Monthly Roundup: Aircraft and Space Standards from October 2025

Looking back on October 2025, the Aircraft and Space sector experienced a dynamic month of standardization focused on three critical areas: failure analysis for launch facilities, minimum requirements for small spacecraft, and improved safety measures for aerospace cabling installations. For professionals charged with engineering excellence, risk mitigation, or regulatory compliance in aerospace, this retrospective overview distills the key takeaways, impact, and future direction suggested by these standards. Whether you missed these publications or seek to benchmark your processes, this summary offers deep insight into evolving priorities in space systems engineering.

Monthly Overview: October 2025

October 2025 marked a period of targeted progress in aerospace and space vehicle engineering. Instead of a broad range of miscellaneous documents, the month's publications clustered around three foundational themes:

• Robust risk management and root-cause analysis for high-stakes launch and integration environments
• Harmonized basic requirements for the burgeoning field of small and rapidly deployed spacecraft (including CubeSats and femto-class vehicles)
• Enhanced safety and resilience for electrical cabling, driven by the evolving complexity and density of aerospace electrical systems

This approach reflected a sector-wide realignment toward proactive failure prevention, system modularity, and operational safety as launch frequency and the range of mission profiles increase. Compared to previous publication cycles, October 2025's releases signaled a maturation of the industry's responses to longstanding (and emerging) safety and operational challenges.

The standards featured this month are not only tightly scoped; each targets a crucial pain point for both established industry players and new entrants. Collectively, they illustrate the aerospace sector’s pivot to systemic lifecycle thinking—from launch pad reliability through to on-orbit debris mitigation and electrical system survivability. This round-up provides the essential context for understanding how these topics fit within broader regulatory and engineering trends.

Standards Published This Month

ISO 16159:2025 - Space Systems – Launch Pad and Integration Site Facility, System and Equipment Failure Analysis

Space systems – Launch pad and integration site – Facility, system and equipment failure analysis

ISO 16159:2025 established a comprehensive framework for investigating, analyzing, and documenting failures in launch pad and integration site systems, whether they occur during acceptance testing or operational phases. The standard defines a systematic process for identifying probable failure causes, developing corrective measures, and maintaining a uniform record of all findings.

The standard’s coverage extends to all launch pad and integration sites supporting public and commercial launch vehicles with spacecraft payloads. Key components include requirements for the assembly of a specialized failure analysis team, definitions of relevant terms such as discrepant component and functional track, and the establishment of strict records and information management protocols to facilitate recurrence prevention and knowledge sharing.

The implementation of ISO 16159:2025 dovetails with regulatory expectations for due diligence, incident mitigation, and OHS compliance at complex launch facilities. Notable updates over the previous edition (2012) include revised terms and a more structured approach to the causes and preconditions of failures, supporting improved investigative outcomes and corrective action planning.

Key highlights:

• Codified process for root-cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions
• Uniform documentation and recordkeeping requirements for all investigations
• Designed for both public and private/commercial launch site operations

Access the full standard:View ISO 16159:2025 on iTeh Standards

ISO 20991:2025 – Space Systems – Requirements for Small Spacecraft

Space systems – Requirements for small spacecraft

Reflecting the exponential growth in small spacecraft—ranging from mini- to femto-satellites and including CubeSat architectures—ISO 20991:2025 articulated for the first time a set of globally recognized minimum requirements for designing, building, launching, and operating these vehicles. This standard responds to the unique qualities of cost, risk appetite, and rapid development that set small spacecraft apart from their larger legacy counterparts.

The requirements touch on all phases of the system lifecycle, including launch interface, safety protocols, payload compatibility, radio frequency management, debris mitigation, compliance with international registration norms (UN registration), and design/manufacturing verification. It also includes practical requirements for CubeSats and provides considerations for launches from the International Space Station (ISS). By doing so, it offers essential guidance to developers, launch operators, and dispenser providers—many of whom are newcomers to the field.

Additionally, ISO 20991:2025 supports harmonization and interoperability in rideshare launches and multi-payload missions, reflecting trends in both government and private launches. Critical clauses address potential cross-contamination between payloads, safe separation, outgassing issues, and passive and active collision avoidance—a growing concern as LEO becomes increasingly congested.

Key highlights:

• Minimum technical, operational, and safety requirements for all classes of small spacecraft
• Integration of safety, debris mitigation, payload compatibility, RF, and verification protocols
• Designed for developers, launch operators, and newcomers to space systems

Access the full standard:View ISO 20991:2025 on iTeh Standards

prEN 6059-502 – Aerospace Series: Electrical Cables, Protection Sleeves, Test Methods – Part 502: Resistance to Electrical Arcs

Aerospace series – Electrical cables, installation – Protection sleeves – Test methods – Part 502: Resistance to electrical arcs

prEN 6059-502 introduced an updated and more rigorous test method for assessing the arc resistance of protection sleeves and conduits used in aerospace electrical cable installations. Focusing on the effects of external electric arcs at 115 Vac, 400 Hz—common failure modes in both commercial aircraft and spacecraft—the standard ensures that faulty or damaged cabling does not cascade into wider system failures or safety hazards.

