# What is the minimum amount of information that should be available to publish an instrument into SPLASH?

**URL:** https://awg.osdr.space/t/what-is-the-minimum-amount-of-information-that-should-be-available-to-publish-an-instrument-into-splash/4251
**Category:** Hardware AWG Open Projects
**Tags:** osdr, metadata, splash, data-standardization
**Created:** [June 24, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/what-is-the-minimum-amount-of-information-that-should-be-available-to-publish-an-instrument-into-splash/4251 "2026-06-24T18:34:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![luis.depombopuerta](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/awg.osdr.space/luis.depombopuerta/32/3470_2.png) [@luis.depombopuerta](https://awg.osdr.space/u/luis.depombopuerta)
#### Post date: [June 24, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://awg.osdr.space/t/what-is-the-minimum-amount-of-information-that-should-be-available-to-publish-an-instrument-into-splash/4251/1 "2026-06-24T18:34:19Z")

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**Seven fields, plus two eligibility checks.**

* * *

### The 7 fields

| # | Field | In plain terms |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **Name** | What is it called? |
| 2 | **Background/Purpose** | What does it do? |
| 3 | **OPERATIONS** | How much crew time? Is sample return needed? |
| 4 | **Category** | What kind of science does it support? |
| 5 | **Status** | Active, Legacy, or In Development |
| 6 | **Date of First Launch** | When did it first fly? |
| 7 | **Source or Study Link** | At least one link or citation so others can verify the entry |

That is enough to find an instrument, understand what it is for, compare it to others, and trust where the information came from.

* * *

### Before SPLASH publishes it (OSDR / SPLASH curator review)

These are **not** enforced by the submit form. They are checked when SPLASH reviewers (admin/curator role on the SPLASH side) accept an entry into the public catalog.

- It supports **NASA Biological and Physical Sciences** research
- It is **flown, previously flown, or flight-qualified** (not an early concept)

* * *

### What can wait

**Mass, power, size, and other specs** can stay blank if they are not publicly available.

* * *

### Where we are today

SPLASH already requires the **first 6 fields** on submit. It does **not** yet require a source link.

In the live catalog (147 instruments), **Sources** and **Study Links** are still **0% filled**. Adding one verifiable link is the smallest fix that would help most.

Feedback welcome. [@HardwareAWG](https://awg.osdr.space/groups/hardwareawg) @jessica.a.lee @RushiGuppy @luis.depombopuerta

_Verified against live SPLASH on 2026-06-24: submit form enforces 6 fields (name, background, operations, category, status, date\_of\_first\_launch); public catalog has 147 instruments; sources and study\_links are 0/147._