ISO 15388:2012
(Main)Space systems — Contamination and cleanliness control
Space systems — Contamination and cleanliness control
This International Standard establishes general requirements for contamination and cleanliness control that are applicable, at all tiers of supply, to the development of space systems, including ground processing facilities, ground support equipment, launch vehicles, spacecraft, payloads, and ground processing and on-orbit operations. It also provides guidelines for the establishment of a contamination and cleanliness control programme.
Systèmes spatiaux — Contrôle de la contamination et de la propreté
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INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 15388
Second edition
2012-02-15
Space systems — Contamination and
cleanliness control
Systèmes spatiaux — Contrôle de la contamination et de la propreté
Reference number
ISO 15388:2012(E)
©
ISO 2012
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 1
3.1 Terms and definitions . 1
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 7
4 Management . 8
4.1 Organization . 8
4.2 Cleanliness requirement specification (CRS) . 8
4.3 Contamination and cleanliness control plan (CCCP) . 8
4.4 Interface control document (ICD) . 9
4.5 Project reviews . 9
5 Design activities .10
5.1 Identification of sensitive hardware .10
5.2 Nature of contaminants, their profile and their effects .10
5.3 Contamination prediction.10
5.4 Contamination budget.10
5.5 Cleanliness-oriented design . 11
5.6 Selection of materials and processes . 11
6 Biocontamination .12
6.1 General .12
6.2 Contamination of hardware by microorganisms .12
6.3 Sterile hardware .12
6.4 Habitable space systems .13
6.5 Planetary protection .13
6.6 Sample protection .13
7 Contamination and cleanliness control for ground operations.14
7.1 Training of personnel .14
7.2 Cleanroom selection and cleanliness control .14
7.3 Cleanroom garments .15
7.4 Ground support equipment (GSE) .15
7.5 Monitoring cleanliness of flight hardware and its near surroundings.15
7.6 Packaging, storage and transport .15
7.7 Cleaning of flight hardware .16
Annex A (informative) Material properties — Electronic databases .18
Bibliography .19
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ISO 15388:2012(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 through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been
established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and
non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 15388 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 20, Aircraft and space vehicles, Subcommittee
SC 14, Space systems and operations.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 15388:2004), which has been technically revised.
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
Introduction
This International Standard addresses the preferred programme elements recommended for contamination
and cleanliness control of space systems. This International Standard is written in general terms as a baseline
for developing and implementing the control programme. It can be cited as a baseline within a statement of
work and/or used for assuring proposal precision and contractor performance. The users are responsible for
integrating the elements of this document appropriately to their programme needs.
The purpose of contamination and cleanliness control is to prevent the degradation of the performance of
space systems due to particulate and molecular contamination (including biocontamination), and to ensure that
the mission objectives are achieved.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 15388:2012(E)
Space systems — Contamination and cleanliness control
1 Scope
This International Standard establishes general requirements for contamination and cleanliness control that are
applicable, at all tiers of supply, to the development of space systems, including ground processing facilities,
ground support equipment, launch vehicles, spacecraft, payloads, and ground processing and on-orbit operations.
It also provides guidelines for the establishment of a contamination and cleanliness control programme.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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 14624-3, Space systems — Safety and compatibility of materials — Part 3: Determination of offgassed
products from materials and assembled articles
ISO 14644-1, Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments — Part 1: Classification of air cleanliness
by particle concentration
ISO 14698-1, Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments — Biocontamination control — Part 1:
General principles and methods
ISO 14698-2, Cleanrooms and associated controlled environments — Biocontamination control — Part 2:
Evaluation and interpretation of biocontamination data
ISO 14952 (all parts), Space systems — Surface cleanliness of fluid systems
ASTM E 595, Standard Test Method for Total Mass Loss and Collected Volatile Condensable Materials from
Outgassing in a Vacuum Environment
ECSS-Q-ST-70-02C, Space product assurance — Thermal vacuum outgassing test for the screening of
space materials
United Nations Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer
Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, Article IX, 10 October 1967
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 14952-1 and the following apply.
3.1.1
bakeout
activity of increasing the temperature of hardware to accelerate its outgassing rates with the intent of reducing
the content of molecular contaminants within the hardware
NOTE Bakeout is usually performed in a vacuum environment but may be done in a controlled atmosphere.
3.1.2
bioaerosol
dispersed biological agents (e.g. viable particles, allergens, toxins or biologically active compounds of microbial
origin) in a gaseous environment
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
3.1.3
biocontamination
contamination of materials, devices, individuals, surfaces, liquids, gases or air with viable particles
3.1.4
classification
〈airborne particle concentrations〉 level (or process of specifying or determining the level) of airborne particulate
cleanliness, expressed in terms of an ISO Class N, which represents maximum allowable concentrations for
the particle size considered
NOTE 1 Concentrations are measured in particles per cubic metre.