This document is intended for use alongside EN 6059-100 (general test methods for cable protection), standardizing the laboratory simulation of arc events, specimen preparation, and reporting criteria. It incorporates lessons learned from service incidents, emphasizing the maintenance of adjacent cable bundles in a safe condition even under worst-case arc events. Compared to the previous edition, notable changes involved eliminating test scenarios at 230 Vac, focusing exclusively on 115 Vac conditions for more relevant results, and aligning with updated European regulatory and technical specifications.

prEN 6059-502 is directly applicable to aerospace OEMs, cable manufacturers, systems integrators, and quality/test labs, and will be crucial for organizations seeking to demonstrate compliance with evolving electrical safety and reliability mandates in high-integrity environments such as commercial aviation, defense, and spaceflight.

Key highlights:

• Prescribes test method and configuration for electrical arc resistance of protection sleeves
• Focuses on operational relevance: 115 Vac/400 Hz, typical in aerospace contexts
• Optimizes safety and minimizes mass/thickness of protection solutions while maintaining performance

Access the full standard:View prEN 6059-502 on iTeh Standards

Common Themes and Industry Trends

A cross-analysis of October 2025’s standards reveals several unifying patterns:

• Lifecycle Risk Management: Each document emphasizes systematic risk assessment—from root-cause analysis of launch failures, to end-to-end hazard and safety controls for small spacecraft, to fire and arc resistance in cabling. The industry is shifting from reactive troubleshooting to proactive, evidence-driven prevention at all points in the system lifecycle.
• Adaptation to New Entrants: The small spacecraft requirements specifically address the democratization of space, with clear guidance for institutions, universities, and new private ventures. This represents a notable expansion of regulatory culture into domains previously dominated by major government or legacy aerospace contractors.
• Focus on System Interdependencies: The standards tackle the interfaces between subsystems—the point where most failures propagate. Whether dealing with cross-payload safety, cable bundle integrity, or the transport of failures across interconnected ground systems, the focus is clearly on breaking the chain of compounded failures.
• Compliance, Traceability, and Documentation: Enhanced documentation and traceability requirements serve not just compliance needs but also continuous improvement and knowledge management. This supports organizations in building more robust safety cultures.

Emerging focus areas, such as debris mitigation and satellite collision avoidance (as covered in ISO 20991:2025), reflect rising international concern about sustainability and operational safety in increasingly crowded orbital environments.

Compliance and Implementation Considerations

Organizations impacted by these standards should prioritize the following steps:

1. Gap Analysis: Assess current procedures, documents, and test protocols against the new or revised requirements. For launch pad operators and small spacecraft developers in particular, this is critical.
2. Training and Communication: Integrate new definitions, investigation protocols, and reporting formats (per ISO 16159:2025) into safety and quality management systems. Empower teams involved in incident response and root-cause analysis.
3. Supplier Coordination: For standards involving components and test methods (e.g., prEN 6059-502), coordinate closely with suppliers and external test laboratories to ensure compliance with updated test regimes.
4. Documentation Upgrades: Update or augment internal documentation to reflect new uniform record-keeping requirements. Ensure traceability of findings for audits and future investigations.
5. Timeline Management: Anticipate compliance dates and plan for phased adoption where standards replace or revise earlier versions. For prEN 6059-502, monitor CEN ratification and transition timelines.

Resources for implementation:

• Engage with standards organizations’ technical committees or local national standards bodies for clarifications or best practices.
• Leverage guidance documents, webinars, and technical reports referenced within the standards.
• Explore the full documents and supporting materials on iTeh Standards.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways from October 2025

October 2025’s standardization activity in Aircraft and Space Vehicle Engineering delivered targeted advances that will have enduring significance across launch operations, small satellite programs, and aerospace system safety:

• ISO 16159:2025 raised the bar on systematic, preventive failure analysis at launch and integration sites.
• ISO 20991:2025 established a foundation for minimum requirements in the rapidly evolving small spacecraft sector, supporting safe, interoperable, and sustainable missions.
• prEN 6059-502 gave the industry an updated, operationally relevant protocol for testing and certifying the arc resistance of electrical cable protection—vital for safeguarding modern aerospace systems.

For professionals aiming to stay competitive, compliant, and forward-looking, regular engagement with standards developments—via comprehensive overviews like this—remains essential. Each of these standards not only provides a set of technical benchmarks but also signals broader shifts in the culture and priorities of the aerospace field.

Be sure to consult the full standards on iTeh Standards for detailed implementation guidance, and consider integrating these advances into your organization’s strategic planning for 2026 and beyond.