Id: 334

Type: Testimony

Published: 02/03/2023

Event: Open Ended Working Group

Abstract:

International standards play a central role in enabling effective information exchange and risk-reduction practices for outer space activities. ISO and CCSDS standards support consistent sharing of orbital, tracking, reentry, and conjunction data while also establishing best practices and norms of behavior for safe and sustainable space operations. The development of these standards relies on extensive global collaboration and differs significantly from nonbinding guidelines due to requirements for verifiability, contractual applicability, and market relevance. Current and emerging needs include standards for collision avoidance, large constellations, fragmentation and launch events, and downstream commercial products. Long spacecraft design cycles create a lag in adoption, underscoring the importance of timely and prioritized standards development for the global space community.