NOTE 2 The concentrations are determined as specified in ISO 14644-1.
3.1.5
clean bench
table or bench-top working surface where a filtered airflow is concentrated across the bench top
NOTE These bench tops have an established classification of maximum allowable airborne contaminants.
3.1.6
clean hood
work area with a workbench, overhead dust deflector and sideboards, and a self-contained filtering unit for
airflow to the work area
NOTE These hoods have an established classification of maximum allowable airborne contaminants.
3.1.7
cleanliness level
established maximum allowable amount of contamination in a given area or volume, or on a component
NOTE The term may also apply to the predicted or measured extent of contamination.
3.1.8
cleanliness requirement specification
CRS
document that defines and identifies the spacecraft items and the environmental areas which are sensitive
to contamination, the acceptable contamination levels at beginning and end of life and the applicable
contamination environment
3.1.9
cleanroom
room in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled, and which is constructed and used in such
a manner as to minimize the introduction, generation and retention of particles inside the room, and in which
other relevant parameters such as temperature, humidity and pressure are controlled as necessary
3.1.10
cleanroom garments
clothing designed, manufactured and worn specifically to prevent contamination of hardware by personnel
working in the cleanroom
NOTE Cleanroom garments include all items worn by personnel, such as coveralls, frocks, gloves, boots, finger cots
and beard covers.
3.1.11
clean zone
dedicated space in which the concentration of airborne particles is controlled, and which is constructed and
used in such a manner as to minimize the introduction, generation, and retention of particles inside the zone and
in which other relevant parameters such as temperature, humidity and pressure are controlled as necessary
NOTE The clean zone may be open or enclosed and may or may not be located within a cleanroom.
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
3.1.12
collected volatile condensable material
CVCM
mass that outgasses from a material and subsequently condenses on a collector, expressed as a percentage
of the initial specimen mass
3.1.13
contaminant
unwanted molecular or particulate matter that could affect or degrade the relevant performance or lifetime of
the hardware to which it is attached
3.1.14
contaminate
introduce a contaminant
3.1.15
contamination
addition of contaminants to materials, fluids or surfaces
3.1.16
contamination and cleanliness control programme
organized effort to establish and achieve acceptable cleanliness and contamination levels during all phases of
the space system project
3.1.17
contamination analysis document
report of the analyses and results that are used to determine cleanliness requirements and contamination
profiles and budgets
3.1.18
contamination and cleanliness control plan
CCCP
document that describes how to implement a contamination and cleanliness control programme, as either an
independent document or a part of the consolidated project plan
3.1.19
contamination budget
allowable levels of contamination of hardware at each phase of ground and flight operations
3.1.20
contamination profile
contamination-related conditions in each phase of ground and flight operations
NOTE 1 Conditions include airborne particulate cleanliness classes, pressure, humidity, temperature, number of
personnel engaged in operations, cleaning activities, outlines of facilities and so on.
NOTE 2 The contamination profile is part of the CCCP.
3.1.21
cross-contamination
transfer of contaminants from one surface or component to another
NOTE Transfer can occur by migration along a surface, by physical contact, airborne as an aerosol, or as a gas or
molecular matter.
3.1.22
debris
solid objects with their largest dimension greater than approximately 1 mm (1 000 μm) in size
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
3.1.23
electrostatic discharge
ESD
electrical breakdown of dielectric or gas or vacuum gaps, and also of surface interface of dissimilar materials,
caused by differential charging of parts of dielectric materials and their interfaces
[ISO 11221:2011, 2.10]
3.1.24
fibre
flexible structure having a length-to-width ratio of 10 to 1 or greater
[ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.9]
3.1.25
generally clean
GC
free from manufacturing residue, dirt, oil, grease, processing debris, or other extraneous contamination based
on visual examination
NOTE This level does not apply to hardware that is sensitive to contamination.
[ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.12]
3.1.26
ground support equipment
GSE
non-flight systems, equipment or devices necessary to support the operations of transporting, receiving,
handling, assembly, inspection, test, checkout, servicing, launch and recovery of a space system at launch,
landing or retrieval sites
[ISO 14625:2007, 3.1.5]
3.1.27
ICD
interface control document
specification that describes the characteristics that must be controlled at the boundaries between systems,
subsystems and other elements
3.1.28
microorganism
microscopical individual constituted to carry out life functions
NOTE 1 Microorganisms include organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, yeasts, moulds, fungi, algae and organisms
that depend upon other life forms for reproduction such as viruses and parasites.
