Abstract:

Space developments have been built on tremendous numbers of failures in the past. Since space environments are very difficult to simulate on the ground, or space vehicles need very massive power to escape from the earth, space scientists and engineers have been solving "Unknown" technical factors derived from many analyses of the causes of failures. Space developments have confronted enormous "Risks." Therefore space community has been refining their technical and managerial processes in developments to conquer these risks. Risk management is the essential part of these activities. While lessons learned are typical examples that show the successor how past failures occurred and how these countermeasures were taken, and what were the results of them. It is very essential for organizations to sharpen their sensitivity to risks at the development. In most cases, the causes of failures are combination of technical and managerial defects in the process of developments. Nowadays space development has changed from science and technical adventure to business opportunities. Space community has to explore their way of development. Lessons learned is not only knowledge, but duties to prevent reoccurrence of similar kind of failures, that were extracted from past bitter experience. If lessons learned suggest correcting the technical and managerial process of developments, it will also improve risk management of the organization. Currently it is vital to link lessons learned to the risk management to keep brand value of the organization.
Received from the Guest Editor on July 31, 2006
References: 12