Space Grade Requirements for Electrical Connectors

1 ELECTRONIC INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION DRAFT STANDARD4th DRAFT DOCUMENT, May 1997 EIA , (EIA-710)GUIDE OF Space Grade REQUIREMENTSFOR Electrical CONNECTORSM elanie OttSwales Aerospace/ Goddard Space Flight CenterTable of ContentsIntroductionScope and objective1. ObjectiveGeneral reference information2. Related Electrical connector NASA approved partsEnvironmental category definitions3. Industry environmental Military environmental Space environmental definitionsGeneral requirements4. Design ProhibitionsTest procedures, conditions, and screening requirements5.

2 Visual and dimensional inspection (all types) Mating and unmating forces / coupling torque (all types) Contact insertion release and removal forces (non-hermetic: C&D) Dielectric withstanding voltage (all types) Insulation resistance (all types) Space Grade Requirements for Electrical (1 of 3) [10/25/2001 12:14:12 PM] Contact retention (crimp removable types) Contact resistance (all hermetic types) Contact engagement and separation forces (all types except RF) Humidity Mechanical shock(specified pulse for all types) Materials tests: flammability, odor, toxicity (non metal shell) Thermal vacuum outgassing (all types) Vibration (all types) Thermal cycling (all types) Salt spray corrosion(all non-gold plated types) Magnetic permeability (types: D) Insert retention(types: C, D and M) Air leakage (hermetic types.)

3 C, D and RF) Low level contact resistance (types: M and P) Crimp tensile strength (Types: M and P) Maintenance aging(non-hermetic types: C and D) Resistance to solder heat(types: D and M) Solderability (types: D and M) Impact(special cases, C type only) Shell-to-shell conductivity (C type only) EMI shielding (C type only) Firewall protection (C type only) Ozone (C type only) Atomic oxygen (non-metal shell types: D, M and P) Contact pin strength(D type only) Cable retention(D type only) Residual magnetism (D type only) RF insertion loss(RF type only) VSWR (RF type only) Coupling proof torque (RF type only) Corona (RF type only) Flammability (all non-metal shell types) UV weathering (All non-metal shell typesSpace Grade Requirements for Electrical (2 of 3) [10/25/2001 12:14:12 PM]Test tables for cross referencing6.

4 Table 3: Screen test requirement vs. environmental categoryTable 4: Screen test vs. connector typeUp to TVA HomepageBack to the LibraryWebster: Grade Requirements for Electrical (3 of 3) [10/25/2001 12:14:12 PM]IntroductionThis document is designed to be a reference guide and baseline in whichminimum Requirements are outlined for Electrical Connectors that will be used inany Space environment. This document will be updated as necessary. There aresix Space environmental categories defined as a means of providing a standardknowledge of Space environmental conditions and as a reference for screeningand testing.

5 All Electrical Connectors are included in the scope of this document,and several main categories are defined based on the current usage by the Scope and ScopeThis Requirements document is applicable to all types of single or multicontactelectrical Connectors including: circular, rectangular printed circuit, rectangularmicrominiature, rectangular D-subminiature, rectangular rack and panel, coaxial,and hermetic. This document will be used in for determining the minimumrequirements for Space applications. This document is not a mandatoryrequirements document but is for the purpose of providing guidance.

6 Forpurposes of standardization and reference, several Space environments are definedand include: habitable pressurized modules, low earth orbit, geosynchronousearth orbit, transatmospheric vehicle, lunar surface, Martian surface. Theenvironmental categories are designed to be used as a default when consideringhow to alter any test for a specific application. The environmental categores aremeant for reference purposes. When performing any test or screening procedurethe parameters of the operational environment can be used to govern the testconditions.

7 All test EIA test procedures referenced are to be considered as thenormative test procedures. All military test procedures are referenced forinformation purposes. Any reference to the military or industry environments isonly as a reference to the Space environmental categories significant to thisdocument. For actual military and industry environment parameters pleaseconsult the appropriate military specifications or EIA (1 of 13) [10/25/2001 12:14:13 PM]There are several tables and charts designed for cross-referencing which types ofconnectors need to be tested for which Space environments and forcross-referencing what types of tests are necessary for what type of connectorwhen being used in any Space ObjectiveThe objective of this document is to provide the information concerning what theminimum Requirements are for all Electrical Connectors being used in any spaceflight application.

8 This document is meant for guidance purposes and is not aprocurement document. Once screened by the Requirements outlined in thisdocument (and in accordance with project engineering documentation) with theappropriate results, a connector can be considered " Space Grade " for a given spaceenvironment category that governs all test conditions and Requirements . Ifenvironmental parameters are not specified for any given application by projectdocumentation the appropriate environmental category defined in this documentcan be used to govern all test General Related documentsThe following documents may or may not be referenced in the body of thisrequirements document and can be used as references to the material contained inthis Specifications and StandardsNASA Approved Parts Listing (formally known as MIL-STD-975).

9 (Flammability, Odor, Offgassing, and CompatibilityRequirements for Materials in Environments that Support Combustion).l 40M38277, Circular, miniature, high density, environment resisting, Electrical (2 of 13) [10/25/2001 12:14:13 PM]40M38298, Circular, miniature, special, environment resisting, Electrical 40M39569, Circular, miniature, environmental resisting, 200C, Electrical GSFC-S-311-P-4, Rectangular, Space flight, Electrical , GSFC-S-311-P-10, Subminiature, Electrical and coaxial contact, Electrical , Specifications and Standardsl MIL-STD-1344 Test Methods for Electrical Connectorsl MIL-STD-202.

10 Test Methods for Electronic and Electrical Componentpartsl MIL-C-5015, Circular, threaded, AN type, Electrical , MIL-C-26482, Circular, miniature, quick disconnect, environmentresisting, Electrical , Connectors , receptacles and MIL-C-38999, Circular, miniature, high density, quick disconnect,(bayonet, threaded and breech coupling), environment resisting,removable crimp and hermetic contacts, Electrical , MIL-C-39012, Coaxial, radio frequency, Electrical , MIL-C-55302, Printed circuit, Electrical , connector, subassembly MIL-C-24308, Rectangular, miniature, polarized shell, crimp and soldercontacts, Electrical (3 of 13) [10/25/2001 12:14.]