ISO has just published the first-ever international technical specification for small spacecraft, which states the minimum requirements that every small spacecraft needs to comply with regardless of its mission.
ISO/TS 20991 Space systems – Requirements for Small Spacecraft details the requirements for various stages of the small spacecraft system life-cycle.
According to a recent report by SpaceWorks, 2017 saw a 205 per cent increase in small satellite launches compared to 2016, with a record number still awaiting launch.
Paul Gill, Chair of the ISO technical subcommittee that developed the document, said that up to 2,600 small spacecraft are estimated to launch over the next five years, many of them made by new operators.
“ISO/TS 20991 will be of great benefit to small spacecraft developers, as well as launch operators, by providing the minimum requirements to ensure their safety and debris mitigation,” Gill said.
“It covers everything from the design, launch, deployment, operation and disposal, which will also give newcomers to the industry a means to access space, typically the domain of large companies and governments.”