A common question for anyone adding hardware to the SPLASH database: what’s the least you need before the database will accept a new instrument? Here’s the data-grounded answer, reverse-engineered from the live submission form and database (verified June 6, 2026).
Six required fields
You must fill in six fields before the form will accept a submission. Everything else in the schema is optional.
| Form field | Input type |
|---|---|
| Instrument/Platform Name | Free text |
| Background/Purpose | Free text |
| OPERATIONS | Controlled |
| Category | Controlled |
| Status | Controlled |
| Date of First Launch | Controlled |
Four of the six (OPERATIONS, Category, Status, Date of First Launch) are structured inputs rather than open text.
Submitting the form without filling these in triggers one validation error per field. No other fields block submission.
How we know
- The live app bundle defines these exact six in its
requiredarray. - Manual testing on the submit form confirmed the same six errors (see attached screenshot).
Corrections and feedback welcome. @HardwareAWG