[LEAPSECS] LEAPSECS Digest, Vol 48, Issue 15

[Finkleman, Dave]

First, I apologize for my zealous haste in building my case.  The motion
of satellites in milliseconds is just meters, as has been noted.   With
undiminished zeal, I note that comparisons among orbit determination
techniques try to be precise to meters and that some notable forces,
such as Earth tides, are meter-scale effects.   So, I think my general
theme still holds.  Sorry.

With respect to ISO, it is not the only international standards body.
Often industrial and national authorities find ISO standards too
generic, offering little specific guidance.  This is sometimes true.  In
the US, AIAA standards provide the next level of specificity and are
promoted to international status through ISO when they are mature.

This is where the German DIN, UK BSI, and other national standards
organizations take over.  (BTW, the national organizations are the
foundational ISO members.)

Some, such as Japan, do insist on the letter of ISO standards.  We
accommodate this as best we can with the advice of Japanese stakeholders
to eliminate overly restrictive clauses.  Hopefully, what comes out is
feasible if the government mandates it.   

Some, as in the EU, form their own standards bodies that develop
standards where none exist and in most cases try to promote them through
ISO.  The EU body is the European Cooperation for Space Standardization
(ECSS).  ECSS examines ISO space related standards and often adopts them
as ECSS standards.

ISO has great influence, but it does not and should not mandate
anything.  Normative means the consensus way to do things so that
diverse users and providers can work together.   It does not imply a
mandate.  My view from the inside.

As best I can determine, there are not even normative processes for UTC.


Dave Finkleman
Senior Scientist
Center for Space Standards and Innovation
Analytical Graphics, Inc.
7150 Campus Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
 
Phone:  719-510-8282 or 719-321-4780
Fax:  719-573-9079
 
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