A System-Theoretic Hazard Analysis Methodology for a Non-advocate Safety Assessment of the Ballistic Missile Defense System

Abstract

(BMDS) as a layered defense to defeat all ranges of threats in all phases of flight (boost, midcourse, and terminal). The BMDS integrates into a single system a number of Elements that had been developed independently, such as SBIRS/DSP, Aegis BMD, and Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD). The Elements of the BMDS have active safety programs, but complexity, coupling, and safety risk are introduced by their integration into a single system. Assessing the safety of the integrated BMDS required analysts to come up to speed using existing Element project documentation, assess the safety risk of the system, and make recommendations regarding hazard mitigation and risk acceptance. This effort often required conducting hazard analyses to supplement existing Element analysis work; working with existing engineering artifacts; and making recommendations for hazard mitigations late in the system life cycle, when there is less flexibility for design changes. This paper presents a safety assessment methodology based on STPA (a systems-theoretic hazard analysis); the assessment methodology provides an organized, methodical, and effective means to assess safety risk and develop appropriate hazard mitigations regardless of where in the life cycle the assessment is started. I.

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