The International Docking System Standard (IDSS) is the result of a collaboration by the International Space Station (ISS) membership to establish a recommended standard docking interface to enable joint collaborative endeavours utilizing different spacecraft and on-orbit crew rescue operations. The purpose of the IDSS is to provide basic common design parameters to allow developers to independently design compatible docking systems. Whereas the IDSS defines the meshing geometry and loads that a docking system, implementing the standard, shall comply, it does not define other criteria to which a flight-worthy docking system shall comply. QinetiQ Space, under ESA contract, is currently designing the International Berthing Docking Mechanism (IBDM) to be compatible with the IDSS definition. At the same time, NASA is also conducting the design and manufacturing of their NDS (NASA Docking System) compatible with the IDSS definition. Both parties are defining the parameters not specified in the IDSS as the detailed definition of both designs progresses. Ultimately, compatibility of the docking interfaces should be demonstrated through joint testing of the IBDM against NASA's docking system. Currently an Evolved Engineering Development Unit is under construction for both the Soft Capture System (SCS) and the Hard Capture System (HCS). This manuscript will describe the present design concepts.
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