PURPOSE. Risk Management (RM) (see Appendix A, Glossary) is an organized, systematic decisionmaking process that efficiently identifies, analyzes, plans (for the handling of risks), tracks, controls, communicates, and documents risk to increase the likelihood of achieving program/project (see Appendix A, Glossary) goals. RM is therefore essential to sound program/project management and vital to safety and mission success. This NASA Procedures and Guidelines (NPG) provides the requirements and guidelines for applying RM to programs and projects as required by NPG 7120.5, "NASA Program and Project Management Processes and Requirements," and as required by NPD 8700.1, "NASA Policy for Safety and Mission Success."

APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE. This NPG applies to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities, and to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and other contractors to the extent specified in their respective contracts.

This document provides the basic processes and requirements for the planning and implementation of the RM process through the life cycle (see Appendix A, Glossary) of all programs and projects. It shall be used specifically for programs/projects that provide aerospace products or capabilities — i.e., flight and ground systems, technologies, and operations for space and aeronautics. It is not required for other projects (such as research conducted under the Generate Knowledge Crosscutting Process or training and education conducted under the Manage Strategically Crosscutting Process); however, the RM concepts and practices describes within the document may be beneficial to other projects, so their application should be considered.