ISO 15395:1998

Overview

ISO 15395:1998 specifies requirements for Control Authority data structures used with Standard Formatted Data Units (SFDUs) in space data and information transfer systems. This ISO standard adopts the CCSDS recommendation CCSDS 632.0-B-1 (1994) and defines how data descriptions are packaged, registered, revised and disseminated via Control Authority Offices. It is targeted at organizations that manage and exchange formal data descriptions for space missions and archives.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Control Authority Data Structures (CADS): Standard packaging for submitting and delivering data descriptions to/from Control Authority Offices (MACAOs).
• CADS packages: Three package types are defined for information interchange:
  • Registration Package (RP) - used by originators to register a data description.
  • Revision Registration Package (RRP) - used by permitted revisers to submit revisions.
  • Data Description Package (DDP) - produced by a MACAO to provide registered descriptions to requesters.
• Identifiers and assignment: The MACAO assigns an Authority and Description Identifier (ADID) when registering a description (document includes an example data structure with ADID = CCSD0007).
• Parameter Value Language (PVL): CADS use PVL constructs to express data description attributes and assignment statements (see referenced PVL specification).
• Information preservation constraints: Guidance on formatting options and what may be changed without compromise to information content.
• Applicability and governance: Applies to all Member Agency Control Authority Offices (MACAOs) and MACAO service users; local formats are permitted where appropriate. The standard is based on CCSDS consensus and includes management arrangements for revisions.

Practical applications - who uses this standard

ISO 15395 is used by:

• Space agencies and Control Authority Offices (MACAOs) managing international data description registries.
• Mission operations teams preparing standardized data descriptions for instruments, payloads, or spacecraft products.
• Archive and data center engineers implementing registration, retrieval, and dissemination services for space data.
• Software developers building tools to create, validate, and exchange CADS/RP/RRP/DDP packages in compliance with SFDU conventions.
• Inter-agency or multi-mission projects that require consistent, interoperable metadata exchange and long‑term preservation.

Adopting ISO 15395 helps ensure consistent registration/revision workflows, unambiguous identifiers (ADIDs), and interoperable packaging for data descriptions across agencies and missions.

Related standards

• CCSDS 632.0-B-1 - Standard Formatted Data Units: Control Authority Data Structures (adopted by ISO 15395)
• CCSDS 630.0-B-1 - Control Authority Procedures (registration/revision processes)
• CCSDS 620.0-B-2 - SFDU Structure and Construction Rules
• CCSDS 641.0-B-1 - Parameter Value Language (PVL) specification

Keywords: ISO 15395, Control Authority data structures, SFDU, CADS, ADID, MACAO, data description, data registration, data revision, DDP, RP, RRP, Parameter Value Language, CCSDS.