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Welcome to the CCSDS Blog. For an overview of CCSDS, go to www.ccsds.org, and see our “home” page and our “about” page. This Blog will have committee postings about Document releases, meeting registration/logistics announcements, press releases, working group announcements, and other general info that the CCSDS teams and the public may be interested in. If you would like to get notified of new posting, sign up for alerts at the bottom of this page. Note that this page is not regularly monitored or moderated. If you want to report something on this page, or if you want a reply about something on this page from CCSDS, email Secretariat@mailman.ccsds.org.

To see new topics and initiatives in work in CCSDS, click “New Work” above, to go to our New Work Items announcements page.

Aug 01
New CCSDS Blue Book Posted


CCSDS Authentication Credentials. Blue Book. Issue 1. July 2019.
This CCSDS Recommended Standard provides the specification for credentials to be used for authentication by CCSDS missions and ground systems.
Jan 15
3 New CCSDS Books Published

Optical High Data Rate (HDR) Communication--1064 NM . Orange Book. Issue 1. December 2018.
This Experimental Specification contains the technical specification for implementing the Physical Layer and the Coding and Synchronization (sub)layer of optical communication systems. It is based on the High Data Rate (HDR) scenario implemented in ESA missions (EDRS series, Sentinel series).
Mission Operations Message Abstraction Layer--C++ API. Magenta Book. Issue 1. December 2018.
This Recommended Practice defines a C++ API for the Mission Operations Message Abstraction Layer specified in CCSDS 521.0-B-2.
Voice Communications. Green Book. Issue 2. December 2018.
This CCSDS Informational Report presents an overview of voice communications in use in human spaceflight.
Nov 15
New CCSDS Blue Book Published


Unified Space Data Link Protocol. Blue Book. Issue 1. October 2018.
This CCSDS Recommended Standard specifies the Unified Space Data Link Protocol (USLP) for use by space missions over space-to-ground, ground-to-space, or space-to-space communications links.


Sep 18
New CCSDS Green Book Published
CCSDS 730.2-G-1 Concepts and Rationale for Streaming Services over Bundle Protocol. Green Book. Issue 1. September 2018.
The purpose of this document is to discuss concepts and rationale for real-time video streaming services over Bundle Protocol. Previous testing of video streams over Bundle Protocol is documented. A common test configuration for continued testing and benchmarking of video (and other streaming data) is also documented.


Jul 09
5 New CCSDS Books Published
CCSDS Recommended Procedures for Cloud-Based Interoperability Testing. Yellow Book - CCSDS Normative Procedures. Issue 1. June 2018.
This CCSDS Record specifies a recommended practice for performing inter-agency CCSDS standards interoperability testing using cloud technologies.
Space Data Link Security Protocol--Summary of Concept and Rationale. Green Book. Issue 1. June 2018.
This Informational Report presents the concept and rationale for the CCSDS Recommended Standard on the Space Data Link Security Protocol.
Network Layer Security Adaptation Profile. Blue Book. Issue 1. June 2018.
This CCSDS Recommended Standard provides the basis for Network Layer security for missions utilizing the Internet Protocol (IP), including missions using IP over CCSDS Space Links.
Mission Operations--Message Abstraction Layer Binding to HTTP Transport and XML Encoding. Blue Book. Issue 1. June 2018.
This Recommended Standard specifies the binding between the Mission Operations (MO) Message Abstraction Layer (MAL) and the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and defines an XML encoding for MAL data types.
Mission Planning and Scheduling. Green Book. Issue 1. June 2018.
This Informational Report documents mission planning scenarios, use cases, and deployment architectures relevant to the creation of standards for mission planning and scheduling.


Feb 26
5 New CCSDS Books Published

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Radio Frequency and Modulation Systems--Part 1: Earth Stations and Spacecraft. Blue Book. Issue 28. February 2018.
Numerous concise recommendations appear in the notebook volume bearing the number 401.0-B. Each recommendation is dated, and the most recent revision is shown in the table of contents. These Recommendations are developed for conventional near-Earth and deep-space missions having moderate communications requirements. The current issue updates recommendations 2.1.4A and 2.1.4B, deletes recommendations 2.1.8A and 2.1.8B, and adds new recommendation 2.6.11A.
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Bandwidth-Efficient Modulations--Summary of Definition, Implementation, and Performance. Green Book. Issue 3. February 2018.
This Report contains technical material to supplement the CCSDS Recommendations for the standardization of modulation methods for high symbol rate transmissions generated by CCSDS Member Agencies.
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Delta-Differential One Way Ranging (Delta-DOR) Operations. Magenta Book. Issue 2. February 2018.
This Recommended Practice specifies a set of standard practices and message formats for use in the navigation technique known as Delta Differential One-Way Ranging (Delta-DOR). The current issue adds clarifications, adds a subsection on quantitative validation criteria, renames 'Service Request' to 'Support Request', adds Support Request specifications, adds examples of Support Requests as new annex, deletes section 7 in favor of reference to the Delta-DOR Quasar Catalogue.
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Delta-DOR Quasar Catalog Update Procedure. Magenta Book. Issue 1. February 2018.
This Recommended Practice provides specifications for a quasar catalogue to be used in Delta-DOR measurements; description of the catalogue update process; procedures and qualitative criteria to evaluate whether the updates of such catalogues are acceptable; description of the registries to be included in a quasar catalogue; and rules to update SANA entries.
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Pointing Request Message. Blue Book. Issue 1. February 2018.
This Recommended Standard defines the Pointing Request Message (PRM), a standardized format that allows space agencies and operators to exchange information about requested (sequences of) changes to the attitude of the spacecraft or to an articulated spacecraft component.