NOTE 2 Multicellular organisms and agglomerations of microorganisms may be visible to the unaided eye.
3.1.29
microscopical
visible only under a microscope
3.1.30
molecular contamination
contamination due to deposition of molecules on surfaces or their presence in gases or liquids
3.1.31
non-volatile residue
NVR
quantity of soluble or suspended residual material and insoluble particulate matter remaining after temperature-
controlled evaporation of a filtered, volatile liquid
NOTE Adapted from ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.17.
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
3.1.32
occupancy states of cleanrooms
3.1.32.1
as-built
condition whereby the installation is complete with all services connected and functioning but with no equipment,
materials, or personnel present
3.1.32.2
at-rest
condition whereby the installation is complete with equipment installed, and operating in a manner agreed
between the customer and supplier, but with no personnel present
3.1.32.3
operational
condition whereby the installation is functioning in the specified manner, with the specified number of personnel
present and working in the manner agreed upon
3.1.33
offgassing
evolution of gaseous products from a liquid or solid material into an atmosphere
NOTE This is a special definition of outgassing (see 3.1.34) for the application described in ISO 14624-3.
3.1.34
outgassing
evolution of gaseous species from a material, usually in a vacuum
NOTE Outgassing also occurs in higher-pressure environments.
3.1.35
particle
unit of solid or liquid matter with observable size
[ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.20]
NOTE See also 3.1.38, particle size.
3.1.36
particle concentration
〈on surface〉 number of particles per unit area
3.1.37
particle concentration
〈by volume〉 number of particles per unit volume of fluid
3.1.38
particle size
NOTE Various methods for defining size may be used and are dependent upon the measurement technique.
3.1.38.1
particle size
〈manual method〉 apparent maximum linear dimension of a particle in the plane of observation as observed with
instruments such as optical, electron, or atomic force microscopes
[ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.21.1]
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
3.1.38.2
particle size
〈automatic method〉 equivalent diameter of a particle detected by automatic instrumentation
NOTE The equivalent diameter is the diameter of a reference sphere having known properties and producing the
same response in the sensing instrument as the particle being measured.
[ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.21.2]
3.1.39
particulate contamination
contamination due to deposition of particles on surfaces or suspension of particles in fluids
3.1.40
precision clean
cleaning of hardware by approved engineering methods to meet quantitative cleanliness criteria
3.1.41
responsible organization
organization that is responsible for the contamination and cleanliness control programme and which is provided
with the authority and resources needed to carry out the programme
3.1.42
RML
recovered mass loss
total mass loss of the specimen without the sorbed water:
RML = TML − WVR
where
TML is the total mass loss;
WVR is the water vapour regained
NOTE The quantity RML is introduced because water is not a critical contaminant for some space systems (see 5.6.3).
In most cases, the value of WVR is similar to that of the mass of outgassed water. However, WVR is not exactly the same as
the water mass effused from the specimen. Therefore, RML is not equal to the real value of the mass loss other than water.
3.1.43
sensitive hardware
hardware that can be degraded by contamination
3.1.44
significant surface
surface of an item or product that is required to meet established cleanliness level requirements
3.1.45
spacecraft charging
increase in electrostatic potential on spacecraft surfaces resulting from low-energy electron flux impinging
on the surface
3.1.46
sterility
absence of viable microorganisms
NOTE Inactivated microbes can still represent an important form of biocontamination.
3.1.47
sterilization
act or process of killing all forms of microbial life on and in an object
NOTE Inactivated microbes might not be eliminated and can still represent an important form of biocontamination.
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
3.1.48
supplier
organization or person that provides a product
EXAMPLE Producer, distributor, retailer or vendor of a product, or provider of a service or information.
[ISO 9000:2005, 3.3.6]
3.1.49
surface cleanliness
level of contamination on a significant surface
3.1.50
TML
total mass loss
total mass of material outgassed from a test specimen that is maintained at a specified constant temperature
and operating pressure for a specified time and measured within the test chamber
NOTE TML is expressed as a percentage of the initial specimen mass.
3.1.51
viable particle
isolated microorganisms or accumulated microorganisms (clumps) on a particle, capable of producing
demonstrable growth
3.1.52
visibly clean
absence of surface contamination when examined using a specified light source and angle of incidence,
viewing distance and angle, and normal or magnified vision
NOTE 1 This level requires precision-cleaning methods but a particle count may be optional.
NOTE 2 Fluorescence indicates possible contamination by, for example, a hydrocarbon.
NOTE 3 If recleaning fails to remove fluorescent indications, an investigation should be made to determine if the item
material is naturally fluorescent or if the cleaning method is adequate.
