scope:

This Handbook provides guidance on the application of the dependability and safety requirements relevant to software defined in ECSS-Q-ST-80C.

This Handbook provides support for the selection and application of software dependability and safety methods and techniques that can be used in the development of software-intensive space systems.

This Handbook covers all of the different kinds of software for which ECSS-Q-ST-80C is applicable. Although the overall software dependability and safety workflow description is mainly targeted to the development of spacecraft, the described approach can be adapted to projects of different nature (e.g. launchers, ground systems).

The methods and techniques described in the scope of this Handbook are mainly focused on assessment aspects, though specific development and implementation techniques for dependability and safety (e.g. software failure propagation prevention, defensive programming) are addressed.