International
Deep Space
Interoperability
Standards
Nine Interoperability
Discipline Areas
The standards provided here have been collaboratively prepared with the goal of defining interfaces and environments to facilitate cooperative deep space exploration endeavors. These standards focus on topics prioritized in this early phase of exploration planning and are not intended to dictate design features beyond the interfaces. By providing the standards here, we hope to engage the wide-ranging global spaceflight industry, and encourage feedback on the standards from all potential stakeholder audiences.
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Avionics
The Avionics standard provides basic common design parameters that allow developers to independently design compatible Avionics systems. Specifies data link protocols and physical layer options that may be used to architect the interfaces between both spacecraft subsystems and vehicles themselves.
Communications
The Communications standard defines the functional, interface and performance standards necessary to support interoperable and compatible communications between spacecraft, ground infrastructure, other space and surface vehicles.
Docking
The International Docking System Standard (IDSS) Interface Definition Document (IDD) establishes a standard docking interface to enable collaborative endeavors between the international space fairing community while also supporting possible crew rescue operations.
Visit the IDSS for more information.
ECLSS
The Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) standard provides basic common design performance parameters to allow developers to independently develop compatible life support systems.
Power
The Power standard defines bus voltage, power quality, and grounding approaches to ensure commonality, reliability, interchangeability, and interoperability for electrical load applications between space application power systems.
Rendezvous
The Rendezvous standard provides basic common design parameters to allow developers to independently design compatible rendezvous operations.
Robotics
The Robotics standard provides a set of common design parameters to allow module, visiting vehicle, and on-orbit relocatable or replaceable unit providers to design robotic system compatible elements.
Thermal
The Thermal standard documents fluids to be employed in connected active external and/or internal coolant loops, and requirements for coldplates that interface directly to those coolant loops.
Software
The Software standard provides basic data interfaces that allow developers to independently design compatible cislunar and deep space spacecraft software systems.