[ISO 14952-1:2003, 2.35]
3.1.53
WVR
water vapour regained
mass of water vapour regained by a test specimen, after determination of TML and CVCM, on exposure to a
specified relative humidity atmosphere (usually 50 % at 23 °C or 65 % at 20 °C) for 24 h
NOTE Some types of materials continue to absorb water for longer than 24 h. Repeated mass measurements after
various time periods (e.g. 24 h, 48 h and 72 h) will give a better understanding of the material’s water absorbency.
3.2 Abbreviated terms
AIT assembly, integration and test
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
BOL beginning of (operational or mission) life
CCCP contamination and cleanliness control plan
CRS cleanliness requirement specification
CVCM collected volatile condensable material
ECSS European Cooperation for Space Standards
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
EOL end of (operational or mission) life
ESA European Space Agency
ESD electrostatic discharge
GSE ground support equipment
GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)
ICD interface control document
IEST Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (USA)
JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration (USA)
NPD NASA policy directive
NPG NASA procedures and guidelines
NVR non-volatile residue
RML recovered mass loss
TML total mass loss
WVR water vapour regained
4 Management
4.1 Organization
The supplier shall establish a contamination and cleanliness control programme at the beginning of the project,
for each level of configuration and item defined in the project. Performance requirements, defined by customer-
supplier agreements, form the basis for cleanliness requirements.
4.2 Cleanliness requirement specification (CRS)
The supplier shall identify the hardware to be controlled, and specify the permissible cleanliness level in a
quantitative manner. The hardware includes all items from component level to system level. The acceptable
cleanliness levels of the hardware shall be specified at BOL and EOL, based on performance requirements
and contamination analyses. The specification shall be established independently as a CRS or included in an
overall project design specification. The cleanliness of hardware to be controlled at the boundary of systems,
subsystems and other elements shall be stipulated in the ICD or its equivalent.
Cleanliness requirements that are more stringent than necessary to meet manufacturing and system
performance requirements shall not be imposed at any level of assembly.
4.3 Contamination and cleanliness control plan (CCCP)
4.3.1 Specifying cleanliness necessitates the establishment of a budget for particulate and molecular contamination
for all phases of the project and a clear methodology of how the required cleanliness levels can be achieved.
4.3.2 The supplier shall develop a contamination and cleanliness control plan that describes how to achieve
and maintain the specified cleanliness level of the hardware during all the phases of the ground and flight
operations. The plan may be an independent document or part of a consolidated project control plan.
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
4.3.3 The range of the plan and the level of detail shall be determined by the responsible organization with
respect to the criticality of the hardware against contamination. This may require other tasks in addition to those
described in this document or may lead to a reduction in the applicable requirements.
4.3.4 The CCCP shall
a) contain a contamination budget for all phases of the ground and flight operations,
b) provide methodology for achieving and maintaining the required cleanliness levels,
c) define how to deal with situations that may result in cleanliness specifications not being achieved,
NOTE 1 Possible situations include failures of facilities and launch delays for a spacecraft.
NOTE 2 Corrective actions could include additional cleaning operations.
d) define single-point failure modes that can affect cleanliness, including equipment failures and human errors,
e) define the risk of cross-contamination between hardware elements,
f) provide measurement and monitoring methods, procedures and requirements,
g) define the sequence of cleanliness activities,
h) define the roles and responsibilities of the organizations which will implement the requirements,
i) provide descriptions of when and how the cleanliness activities are to be reviewed,
j) provide information on how to implement design activities,
k) provide information on how to train personnel and assess them, and
l) provide references to procedures.
4.4 Interface control document (ICD)
4.4.1 The cleanliness of hardware to be controlled at the interfaces of different systems, subsystems and
other elements shall be stipulated in the ICD or its equivalent.
4.4.2 The ICD may include the following types of information:
a) limitations on particles, gases, vapours and debris crossing the interface;
b) limitations on particles, gases, vapours and debris in the field of view of instruments and sensors;
c) limitations on energy (ultraviolet and ionizing radiation, thermal radiation, radio frequency radiation, etc.)
that will affect contaminant deposition and degrade performance.
4.5 Project reviews
The status of the contamination and cleanliness control programme shall be recorded and reported at the
milestone project reviews where it shall be demonstrated that suitable activities are planned, are being
implemented or have been successfully achieved.
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ISO 15388:2012(E)
5 Design activities
5.1 Identification of sensitive hardware
The supplier shall identify the sensitive hardware that may be degraded due to contamination during ground
processing or flight and that shall be suitably protected. This hardware becomes the subject of detailed
contamination and cleanliness control.
EXAMPLE Sensitive hardware includes optical detectors, optical assemblies a
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