ISO 5879:2023
(Main)Space systems — Ground test for the separation between a launch vehicle and a spacecraft — Requirements for combined separation tests, horizontal separation tests and individual falling separation tests
Space systems — Ground test for the separation between a launch vehicle and a spacecraft — Requirements for combined separation tests, horizontal separation tests and individual falling separation tests
This document provides the test requirements of three typical separation test methods, which are the combined separation test, the horizontal separation test, the individual falling separation test, for the separation between the launch vehicle (LV) and the spacecraft (or between stages of a prototype LV model). It also provides the requirements for the separation test unit, test data, test timing and sequence, pre-test simulation, test environment, exception handling, test results assessment, test documentation, test facilities, test installation, preliminary adjustment of the test setup, measurement and data acquisition. This document is applicable to test providers and interested parties to implement the separation test between the launch vehicle and the spacecraft.
Systèmes spatiaux — Essais au sol pour la séparation entre un lanceur et un engin spatial — Exigences relatives aux essais de séparation combinée, aux essais de séparation horizontale et aux essais de séparation par chute individuelle
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INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 5879
First edition
2023-08
Space systems — Ground test for the
separation between a launch vehicle
and a spacecraft — Requirements for
combined separation tests, horizontal
separation tests and individual falling
separation tests
Systèmes spatiaux — Essais au sol pour la séparation entre un
lanceur et un engin spatial — Exigences relatives aux essais de
séparation combinée, aux essais de séparation horizontale et aux
essais de séparation par chute individuelle
Reference number
ISO 5879:2023(E)
© ISO 2023
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
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© ISO 2023
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms.2
5 General requirements . 3
5.1 Purposes of separation testing . 3
5.1.1 General . 3
5.1.2 Verification purposes . 3
5.1.3 Diagnostic purposes . 3
5.1.4 Tailoring guide . 3
5.2 General separation test process . 3
5.2.1 General . 3
5.2.2 Test documentation preparation and pre-test simulation . 4
5.2.3 Test implementation . 4
5.2.4 Test results data collection . 4
5.2.5 Test results evaluation . 4
5.3 Test articles under separation test . 5
5.3.1 Specification of separation test unit . 5
5.3.2 Requirements for test articles . 6
5.3.3 Technical safety requirements for test articles . 6
5.4 Data requirements . 7
5.4.1 Test data . 7
5.4.2 Separation movement data . 7
5.4.3 Separation shock response data . 7
5.4.4 The dedicated data by test requirements . 7
5.5 Test timing and sequence . 7
5.6 Requirements for pre-test simulation . 7
5.6.1 Purposes of pre-test simulation . 7
5.6.2 Requirements for the simulation modelling . 8
5.6.3 Requirements for the simulation solver . 9
5.6.4 Requirements for the simulation results . 9
5.6.5 Validation of the simulation results . 9
5.7 Requirements for test environment . 9
5.8 Exception handling . 9
5.8.1 Test interruption . 9
5.8.2 Interruption handling . 9
5.9 Test results assessment . 9
5.10 Test documentation . . 9
6 Test facilities .10
6.1 General . 10
6.2 Calibration requirements. 10
6.3 Control instrumentation requirements . 10
6.3.1 Requirements for electrical power source . 10
6.3.2 Requirements for hold-down/release mechanism controller and
connection cables . 10
6.4 Measurement instrumentation and equipment requirements . 11
6.4.1 General . 11
6.4.2 Requirements for accelerometer for translational motion measurement . 11
6.4.3 Requirements for high-speed video camera. 11
6.4.4 Requirements for rate gyroscope .12
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
6.4.5 Requirements for timing measurement system.12
6.4.6 Requirements for optical displacement measurement system .12
6.4.7 Requirements for shock measurement system .13
6.5 Testing fixture requirements . 14
6.5.1 General . 14
6.5.2 Requirements for the test scaffolding . 14
6.5.3 Requirements for the angular rotation mechanism .15
6.5.4 Requirements for the release mechanism between test fixture and test
articles .15
6.5.5 Test article capture system requirements . 15
6.6 Technical safety requirements for test facilities . 16
6.6.1 Consolidation and support of test scaffolding . 16
6.6.2 Confirmation of safety status of test facilities . 16
6.6.3 Test area . 16
7 Test installation .16
7.1 General . 16
7.2 Test articles installation requirements . 16
7.2.1 Installation process . 16
7.2.2 Functional constraints . 16
7.3 Sensors installation requirements . 16
7.3.1 Accelerometers for translational motion measurement installation
requirements . 16
7.3.2 Rate gyroscopes installation requirements . 17
7.3.3 shock accelerometers installation requirements . 17
7.4 High-speed video camera installation requirements . 17
7.4.1 Camera arrangement . 17
7.4.2 Installation location . 18
7.4.3 Purpose . 18
7.4.4 Luminance . 18
7.5 Technical safety requirements for test installation . 18
7.5.1 Training and qualification . 18
7.5.2 Working high above the ground . 18
8 Requirements for the preliminary adjustment of the test setup .18
9 Measurement and data acquisition requirements .18
9.1 General . 18
9.2 Acquisition and processing requirements for the dedicated data by test
requirements . . . 19
9.3 Acquisition and processing requirements for separation movement data . 19
9.3.1 Noise reduction . . . 19
9.3.2 Data format . 19
9.4 Acquisition and processing requirements for shock response data . 19
9.4.1 Shock response data. 19
9.4.2 Detection of anomalies . 19
9.4.3 Processing requirements . 19
9.4.4 SRS values . 19
9.4.5 Time data format . . 19
9.4.6 Shock response spectrum . 20
Annex A (informative) Overview and interdependencies of test methods .21
Annex B (informative) Combined separation test.23
Annex C (informative) Individual falling separation test .25
Annex D (informative) Horizontal separation test .27
Annex E (informative) The implementation of separation test .30
Bibliography .32
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
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ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use
of (a) patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed
patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received
notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are
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www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 20, Aircraft and space vehicles,
Subcommittee SC 14, Space systems and operations.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
Introduction
The separation between the launch vehicle and the spacecraft on orbit is a critical activity for a
successful orbit injection. Any failure during the separation can cause serious consequences. A
separation test on ground between the spacecraft and the launch vehicle is an effective way to
simulate and test the characteristics of the separation, to reveal the risk of failure of the separation
system between the launch vehicle and the spacecraft, and to improve the separation function during
the separation on orbit. This document provides three typical separation test methods, which are the
combined separation test, the horizontal separation test and the individual falling separation test, for
different application scenarios.
