ISO 17666:2025
(Main)Space systems — Programme management — Risk management
Space systems — Programme management — Risk management
This document defines, extending the requirements of ISO 14300-1, the principles and requirements for integrated risk management on a space project. It explains what is needed to implement a project-integrated risk management policy by any project actor, at any level (i.e. customer, first-level supplier or lower-level suppliers). This document contains a summary of the general risk management process, which is subdivided into four basic steps and nine tasks. This document is applicable to all the space project phases, as defined in ISO 14300-1.
Systèmes spatiaux — Management de programme — Management des risques
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
International
Standard
ISO 17666
Third edition
Space systems — Programme
2025-04
management — Risk management
Systèmes spatiaux — Management de programme —
Management des risques
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principles of risk management . . 3
4.1 Risk management concept.3
4.2 Risk management process .3
4.3 Risk management implementation into a project .3
4.4 Risk management documentation .3
5 The risk management process . 4
5.1 Overview of the risk management process .4
5.2 Risk management steps and tasks .5
5.2.1 Step 1: define risk management implementation requirements .5
5.2.2 Step 2: identify and assess the risks .8
5.2.3 Step 3: decide and act .8
5.2.4 Step 4: monitor, communicate and accept risks .9
6 Risk management implementation .10
6.1 General considerations.10
6.2 Responsibilities .10
6.3 Project life cycle considerations .11
6.4 Risk visibility and decision making .11
6.5 Documentation of risk management .11
7 Risk management requirements .11
7.1 General .11
7.2 Risk management process requirements . 12
7.3 Risk management implementation requirements .14
Annex A (informative) Risk register example and ranked risk log example .15
Annex B (informative) Risk management plan . 17
Annex C (informative) Example of risks areas in space systems programmes . 19
Bibliography .21
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
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The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of (a)
patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed patent
rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received notice of (a)
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 20, Aircraft and space vehicles, Subcommittee
SC 14, Space systems and operations.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 17666:2016), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— updated the normative references in Clause 2;
— updated the terms and definitions references in Clause 3 and deleted Clause 4 for abbreviated terms;
— included Annex C on the risk areas in space systems programmes.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
Risks are a threat to the project success because they have negative effects on the project cost, schedule and
technical performance; but appropriate practices of controlling risks can present new opportunities with
positive impact.
The objective of project risk management is to identify, assess, reduce, accept, and control space project
risks in a systematic, proactive, comprehensive, and cost-effective manner, taking into account the project’s
technical and programmatic constraints. Risk is considered tradable against the conventional known project
resources within the management, programmatic (e.g. cost, schedule) and technical (e.g. mass, power,
dependability, safety) domains. The overall risk management in a project is an iterative process throughout
the project life cycle, with iterations being determined by the project progress through the different project
phases, and by changes to a given project baseline influencing project resources.
Risk management is implemented at each level of the customer-supplier network.
The risk management process requires information exchange among all project domains and provides
visibility over risks, with a ranking according to their criticality for the project; these risks are monitored
and controlled according to the rules defined for the domains to which they belong.
When viewed from the perspective of a specific programme or project context, the requirements defined in
this document are tailored to match the genuine requirements of a particular profile and circumstances of a
programme or project. The implementation of this document can be tailored to project-specific conditions.
NOTE Tailoring is a process by which individual requirements or specifications, standards and related documents
are evaluated and made applicable to a specific programme or project by selection, and in some exceptional cases,
modification and addition of requirements in the standards.
Known project practices for dealing with project risks, such as system and engineering analyses, analyses of
safety, critical items, dependability, critical path, and cost, are an integral part of project risk management.
Ranking of risks according to their criticality for the project success, allowing management attention to be
directed to the essential issues, is a major objective of risk management.
The project actors agree on the extent of the risk management to be implemented into a given project
depending on the project definition and characterization.
v
International Standard ISO 17666:2025(en)
Space systems — Programme management — Risk
management
1 Scope
This document defines, extending the requirements of ISO 14300-1, the principles and requirements for
integrated risk management on a space project. It explains what is needed to implement a project-integrated
risk management policy by any project actor, at any level (i.e. customer, first-level supplier or lower-level
suppliers).
This document contains a summary of the general risk management process, which is subdivided into
four basic steps and nine tasks. This document is applicable to all the space project phases, as defined in
ISO 14300-1.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 10795, Space systems — Programme management and quality — Vocabulary
ISO 14300-1:2023, Space systems — Programme management — Part 1: Structuring of a project
ISO 23462, Space systems — Guidelines to define the management framework for a space project
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 10795 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
acceptance of risk
decision to cope with consequences, should a risk scenario (3.13) materialise
Note 1 to entry: A risk (3.12) can be accepted when its magnitude is less than a given threshold, defined in the risk
management policy (3.6).
Note 2 to entry: In the context of risk management (3.5), acceptance can mean that even though a risk is not eliminated,
its existence and magnitude are acknowledged and tolerated.
3.2
risk communication
all information and data necessary for risk management (3.5) addressed to a decision maker and to relevant
actors within the project hierarchy
3.3
risk index
combined score used to measure the l
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