SMC-S-013

Abstract

<strong>Purpose</strong> <br>This document prescribes general reliability requirements for space contracts involving the design, development, (both hardware and software), fabrication, test, and/or operation of space vehicles, spacecraft bus, payloads (including those supplied as government furnished equipment (GFE)), and launch vehicles. <br><strong>Applicability</strong> <br>The reliability requirements stated in this document are for space and launch system acquisition programs. The requirements apply to all prime, associate, and subtier contractors. <br>Contractors are responsible for planning and implementing a reliability program that is consistent with the program's risk tolerance posture and the contract requirements. All tasks described in this document are subject to tailoring to achieve an optimal reliability program that takes into account the programmatic and mission requirements. Examples of programmatic requirements are program resources, single-point failure strategy, make-or-buy strategy (hardware and software), on-orbit anomaly handling and resolution, downtime and restoration time requirements, and the relative importance of the program to the customer. Mission requirements include such factors as design life, mean mission duration, reliability, maintainability, availability, success criteria, program class (A, B, C, D), and derating criteria. These requirements can determine which reliability tasks may be tailored without an unacceptable increase in program risk. <br>The reliability tasks in this document include those tasks that generally apply to a space/launch vehicle program. Each space/launch vehicle program would include all or a subset of the tasks described in this document. The specific reliability tasks imposed on a contractor would depend upon various factors associated with each contract, e.g., mission objectives, mission criticality, budget constraints, statement of objectives (SOO), statement of work (SOW), deliverables, etc.