ISO 15104:2025

Space systems — Environmental testing for spacecraft thermal control materials

This document establishes requirements and guidance for the ground-based environmental testing of thermal control materials (TCMs) applied on spacecraft surface. This document describes the test methods for the following environmental conditions: charged particle radiation(s), solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, atomic oxygen (AO) and thermal cycling. This document does not cover other environmental effects such as contamination effect of the Xenon ion engines plume (so called artificial effect) or the effects of neutron (see detailed information in Annex B). This document is applicable to typical TCM(s), including but not limited to, paint, silicate, film, anodic oxide, and glass (optical solar reflector, OSR). This document can be referenced for other materials, to which similar requirements apply. This document is devoted to material estimation or evaluation tests and can be tailored according to specific applications.

Systèmes spatiaux — Essais environnementaux pour les matériaux de contrôle thermique des engins spatiaux

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 22-Jan-2025
• ICS: 49.140 - Space systems and operations
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 20/SC 14 - Space systems and operations
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 20/SC 14 - Space systems and operations
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 23-Jan-2025
• Due Date: 23-Jan-2025
• Completion Date: 23-Jan-2025

Standards Content (Sample)

International
Standard
ISO 15104
First edition
Space systems — Environmental
2025-01
testing for spacecraft thermal
control materials
Systèmes spatiaux — Essais environnementaux pour les
matériaux de contrôle thermique des engins spatiaux
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
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 .2
4 Test principle . 3
5 Test request determination . 3
5.1 General .3
5.2 Test objectives .4
5.3 Normative documents.4
5.4 TCM(s) information and properties for evaluation .4
5.5 Space environment .4
5.6 Quality assurance .4
5.7 Deliverables .4
6 Test specification . 4
6.1 General .4
6.2 Test objectives .4
6.3 Test samples .5
6.4 Test conditions .5
6.4.1 General .5
6.4.2 Ground simulation parameter .5
6.4.3 Properties to be measured .6
6.4.4 Detailed requirements .6
6.5 Test facilities .8
6.5.1 Charged particle radiation(s) test .8
6.5.2 UV radiation test.9
6.5.3 AO test .9
6.5.4 Thermal cycling test .10
6.6 Success criteria.10
7 Test preparation and execution .11
7.1 Test preparation .11
7.1.1 Preparation of test samples .11
7.1.2 Preparation of test facility and instruments . .11
7.1.3 Preparation of test procedure .11
7.2 Test execution . . 12
7.2.1 Charged particle irradiation and UV irradiation test . 12
7.2.2 AO test . 12
7.2.3 Thermal cycling test . 12
7.3 Non-conformity handling . 13
8 Test report .13
8.1 Purpose . 13
8.2 Content . . 13
Annex A (informative) Degradation of TCM(s) under UV irradiation . 14
Annex B (informative) The effects of neutron on TCM(s) . 17
Annex C (informative) Test facilities specifications information .18
Bibliography .22

iii
Foreword
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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).
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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
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iv
Introduction
Spacecraft thermal control materials (TCMs) are functional materials applied to control spacecraft
temperature within design operation limits, by regulating the thermo-optical properties of spacecraft
surfaces exposed to the space environment. TCMs’ thermo-optical properties can degrade while exposed
to the space environment. To ensure that the performance of TCM(s) is within design limits, environmental
testing on TCM(s) is necessary. For application to spacecraft, TCMs’ performance is evaluated in relevant
simulated environments including charged particle radiation(s), solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, atomic
oxygen (AO), and thermal cycling, with parameters depending on spacecraft orbit and life time. The purpose
of this document is to specify the environmental testing methods applied for experiments simulating effects
of the space environment.
v
International Standard ISO 15104:2025(en)
Space systems — Environmental testing for spacecraft
thermal control materials
1 Scope
This document establishes requirements and guidance for the ground-based environmental testing of
thermal control materials (TCMs) applied on spacecraft surfa
...