Overview
ISO 10789:2011 - Space systems - Programme management - Information and documentation management defines processes and requirements for managing project information and documentation across space programmes and projects. The standard covers the full information lifecycle: creation, collection, review, delivery, storage, retrieval and archiving. Requirements apply to customers and suppliers at all levels and must be tailored to the specific project context. Defence information is explicitly excluded from scope.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Information/documentation management (IDM) process: Establishes objectives to ensure correctness, accessibility, availability, reliability and security of project information throughout the project life cycle.
- Information/Documentation Management Plan (IDMP): Each supplier must produce an IDMP for customer approval. The IDMP documents responsibilities, procedures, roles (assigned IDM representative), interfaces and tailoring decisions.
- Document lifecycle states: Defined states such as “In Preparation”, “In Review”, “Released”, “Obsolete/Superseded” and procedures for review, approval and versioning.
- Delivery format - Technical Data Package (TDP): TDP is a ZIP file containing document files plus metadata (stored in datapackage.xml). Metadata in the TDP are a subset of ISO 10303-232.
- Metadata and information systems: Emphasizes structured metadata for discovery, retrieval and management and use of an information system (IS) as the repository for static and dynamic content.
- Security and classification: Information classification, access control and protection measures must be agreed between customer and supplier; an ISMS (e.g., ISO/IEC 27001) can be used to implement security.
- Interfaces with other processes: IDM integrates with Configuration Management (ISO 10007), engineering, product assurance, manufacturing and project reporting.
- Archiving and integrity: Requirements to preserve, control access and ensure reproducibility and integrity of archived documents for the project lifecycle.
- Tailoring and contractual flow-down: Requirements are defined as “what” to achieve and must be tailored to project profiles; suppliers ensure lower-tier suppliers comply.
Applications - who uses ISO 10789:2011
- Space programme and project managers establishing information governance
- Document controllers and records managers implementing IDMPs
- Configuration managers and systems engineers coordinating document baselines
- Contractors, suppliers and subcontractors exchanging Technical Data Packages
- IT/IS teams responsible for repositories, metadata, access control and archiving
Related standards
- ISO 10007:2003 - Configuration management guidance
- ISO 10303-232 - Metadata for Technical Data Packages (subset used by TDP)
- ISO 14300-1 - Project structuring guidance for space systems
- ISO/IEC 27001 - Information Security Management Systems (recommended option for ISMS)
ISO 10789:2011 is a practical framework for consistent, secure and auditable information management in space projects, supporting efficient information exchange, traceability and long-term preservation.