Cultural Comparison of Risk Taking Philosophy. K. I. Pido, NASA Space Station Program Office, NASA-JSC, Houston, TX 77058
How one approaches risk is based on the personal characteristics and experiences of the individual. However, there may be some variations in the perception of risk and in the formulation of risk taking philosophies that are culturally rooted. The International Space Station (ISS) is comprised of US, Russian, European, Japanese, and Canadian elements. Each of these cultures approaches risk somewhat differently based on their history, values, and environment. The ISS program is attempting to integrate these different risk taking philosophies into a common concept for the Space Station design, level of safety, and operations. This paper will use common examples of Space Station issues to explore some of the differences between the US and Russian risk taking philosophies and outline the strategies used to work toward a common concept that is consistent, as much as possible, with both cultures' philosophy on risk.