ASTM F3550-22

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F3550 − 22
Standard Guide for
Classifying Safety-Related Events
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3550; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.3 Abnormality—An event or measurement that is not in
the normal statistical population for a system performance
1.1 This standard provides guidance on how to classify
parameter; a new extreme for a system performance parameter;
safety-related events in space flight. In addition, this guide
a load or system performance measurement that is outside the
defines the terms needed for classification, such as their
expected design limits (excludes test flight program data).
severity and impact.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.4 Accident—An event resulting in serious injury (as de-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
fined in 49 CFR 830.2) to a space flight participant or crew
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
member, or serious injury to ground flight preparation staff or
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
members of the public, or any damage that is not associated
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
with the flight, and that is not located at the launch site or
1.3 This international standard was developed in accor-
designated recovery area, or an unplanned event occurring
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
during licensed activities, or the flight of a launch vehicle
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
resulting in the known impact of a launch vehicle, its payload,
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
or any of its components outside the designated impact limits
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
or landing site, as appropriate, for expendable or reusable
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
vehicles.
2. Referenced Documents
3.5 Accident, Launch:
(1) An event that causes a fatality or serious injury (as
2.1 FAA Standard:
defined in 49 CFR 830.2) to any person who is not associated
49 CFR 830.2 Notification and Reporting of Aircraft Acci-
with the flight;
dents or Incidents and Overdue Aircraft, and Preservation
(2) An event that causes damage estimated to exceed
of Aircraft Wreckage, Mail, Cargo, and Records
$25 000 to property not associated with the flight that is not
3. Safety-Related Events List
located at the launch site or designated recovery area;
(3) An unplanned event occurring during the flight of a
3.1 Abort, Flight—The process to limit or restrict the
launch vehicle resulting in the impact of a launch vehicle, its
hazards to public safety, and the safety of property, presented
payload, or any component thereof;
by a launch vehicle or reentry vehicle, including any payload,
(i) For an expendable launch vehicle, outside designated
while in flight by initiating and accomplishing a controlled
ending to vehicle flight. impact limit lines; and
(ii) For a reusable launch vehicle, outside a designated
3.2 Abort, Contingency—Cessation of vehicle flight during
landing site;
ascent or descent in a manner that does not jeopardize public
(4) For a launch that takes place with a person on board, a
healthandsafety,andthesafetyofproperty,inaccordancewith
fatality or serious injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830.2) to a
mission rules and procedures. Contingency abort includes
space flight participant or crew member.
landing at an alternative location that has been designated as a
contingency abort location in advance of vehicle flight.
3.6 Accident, Reentry:
(1) Any unplanned event occurring during the reentry of a
reentry vehicle resulting in the impact of the reentryvehicle,its
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F47 on Commercial
payload, or any component thereof, outside a designated
Spaceflight and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F47.05 on Cross-
Cutting. reentry site;
Current edition approved Jan. 1, 2022. Published February 2022. DOI: 10.1520/
(2) An event that causes a fatality or serious injury (as
F3550-22.
2 defined in 49 CFR 830.2) to any person who is not associated
Available from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 800 Independence
Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20591, http://www.faa.gov. with the reentry;
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F3550 − 22
(3) An event that causes damage estimated to exceed 3.22 Incident, Launch—An unplanned event during the
$25 000 to property not associated with the reentry and not flight of a launch vehicle, other than a launch accident,
located within a designated reentry site; and involving a malfunction of a flight safety system or safety-
(4) For a reentry that takes place with a person on board, a critical system, or a failure of the licensee’s or permittee’s
fatality or serious injury to a space flight participant or crew safety organization, design, or operations.
member.
3.23 Incident, Reentry—Any unplanned event occurring
during the reentry of a reentry vehicle, other than a reentry
3.7 Anomaly—Any condition during licensed or permitted
activity that deviates from what is standard, normal, or accident, involving a malfunction of a reentry safety-critical
system or failure of the licensee’s or permittee’s safety
expected, during the verification or operation of a safety-
critical system, subsystem, process, facility, or support equip- organization, procedures, or operations.
ment.
3.24 IncorrectFunction—Aneventoroccurrencewithfunc-
3.8 Casualty—Serious injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830.2) tional outputs outside of acceptable and expected ranges,
incorrect functional output(s), when required, or functional
or death.
outputs produced at the wrong time (inadvertent function).
3.9 Close Call/Near Miss—An event in which there is no
3.25 InjuryorIllness,Severe—Any injury or illness that:(1)
injury or only minor injury requiring first aid and no significant
requires hospitalization for more than 48 h, commencing
equipment/property damage/mission failure, but which pos-
within 7 days from the date an injury was received; (2) results
sesses a potential to cause a mishap.
in a fracture of any bone (except simple fractures of fingers,
3.10 Damage, Major—Damage or failure that adversely
toes, or nose); (3) causes severe hemorrhages, or nerve,
affects the structural strength, performance, or flight character-
muscle, or tendon damage; (4) involves any internal organ; or
istics of the vehicle, and that would normally require major
(5) involves second- or third-degree burns, or any burns
repair or replacement of the affected component.
affecting more than 5 % of the body surface.
3.11 Damage, Minor—Damage other than major damage.
3.26 Injury or Illness, Minor—An injury or illness that
3.12 Deviation—A planned departure from the manufactur-
requires less than 48 h of hospitalization up to 7 days after the
ing requirements, a clearance, or operation of a component or
accident.
system that is a documented acceptable best practice.
3.27 LossofFunction—The absence of functional output(s),
3.13 Emergency—A serious, unexpected, and often danger-
when required.
ous situation requiring immediate action by personnel or
3.28 Medical/Clinical Event (Adverse)—Any unexpected
automated systems that can mitigate the consequences of the
medical occurrence and/or injury, illness, disease, or death,
failure or limit the magnitude of the event.
incurred by the subject that has a causal relationship w
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