With the age of globalization, increased connectivity is increasingly the rule. To make efficient use of this trend and remain competitive both economically and technologically, interoperability becomes a necessity. In many disciplines, such as information technology, aerospace, and software, interoperability has become an essential and fundamental requirement. Yet this same type of integration is still relatively rare within the space exploration field itself – countries have few common standards, definitions, practices, or objectives. For space exploration to be successful and sustainable, space exploration must absorb and implement the lessons and best practices of interoperability from other sectors.
