Overview
ISO 10785:2025 - Space systems - Bellows - Design and operation - defines requirements for metallic bellows used as pressure‑bearing components in space systems. The second edition updates definitions and harmonizes requirements with other space structural standards. It covers the full lifecycle: material selection, design and analysis, fabrication and process control, testing and inspection, operation, maintenance, storage and reactivation. Note: engine bellows and valve bellows are excluded.
Key topics and technical requirements
The standard provides both general and detailed provisions, including:
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Design requirements (clause 5.2)
- Loads, pressures and environmental considerations (thermal, vacuum, vibration)
- Strength, stiffness and buckling considerations
- Thermal effects and stress analysis methods
- Leak‑before‑burst (LBB) failure modes and damage‑tolerance principles
- Fatigue life, leakage control and miscellaneous design constraints
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Material requirements (clause 5.3)
- Material selection, evaluation and characterization for space environments
- Focus on metallic materials appropriate for pressure systems
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Fabrication and process control (clause 5.4)
- Manufacturing controls, contamination control and cleanliness requirements
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Quality assurance and testing (clause 5.5 & 5.7)
- Quality assurance programmes, inspection plans and acceptance tests
- Inspection techniques and data management for flight hardware
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Operation and maintenance (clause 5.6)
- Operating procedures, safe operating limits, inspection, repair, storage and documentation
- Reactivation procedures after storage or ground handling
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Terminology and definitions (clauses 3 & 4)
- Key terms such as MEOP (maximum expected operating pressure), MDP, design burst factor, design safety factor, fatigue life and damage tolerance life are defined to ensure consistent application.
Practical applications and users
ISO 10785:2025 is intended for organizations involved in the design, manufacture, verification and operation of spaceflight pressure systems that incorporate metallic bellows. Typical users include:
- Spacecraft and payload systems engineers
- Pressure component and bellows manufacturers and fabricators
- Qualification and test laboratories (acceptance testing, LBB verification, fatigue testing)
- Quality assurance and procurement teams specifying flight hardware requirements
- Operations and maintenance engineers responsible for storage, reactivation and in‑flight procedures
Related standards
ISO 10785:2025 references and harmonizes with other space structural standards, including:
- ISO 14623 - Space systems - Pressure vessels and pressurized structures - Design and operation
- ISO 21347 - Space systems - Fracture and damage control
- ISO 24638 - Space systems - Pressure components and pressure system integration
Use ISO 10785:2025 when you need a comprehensive, harmonized standard for the safe design, verification and lifecycle management of metallic bellows in space pressure systems. Keywords: ISO 10785:2025, space systems bellows, bellows design, metallic bellows, pressure system, leak‑before‑burst, fatigue life, material selection, inspection.