The overview and interdependencies of test methods are illustrated in Annex A. For the testing of
separation movements and separation dynamics between launch vehicle and spacecraft with zero-
gravity effect or no acceleration conditions at the time of separation, the separation test may take
the form of combined separation test or horizontal separation test as illustrated in Annex B and
Annex D respectively. For the testing of separation with purposes of fit-check and shock-response-level
confirmation, the test may take the form of individual falling separation test as illustrated in Annex C.
Apart from these three separation test methods, there are many other methods of verifying separation
systems and processes, such as modelling the systems or processes, comparing similarity with existing
systems or processes, which may apply to different scenarios with consistency. This document does
not deny the use of these useful methods in the simulating and testing of the characteristics of the
separation.
The technical requirements in this document may be tailored to meet the objectives of tests as the
separation objectives can be different for different projects or for different development stages.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 5879:2023(E)
Space systems — Ground test for the separation between
a launch vehicle and a spacecraft — Requirements for
combined separation tests, horizontal separation tests and
individual falling separation tests
1 Scope
This document provides the test requirements of three typical separation test methods, which are
the combined separation test, the horizontal separation test, the individual falling separation test, for
the separation between the launch vehicle (LV) and the spacecraft (or between stages of a prototype
LV model). It also provides the requirements for the separation test unit, test data, test timing and
sequence, pre-test simulation, test environment, exception handling, test results assessment, test
documentation, test facilities, test installation, preliminary adjustment of the test setup, measurement
and data acquisition.
This document is applicable to test providers and interested parties to implement the separation test
between the launch vehicle and the spacecraft.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 14620-1:2018, Space systems — Safety requirements — Part 1: System safety
ISO 15864:2021, Space systems — General test methods for spacecraft, subsystems and units
ISO 22137, Space systems — Program management — Test reviews
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
combined separation test
test in which a combination of spacecraft parts and launch vehicle parts drops simultaneously from the
hanging point
Note 1 to entry: The test articles finish the separation movements before being captured during the separation
test.
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
3.2
fit check
check to verity the matching consistencies of the electrical interface and the mechanical interface
between the spacecraft and the launch vehicle to some degree
Note 1 to entry: This check usually consists of an electrical interface check and a mechanical interface check
between the spacecraft and the launch vehicle before the separation test.
3.3
horizontal separation test
test in which a combination of spacecraft parts and launch vehicle parts is separated horizontally
3.4
individual falling separation test
test in which a combination of spacecraft parts and launch vehicle parts is separated vertically and
either spacecraft parts or launch vehicle parts fall down from the combination
3.5
launch vehicle stages separation system
assembly of functionally related subsystems and/or units for the separation between launch vehicle
stages
3.6
mating and unlocking device
device that connects the spacecraft and the launch vehicle together before separation and disconnects
the linkage between the spacecraft and the launch vehicle at the time of separation
3.7
separation impulse device
device that provides the energy to separate the spacecraft from the launch vehicle
3.8
separation system between launch vehicle and spacecraft
assembly of functionally related subsystems and/or units for the separation between launch vehicle
and spacecraft
3.9
test article
spacecraft, subsystem or unit on which a test is conducted
Note 1 to entry: For this document the definition is extended to address also launch vehicle system, subsystem or
unit.
3.10
separation test unit
assembly of test articles which undergoes separation test
4 Symbols and abbreviated terms
CoG centre of gravity
LV launch vehicle
SC spacecraft
SDOF single degree of freedom
SRS shock response spectrum
ζ damping ratio
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ISO 5879:2023(E)
5 General requirements
5.1 Purposes of separation testing
5.1.1 General
The separation testing is conducted for two types of purposes, which are verification purposes and
diagnostic purposes. A verification purpose is to verify conformity of characteristics of a separation
system between the LV and the SC (or between stages of a prototype LV model) with the specified
requirements. A diagnostic purpose is testing for physical system or operational design analysis.
5.1.2 Verification purposes
Verification purposes typically include:
a) to verify the functionality and characteristics of the separation system design and compatibility of
interfaces, including mechanical and electrical interfaces (e.g. fit check), between the LV and the SC,
as specified in ISO 14303:2002, Clauses 4 and 5;
b) to measure the parameters of separation relative movement, such as separation velocity,
acceleration, angular motion, separation displacement;
c) to measure the separation clearances between the separating hardware;
d) to measure the separation characteristic action timing during the separation process, such as time
to commence, time to clear.
5.1.3 Diagnostic purposes
Diagnostic purposes typically include:
a) to check and revise the separation analysis computational model and basic assumptions used in
the separation analysis;
b) to measure the shock levels on the points that are relevant to the launch vehicle side or to the
spacecraft side, and to check if the spacecraft is able to withstand the shock environment;
c) to test the separation function of the device (e.g. mating and unlocking device) designed for
separation of structural elements;
d
...
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