| Description: The type attribute classifies the observing system component according to its function. |
| Namespace Id: pds | Steward: pds | Class Name: Observing_System_Component | Type: ASCII_Short_String_Collapsed |
| Minimum Value: None | Maximum Value: None | Minimum Characters: 1 | Maximum Characters: 255 |
| Unit of Measure Type: None | Default Unit Id: None | Attribute Concept: Type | Conceptual Domain: Short_String |
| Status: Active | Nillable: false | Pattern: None |
| Permissible Value(s) | Value | Value Meaning |
| | Airborne - *Deprecated* | The physical object that transports a platform by or through air. |
| | Aircraft - *Deprecated* | An airborne observatory carried on a powered, heavier than air vessel supporting observations, measurements, and scientific experiments during flight. |
| | Artificial Illumination - *Deprecated* | The observing system component provides artificial illumination |
| | Balloon - *Deprecated* | A balloon-borne observatory, typically consisting of a gondola structure carrying one or more telescopes and instruments, borne aloft by an unpowered or minimially powered lighter-than-atmosphere balloon for a limited observing period. |
| | Computer - *Deprecated* | The observing system component is a processor embedded in the observing configuration, that manipulates or regulates the data prior to downlink. |
| | Facility - *Deprecated* | The observing system component is a facility. |
| | Host | The observing system component is a host or a member in a chain of hosts that ultimately contains an instrument that collects data. |
| | Instrument | The observing system component is an instrument |
| | Laboratory - *Deprecated* | The observing system component is a laboratory |
| | Literature Search | The observing system component is a literature search |
| | Naked Eye - *Deprecated* | The observing system component is the unaided eye of a person |
| | Observatory - *Deprecated* | The observing system component is an observatory |
| | Spacecraft - *Deprecated* | The observing system component is a spacecraft |
| | Suborbital Rocket - *Deprecated* | A Suborbital Rocket is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. |
| | Telescope | The observing system component is a telescope |