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Three international data-compression standards designed for data acquired by satellites or spacecraft have been developed by the Data Compression Working Group (DCWG) within the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS). (The author of this book is a member of the working group and participates in the development of the standards.) CCSDS is an international organization formed in 1982 by the major space agencies of the world for the development of communications and data systems standards for spaceflight. It is a subcommittee of the International Organization of Standards (ISO) and currently consists of 11 member agencies, 28 observer agencies, and over 100 industrial associates from 26 nations. The committee meets periodically to address spacecraft-data-system problems that are common to all participants and to formulate sound technical solutions to these problems. Since its establishment, it has developed recommended standards for space data and information systems to
1. Reduce the cost to the various agencies of performing common data functions by eliminating unjustified project-unique design and development, and
2. Promote interoperability and cross-support among cooperating space agencies to reduce operational costs by sharing facilities.
CCSDS has developed and published 53 recommended standards for space data and information systems (Blue Books), which have been issued as international standards by the ISO. The CCSDS-developed standards define specific interfaces, technical capabilities, or protocols, or provide prescriptive and/or normative definitions of interfaces, protocols, or other controlling standards such as encoding approaches. More than 600 space missions have used these standards.
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