scope:

This International Standard establishes requirements for the design; material selection and characterization; fabrication; testing and inspection of all structural items in space systems, including expendable and reusable launch vehicles, satellites and their payloads. This International Standard, when implemented for a particular space system, will assure high confidence in achieving safe and reliable operation in all phases of its planned mission.

This International Standard applies specifically to all structural items, including fracture-critical hardware used in space systems during all phases of the mission, with the following exceptions: adaptive structures, engines and thermal protection systems.