This International Standard specifies the general characteristics, performance, design, test, safety, reliability, maintainability and quality requirements for ground support equipment (GSE) and systems intended for use at launch, landing or retrieval-site installations, or other locations that are the responsibility of the launch, landing and retrieval site. This International Standard does not specify how to design GSE, but establishes the minimum requirements to provide simple, robust, safe, reliable, maintainable and cost-effective GSE.
This International Standard is applicable to the design of non-flight hardware and software used to support the operations of transporting, receiving, handling, assembly, inspection, test, checkout, service, launch and recovery of space vehicles and payloads at the launch, landing or retrieval sites. As such, the requirements of this International Standard are optional for hardware used only at the manufacturing, development or test sites prior to arrival at the launch, landing or retrieval sites. However, if such GSE is temporarily used at a launch, landing or retrieval site, for whatever reason, conformity with all the safety-related requirements of this International Standard is a minimum requirement for the GSE.
NOTE In the event of conflict between the documents listed in Clause2 and the contents of this International Standard, the contents of this International Standard supersede except where otherwise noted. The applicable contract or purchase/procurement order takes precedence over the contents of this International Standard in the event of conflicting requirements. No part of this International Standard is deemed or otherwise used to supersede any locally applicable law or regulation, unless a specific exemption has been obtained for this purpose from the appropriate Authority.