Overview
ISO 24330:2022 - Space systems: Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and On Orbit Servicing (OOS) defines programmatic principles and best practices at a high level for the global RPO/OOS industry. Intended as the highest-level, non-prescriptive standard, it establishes broad behavioural boundaries and expectations that precede more detailed technical standards. While the requirements are derived from robotic missions, the principles are written to be applicable in principle to both robotic and human spaceflight (HSF) missions.
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO 24330:2022 focuses on programmatic and operational topics rather than component-level specifications. Core areas include:
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Responsible design and operations
- Promote safety and mission success for servicers, clients and other space assets.
- Requirements to mitigate space debris and avoid creating new debris during servicing.
- Conformance to existing debris standards (see Related Standards).
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Transparent operations and communications
- Notification to states and relevant entities, including established notification protocols.
- Information sharing, lessons learned, and re-entry hazard notifications.
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Programmatic practices for safe missions
- Design for mission success: formal hardware reviews, resilient software design, verified concepts of operation, and proven procedures.
- Trained and qualified operators and approved operational procedures.
- Trajectory practices, collision-avoidance in proximity, anomaly resolution, and on-orbit checkout procedures.
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Avoidance of interference
- Avoid physical contact or interference beyond agreed control volumes.
- Avoid electromagnetic interference with client or third-party systems.
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Information sharing and anomaly handling
- Development and sharing of anomaly resolution standards and incident information to improve industry-wide safety.
The standard also defines key RPO/OOS terminology (e.g., servicer, client space object, capture, passive-safe trajectory) and includes informative annexes covering programmatic details and notional mission phases.
Practical applications - who uses ISO 24330:2022
ISO 24330:2022 is intended for a broad set of industry participants:
- Spacecraft manufacturers designing servicer and client interfaces
- Spacecraft operators and owners commissioning or hosting servicing activities
- On-orbit service providers conducting rendezvous, docking, refuelling, repair, relocation or de-orbiting
- Developers of RPO/OOS simulation, planning and safety tools
- Insurers, regulators and policy makers assessing programmatic risk, notification and liability practices
Adoption of ISO 24330 helps organizations demonstrate responsible norms of behaviour, improve mission safety, and support regulatory engagement and commercial acceptance of RPO/OOS services.
Related standards
ISO 24330 references and complements other space standards, for example:
- ISO 24113 - Space debris mitigation requirements
- ISO 23312 - Detailed space debris mitigation requirements for spacecraft
- ISO 27875 - Re-entry risk management for unmanned spacecraft
Using ISO 24330 together with these standards provides a programmatic and technical framework for safe, transparent and sustainable RPO/OOS operations.