scope:

PURPOSE

This document establishes the structural requirements for human-rated spaceflight hardware including launch vehicles, spacecraft and payloads. These requirements are applicable to Government Furnished Equipment activities as well as all related contractor, subcontractor and commercial efforts. These requirements are not imposed on systems other than human-rated spacecraft, such as ground test articles, but may be tailored for use in specific cases where it is prudent to do so such as for personnel safety or when assets are at risk.

The requirements in this document are focused on design rather than verification. Implementation of the requirements is expected to be described in a Structural Verification Plan (SVP), which should describe the verification of each structural item for the applicable requirements. The SVP may also document unique verifications that meet or exceed these requirements with NASA Technical Authority approval.

APPLICABILITY

This document recommends engineering practices for NASA programs and projects. It may be cited in contract, program, and other Agency documents as a technical requirement.

Determining the suitability of this standard and its provisions is the responsibility of program/project management and the performing organization. This standard is applicable to the development of new hardware. Applicability to existing hardware with previous flight history will be addressed in the program Systems Requirements Document (SRD). Project-specific tailoring may generate other project-specific requirements that are derivatives of this standard.

Other program standards such as International Space Station (ISS) requirements may also be applicable. For ISS specific events refer to the SSP 50808, International Space Station (ISS) to Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) Interface Requirements Document (IRD).

The requirements specifically excluded from this standard are materials and processes, design loads determination, fracture control, glass, fasteners, liquid propulsion engines greater than 6000 lbs thrust, ISS specific events, ground support equipment and facilities. Appropriate standards should be used for these topics, as applicable.

The scope of this document is to define the structural design requirements for primary and secondary structures sometimes also called safety critical structures.