scope:

Purpose

Fracture control is implemented to reduce the risk of a catastrophic failure from a defect or damage. The intent of this standard is to provide fracture control requirements for spaceflight hardware. A variety of fracture control considerations and options are addressed, some of which may not be applicable to a given design. Information is provided to assist the user in the development of an effective Fracture Control Plan and other fracture control documentation.

Applicability

These requirements are not imposed on systems other than human-rated spaceflight but may be tailored for use in specific cases where it is prudent to do so, such as when national assets are at risk. This standard may be cited in contract, program, and other Agency documents as a technical requirement. Mandatory requirements are indicated by the word "shall"; explanatory/guidance text is indicated in italics in sections 4 and 5. Tailoring of this standard for application to a specific program or project shall be approved by Technical Authority through the Responsible Fracture Control Board (RFCB) for that program or project.