A system engineering approach to spacecraft sterilization requirements

Recommendations are presented for quantitatively interpreting spacecraft sterilization requirements. The recommendations resulted from a brief preliminary exploration of the use of system engineering techniques in the control of spacecraft sterilization. Several specific applications of system engineering techniques potentially useful in formulating the over-all sterility assurance and planetary quarantine management system are suggested. These applications have been framed in terms of relative allocations of effort for performing failure analysis and for replicate testing. Examination of the sterilization requirements through the system engineering approach will lead to a realistic apportionment of the estimated contamination contributions by each of the various parts, processes, subsystems, and maneuvers, so that spacecraft sterility can be achieved and maintained.