The "European Cooperation for Space Standardization" (ECSS) is a cooperative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and national space agencies in Europe to develop and promote standards for space systems and their associated ground segments. The goal of ECSS is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of space missions by establishing common standards and procedures that can be used across different countries and agencies.
ECSS covers a wide range of areas related to space systems, including design, development, testing, operations, and maintenance. It is designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing it to be applied to a variety of different types of space systems, including satellites, space probes, launch vehicles, and ground support equipment.
ECSS is composed of a series of documents, known as ECSS standards, that provide guidelines and requirements for different aspects of space systems. These standards are developed by expert committees and are reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that they remain relevant and effective. ECSS standards are used by space agencies and industry partners throughout Europe and around the world to ensure the quality and reliability of space systems and their associated ground segments.
Some examples of ECSS standards include:
- ECSS-E-ST-20-01C: Space Engineering - System Engineering
- ECSS-E-ST-20-02C: Space Engineering - Spacecraft Engineering
- ECSS-E-ST-20-03C: Space Engineering - Launch Vehicle Engineering
- ECSS-E-ST-20-04C: Space Engineering - Ground Segment Engineering
- ECSS-E-ST-20-05C: Space Engineering - Space Environment and Effects
- ECSS-E-ST-20-06C: Space Engineering - Safety Engineering
- ECSS-E-ST-20-07C: Space Engineering - Quality Management
- ECSS-E-ST-20-08C: Space Engineering - Configuration Management
- ECSS-E-ST-20-09C: Space Engineering - Data Management
- ECSS-E-ST-20-10C: Space Engineering - Verification and Validation
These standards provide guidelines and requirements for different aspects of space systems, including design, development, testing, operations, and maintenance. They are developed by expert committees and are reviewed and updated on a regular basis to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.
The main office of ECSS is located at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The address is:
ECSS Secretariat ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1 2201 AZ Noordwijk The Netherlands
ECSS has a website at the following URL:
On this website, you can find more information about ECSS and its activities, including information about its standards, committees, and events. You can also find contact information for the ECSS Secretariat and other ECSS staff.