of a risk management culture and supporting the risk management process itself directly or indirectly. The ESA Product Assurance & Safety Department has significantly contributed to the development of the ESA Risk Management policy and ECSS standards associated with risk management. At the end of 1998 the ESA Product Assurance & Safety Department launched a set of activities to support the promotion and implementation of risk management. Risk management web pages and a risk management handbook and procedure guide have been developed in line with the ECSS approach to risk management. Among the practical applications is a technical risk assessment of the ESA ground segment, which has been performed for the European Space Operation Center (ESOC), an ESA establishment. Another example is a series of technical risk assessments within "pre-phase A" scientific mission studies performed using the "ESA Concurrent Design Facility".