Stepping-Stones to the Future of Space Exploration A Workshop Report (2004) / Chapter Skim
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6 Risk Aversion -- Flying in the Face of Uncertainty
6 Risk Aversion -- Flying in the Face of Uncertainty
Pages 37-42
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From page 37... ...
, Allan Mazur, a sociologist, engineer, and professor of public affairs in the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, Richard Obennann, the Democratic professional staff member on the House Committee on Science, and Michael G Stamatelatos, NASA Director for Safety and Assurance Requirements.
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From page 38... ...
He pointed out that a sociological model of accident events differs from an engineering model and reveals aspects of the accidents that influence media coverage and public perception. According to Mazur, the engineering model focuses on the proximate causes of a disaster (e.g., frozen O-rings, broken foam)
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From page 39... ...
Asked by a panel member if NASA could influence the amount of media attention to human spaceflight, Mazur replied that coverage will be extensive if an accident is linked with an event such as having a schoolteacher on board. An unmanned flight can also escalate into a big media story if the flight itself is controversial (this could happen with future missions using technology developed in NASA's Prometheus)
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From page 40... ...
Asked about the value of human interaction relative to engineering interaction or systems interface, Barry emphasized the need for improved communication with a system of checks and balances in place. In prepared remarks, Joseph Fuller discussed other kinds of risk besides safety risk.
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From page 41... ...
Once burned by a statistic, they are very wary of similar statistics. Asked about the extent to which his comments pertained also to agencies like the Government Accounting Office, the Congressional Research Service, and the Congressional Budget Office, Obermann pointed out that support agencies respond to questions from members and the analysts from these agencies present the desired information paired with the assumptions they use in their analyses.
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From page 42... ...
In response to a question about how important it is to start risk assessment early in program planning, Stamatelatos said that it should start sooner rather than later, however, if you wait until you have all the information, you will not need a risk assessment. Quantitative risk assessment can inform decisions about where to put money and can identify where the largest risks are.
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