scope:

PURPOSE

This standard provides requirements and guidelines for environmental verification programs for GSFC payloads, subsystems and components and describes methods for implementing those requirements. It contains a baseline for demonstrating by test or analysis the satisfactory performance of hardware in the expected mission environments, and that minimum workmanship standards have been met. It elaborates on those requirements, gives guideline test levels, provides guidance in the choice of test options, and describes acceptable test and analytical methods for implementing the requirements.

This standard shall be used by GSFC projects and contractors. This standard shall be tailored to create a project specific verification plan and verification specification as discussed in section 2.1. GSFC projects must select from the options to fulfill the specific payload (spacecraft) requirements in accordance with the launch vehicle to be used, Atlas, Delta, Pegasus, etc., or to cover other mission-specific considerations.

APPLICABILITY AND LIMITATIONS

This standard applies to GSFC hardware and associated software that is to be launched on an ELV. Hardware launched by balloons and sounding rockets is not included. The specification applies to the following:

a. All space flight hardware, including interface hardware, that is developed as part of a payload managed by GSFC, whether developed by (1) GSFC or any of its contractors, (2) another NASA center, or (3) an independent agency; and

b. All space flight hardware, including interface hardware that is developed by GSFC or any of its contractors and that is provided to another NASA installation or independent agency as part of a payload that is not managed by GSFC.

The provisions herein are generally limited to the verification of ELV payloads and to those activities (with emphasis on the environmental verification program) that are closely associated with such verification, such as workmanship and functional testing.

The standard is written in accordance with the current GSFC practice of using a single protoflight payload for both qualification testing and space flight (see definition of hardware, 1.8). The protoflight verification program, therefore, is given as the nominal test program.