scope:

This standard provides design and testing requirements for bonding, grounding, shielding, electromagnetic interference (EMI), lightning protection, electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, transient protection, and surge suppression for electrical and electronic ground systems (GS) to be used at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). It governs both fixed and portable GS consisting of ground support equipment (GSE), ground support systems (GSS), and operational communications systems that are used in processing, launch, landing, and retrieval sites. This GS standard further defines requirements in KSC-DE-512-SM, Facility Systems, Ground Support Systems and Ground Support Equipment General Design Requirements,

KSC-E-165, Electrical Ground Support Equipment Fabrication, Specification for, KSC-E-166, Installation and Assembly, Electrical Ground Support Equipment (GSE), Specification for, and KSC-GP-864, Vol. IIA, Electrical Ground Support Equipment Cable Handbook, This standard is used in conjunction with the KSC facility standard KSC-STD-E-0012, Facility Grounding and Lightning Protection, Standard for, which provides requirements for facility grounding, bonding and lightning designs. These facility systems provide connections and paths to earth ground for GS through certified ground plates that provide low-impedance paths to the local counterpoise grounds.

Commercial, military, and other government standards are cited where they provide acceptable design requirements for ground systems used at KSC. Where these standards lack sufficient design requirements and testing for KSC ground systems, KSC-developed requirements are provided and the source(s) identified at the end of the requirement statement. Guidance statements that follow the stated requirements are italicized.

This standard, together with KSC-STD-E-0012, creates a comprehensive set of requirements for protecting KSC ground systems from expected electrical disturbances.

Applicability

This standard specifies engineering requirements for electrical/electronic ground systems developed for and employed at KSC for NASA programs and projects. This standard, or applicable sections, may be cited in contracts and program documents as a technical requirement or as a reference for engineering guidance. This standard is not intended to apply to institutional and administrative electrical/electronic systems such as telephones and area paging in general purpose use. EMI testing requirements do not apply to standard test equipment and support equipment such as digital multi-meters, oscilloscopes, analyzers, data acquisition equipment, laptops and tablets that meet industry electromagnetic (EMC) or Federal Communication Commission (FCC) regulations (FCC Part 18, FCC Part 15 Subpart A or European Standard EN 55024). Testing should be performed if the radio frequency (RF) environment may cause adverse effects on the equipment that may affect GS, flight hardware, test configuration or test data integrity. This standard does apply when institutional and administrative systems, standard test equipment and support equipment are located within racks and enclosures containing GS.

Tailoring

Individual provisions of this standard should be and are intended to be tailored (i.e., modified or deleted) to meet specific program and project needs. EMI emission and susceptibility effects to the equipment under test, other GS and flight hardware as well as location, RF environment, and operations should be evaluated to determine appropriate EMC testing requirements. As part of the tailoring process, tests may be deemed as "characterization" tests to determine equipment susceptibility and emissions characteristics. Characterization tests typically do not have pass/fail criteria and do not require a waiver for test exceedances. These tests provide data for analysis and planned operational restrictions. The NASA Technical Authority for electrical and electronic design has the authority to approve tailored tests plans, requirements and specific test parameters to meet the requirements of KSC-STD-E-0022. Request for tailoring of EMC testing requirements shall be documented and approved using KSC Form 50-386, see Appendix B. The tailoring should reflect that the equipment will operate at full performance in its operational environment and will not present interference to other GSE or flight hardware. All tailoring shall be evaluated for use by the appropriate technical authority and the office of primary responsibility designee (OPRD) for this document. See the lead discipline engineers list for KSC specifications and standards in KSC-PLN-5400_LDE-LIST.

Electromagnetic Compatibility Management Plan

An electromagnetic compatibility management plan (EMCMP) should be developed for GSE as part of the formulation stage and included as an engineering product in the design review process. See Appendix C for suggested EMCMP content.