Application of IUS equipment and experience to orbit transfer vehicles of the 90's

This paper relates experiences with the IUS program and the application of that experience to Future Orbit Transfer Vehicles. More specifically it includes the implementation of the U.S. Air Force Space Division high reliability parts standard (SMASO STD 73-2C) and the component/system test standard (MIL-STD-1540A). Test results from the parts and component level testing and the resulting system level test program for fourteen IUS flight vehicles are discussed. The IUS program has had the highest compliance with these standards and thus offers a benchmark of experience for future programs demanding extreme reliability. In summary, application of the stringent parts standard has resulted in fewer failures during testing and the stringent test standard has eliminated design problems in the hardware. Both have been expensive in costs and schedules, and should be applied with flexibility.