BS EN 16603-20-06:2020

What is BS EN 16603-20-06 about?  

BS EN 16603 discusses standards for space engineering. 

BS EN 16603-20-06 is part of a series of documents that provides clear and consistent provisions to the application of measures to assess, in order to avoid and minimize hazardous effects arising from spacecraft charging and other environmental effects on a spacecraft’s electrical behavior. 

BS EN 16603-20-06 is applicable to any type of spacecraft including launchers, when above the atmosphere. BS EN 16603-20-06 covers electrical effects occurring in space. BS EN 16603-20-06 is intended to be used by several users, with their own design rules, and therefore it has been done to be compatible with different alternative approaches. BS EN 16603-20-06 aims to satisfy the needs and provides a consistent standard that can be used in design specifications. 

Who is BS EN 16603-20-06 for? 

BS EN 16603-20-06 on spacecraft charging is applicable to: 

• Spacecraft and space products manufacturing industries 
• Aerospace and defense industries  
• Testing agencies involved in the inspection of spacecraft and aerospace products 
• Design engineers for aircraft 
• Aircraft manufacturers 

Why should you use BS EN 16603-20-06? 

BS EN 16603-20-06 provides you with a straightforward brief explanation of the main effects so that you can have a common understanding of the problems faced at all stages of the design chain and the meaning of the terms used. 

Obtaining BS EN 16603-20-06 helps manufacturers in spacecraft testing, analysis and design that arises from the processes. It also helps in the quantitative assessment of the physical processes behind the main effects. 

Also, you will be able to demonstrate the reliability of your products and build trust throughout the space engineering supply chain. 

What’s changed since the last update? 

BS EN 16603-20-06:2020 supersedes BS EN 16603-20-06:2014, which is withdrawn and includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN 16603-20-06:2014. These includes: 

• Addition of definition for the term "flashover current" 
• Addition of abbreviated terms "RIC" and "SPIS" 
• Addition of the “Nomenclature” in clause 3.4 
• Addition of informative text in 6.1.3 about neutralizers after deletion of requirement 6.7e 
• Changes to the maximum permitted voltages and acceptance of higher voltages if the effect of worst-case ESD would be acceptable 
• Simplification of the grounding requirements for surface materials 
• Change in the permitted ESD energy where surface ESD cannot be excluded 
• Change to explicitly allow surface charging analysis to justify acceptance 
• For surface charging analysis, removal of acceptance by similarity and statement of the need for material testing 
• For internal charging, completely embedded floating metals may be accepted under specified conditions