Dec 05
3 New CCSDS Books Released

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Voice and Audio Communications . Blue Book. Issue 1. November 2017.
This Recommended Standard specifies the technologies, services, and service interfaces for real-time or near real-time voice and audio communications among terrestrial facilities and space systems in support of the mission operations of space flight. 
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Mission Operations--Message Abstraction Layer . Blue Book. Issue 1. November 2017.
This CCSDS Recommended Standard specifies a binding of the Mission Operations Message Abstraction Layer (MAL) to TCP/IP using a split binary encoding for MAL data types. 
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File size 219 KB
CCSDS Spacecraft Identification Field Code Assignment Control Procedures. Magenta Book. Issue 7. November 2017.
This Recommended Practice defines the procedures governing assignment, relinquishment, and management of CCSDS Spacecraft Identification (SCID) codes. The current update adds frequency band as a qualifier for SCID assignment, names the SCID qualified by version number and frequency band the Qualified SCID (Q-SCID), and replaces the outdated hard-copy request form with instruction to use the online form on the Space Assigned Numbers Authority (SANA) Web site.


Nov 02
1 New CCSDS Blue Book Released
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Radio Frequency and Modulation Systems--Part 1: Earth Stations and Spacecraft. Blue Book. Issue 27. November 2017.
Numerous concise recommendations appear in the notebook volume bearing the number 401.0-B. Each recommendation is dated, and the most recent revision is shown in the table of contents. These Recommendations are developed for conventional near-Earth and deep-space missions having moderate communications requirements. The current draft updates recommendations 2.4.18 and 2.5.6B.


Oct 24
2 new CCSDS Blue Books Released


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Spacecraft Onboard Interface Services--RFID . Blue Book. Issue 1. October 2017.
This Recommended Standard specifies tag-encoding options that augment, yet remain compatible with, a legacy ISS Inventory Management System tag encoding schema established for early flight experiments. 
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Mission Operations Monitor & Control Services . Blue Book. Issue 1. October 2017.
This Recommended Standard defines the Mission Operations Monitor and Control services in conformance with the service framework specified in the Mission Operations Services Concept Green Book (CCSDS 520.0-G-3).


Sep 14
4 New CCSDS Blue Books Published


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Image Data Compression. Blue Book. Issue 2. September 2017.
This Recommended Standard defines an image-data compression algorithm applicable to digital data from payload instruments and specifies means to control compression rate and how these compressed data shall be inserted into source packets for retrieval and decoding. The current issue adds modifications to support the Recommended Standard for Spectral Pre-Processing Transform for Multispectral and Hyperspectral Image Compression.
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Spectral Preprocessing Transform for Multispectral and Hyperspectral Image Compression. Blue Book. Issue 1. September 2017.
This Recommended Standard is an extension to CCSDS 122.0-B-2, Image Data Compression (Blue Book, Issue 2), defining a data compression algorithm that can be applied to digital three-dimensional image data from payload instruments, such as multispectral and hyperspectral imagers, and specifying the compressed data format.
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TM Synchronization and Channel Coding. Blue Book. Issue 3. September 2017.
The Recommended Standard for TM Synchronization and Channel Coding contains specifications to be used by space missions on synchronous communications links. The current issue adds LCPC coding for a stream of Channel Access Data Units (CADUs).
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File size 384 KB
TC Synchronization and Channel Coding. Blue Book. Issue 3. September 2017.
The Recommended Standard for TC Synchronization and Channel Coding contains specifications for synchronization and channel coding to be used by space missions on asynchronous communications links. The current issue adds LCPC coding; globally changes 'codeblock' to 'codeword' for consistency with modern usage; deletes obsolete annex detailing changes from documents retired in 2005.


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