Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Deep Space Interoperability Standards?
To enable academia, industry, and international entities to independently develop systems for deep space exploration that would be compatible aboard any spacecraft, irrelevant of the spacecraft developer.
Who developed these draft standards?
The draft standards were developed collaboratively with support from NASA and the International Space Station (ISS) Partner Agencies.
Why release the draft interoperability standards into the public domain?
We may release drafts of new revisions which adds content based on identified space exploration needs or make changes based upon increased or changed technical details.
Why are you seeking comments on the standards?
Providing the standards, drafts of proposed changes, and encouraging feedback from a broader community will support global contributions to the standards and improve the content before finalizing the Interoperability Standards documents.
Why are you providing these nine documents?
These nine documents focus on topics prioritized in this early phase of exploration planning that will help enable development of compatible systems and elements for deep space exploration.
What spacecraft do these standards apply to?
These standards are meant to be applicable to LEO, lunar surface, cis-lunar, Martian surface, cis-Mars, and transit between Earth, the Moon, and Mars. The first application of these standards was to Gateway and is being applied, as appropriate, to other Artemis systems.
When in the next revision of the standard due for the public release?
These standards will be updated with approved revisions once signature process is completed. Drafts of future standards will be posted to this site when additional content or changes to existing standards are developed or when new standards are proposed.
With these standards, will anyone be able to send spacecraft or experiments to Gateway?
Anyone will be able to design compatible systems at the interface level if they implement these standards.
Why not use the International Space Station standards? Why reinvent the wheel?
These deep space exploration standards are based on ISS standards with additional lessons learned incorporated from the collective experience of the international community and leverage existing globally recognized standards where possible.
Are there any existing standards that will be also applied to deep space exploration activities to foster interoperability?
Those standards or sections, which are necessary for a deep space exploration system to perform its planned and contingency missions and which require interoperability, will be applicable.
When are comments due?
Comments are encouraged and will be included in the next review cycle. With respect to the new software interoperability standard, please submit comments as soon as possible and no later than September 13, 2019 to support the baseline revision release. Comments submitted later will be considered for future revisions.