ISO 16159:2025

International
Standard
ISO 16159
Second edition
Space systems — Launch pad and
2025-10
integration site — Facility, system
and equipment failure analysis
Systèmes spatiaux — Aire de lancement et site d'intégration
— Analyse de défaillance des installations, du système et de
l'équipement
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General requirements . 3
5 Methods of analysis . . 4
6 Documentation and distribution of the failure analysis results . 5
7 Corrective and preventive actions . 7
Annex A (informative) Possible corrective actions . 8
Bibliography . 9

iii
Foreword
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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.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 16159:2012), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— terms were updated.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
Introduction
Failure of the launch pad or integration site facility, system or equipment during acceptance testing or
operation can be catastrophic. Failure of the facility, systems or equipment can damage flight or ground
hardware and injure personnel. Failures must be thoroughly investigated in order to prevent future failures,
damage and injuries. In order to investigate failures of launch pad or integration site facilities, systems or
equipment, adequate processes and procedures must be employed to thoroughly analyse and determine
the cause of the failure. Identification of failure causes is necessary to implement changes to the facility,
system and equipment in order to prevent a recurrence of the failure and the resulting damage or injury.
This document establishes procedures for determining the causes of facility, system and equipment failures
and preventing such failures.
v
International Standard ISO 16159:2025(en)
Space systems — Launch pad and integration site — Facility,
system and equipment failure analysis
1 Scope
This document establishes procedures for the analysis of failures that occur during the acceptance testing
or operation of launch pad and integration site facilities, systems and equipment. The procedures define the
processes for investigating, analysing and identifying the probable causes of failures, and for developing
corrective actions to preclude future failures.
This document provides:
— rules for investigating, analysing and identifying the causes of failures;
— sufficient information so that corrective action can be implemented to prevent failure recurrence;
— a uniform method for maintaining records of the findings of all failure causes so as to provide information
for other failure investigations.
This document applies to launch pad and integration sites used for the launch of launch vehicle with
spacecraft for public and commercial purposes.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
failure
termination of the ability of an item to perform the function
[SOURCE: ISO 14620-1:2018, 3.1.9, modified — "a required function" has been replaced by "the function".]
3.2
failure analysis
logical systematic examination, after a failure (3.1), of an item, its construction, application and
documentation in order to identify the failure mode and determine the failure mechanism and its basic cause
Note 1 to entry: Investigative techniques can range from examination in the field to evaluation in the laboratory.
3.3
launch pad
equipment and facility designed to provide for the pre-launch and launch operations of spacecraft
[SOURCE: ISO/TR 17400:2021, 3.3]

3.4
integration site
equipment and facility designed for launch vehicle storage, assembly and testing, and launch vehicle
(space rocket) and spacecraft/payload(s) integration, post-integration testing, and launch preparation,
maintenance, servicing and preparation for transportation to the launch pad (3.3)
[SOURCE: ISO/TR 17400:2021, 3.1]
3.5
design documentation
documentation created by the developer and containing the requirements for the design, manufacture,
control, acceptance, operation, maintenance, modernization and utilization of a component
3.6
normative documentation
standards, specifications, rules or instructions, to which adherence is required through the design,
manufacture and operation of the facility, system or equipment
3.7
production documentation
documentation (graphic or text) created by the facility, system or equipment contractor, which establishes
the requirements for manufacture of the facility, system, equipment or component
3.8
failure analysis team
group of humans, which are competent and suitable for providing the failure analysis (3.2)
Note 1 to entry: The failure analysis shall be carried out in accordance with this document.
3.9
discrepant component
first component of a facility, a system or equipment that manifests failure (3.1)
Note 1 to entry: The discrepant component may or may not be the primary or initial component to fail.
3.10
complex
launch pad (3.3) or integration site (3.4)
[SOURCE: ISO 26870:2022, 3.2]
3.11
primary failed component
component, the failure (3.1) of which resulted in the compromised functionality of the component itself, of
additional components or of the associated facility, system or equipment
3.12
functional track
sequence of components on which energy (mechanical, electric or pressure) is transferred from the primary
failed component (3.11) to the discrepant component (3.9)
3.13
failure precondition
pre-existing conditions and circumstances that predispose a component to failure (3.1)
Note 1 to entry: Failure preconditions can include mistakes in design, manufacture or operation, and also personnel
maintenance mistakes, software errors and errors of interface exchange between components, which are the
predispose for the failure occurrence.

3.14
root cause
primal condition, event or circumstance, or initiating cause, that is ultimately responsible for the occurrence
of a failure (3.1)
4 General requirements
4.1 For each component involved in the facility, system or equipment that failed, the following records
shall be evaluated:
— design documentation;
— normative documentation;
— production documentation;
— acceptance test certificates and reports;
— relevant reports, log-books, schedules and certifications.
4.2 The failure analysis shall be carried out by a failure analysis team.
4.3 The failure analysis team shall be given the task of investigating a failure by:
— the facility, system, equipment or component developer or manufacturer, if the failure occurred prior to
the deployment of the facility, system or equipment; or
— the customer, if failure occurred after the facility, system or equipment was deployed.
4.4 The failure analysis team shall include representatives of the facility, system or equipment developer
and manufacturer and typically also includes representatives of:
— the operator;
— the component developer;
— the component manufacturer;
— the assembly organization;
— the maintenance organization;
— the expert on quality assurance;
— the customer.
4.5 The following shall also be considered when selecting the failure analysis team for the failure analysis:
— type of facility, system or equipment;
— type of discrepant component failure (e.g. structural, mechanical or electrical);
— symptoms of the failure;
— availability of information on the conditions prior to failure;
— environment and conditions at the failure site.
4.6 The operator and the customer shall jointly appoint one of the following to lead the failure analysis team:
— a representative of the developer, if the failure occurred during testing; or

— a representative of the customer, developer, or manufacturer, if the failure occurred during operations.
4.7 The failure analysis team shall include a safety representative of:
— the manufacturer, if the failure occurred during acceptance testing; or
— the operational organization, if the failure occurred during operations.
5 Methods of analysis
5.1 The failure analysis process generally includes the following steps or actions:
a) gathering of information related to the failure, which applies not only to the failed component but also
to the associated facilities, systems and equipment and which can include the following:
1) facility, system or equipment;
2) discrepant component failure (e.g. structural, mechanical or electrical);
3) symptoms of failure;
4) information on the conditions at the time of failure;
5) time and date the failure was discovered;
6) stage of operation or acceptance testing during which the failure occurred;
7) power system condition;
8) environmental conditions;
9) service age and gua
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