This standard defines test procedures for quantitative and/or qualitative microbiological examination of surfaces of flight hardware and in microbiologically controlled environments (e.g. cleanroom surfaces, cleanroom air, isolator systems).
The following test methods are described:
• Surface and air sampling and detection of biological contaminants with swabs, wipes, contact plates and air samplers, followed by cultivation for bioburden determination.
• Sampling of biological contaminants by DNA analysis from swabs and wipes.
The test methods described in this standard apply to controlling the microbiological contamination on all manned and unmanned spacecraft, launchers, payloads, experiments, ground support equipment, and cleanrooms with planetary protection constraints.
This standard does not address molecular contamination control.
This standard does not address the principles and basic methodology for controlling cleanrooms and associated controlled environments
with constraints on particulate contamination.
This standard may be tailored for the specific characteristic and constrains of a space project in conformance with ECSS-S-ST-00.