The SpaceWire standard, ECSS E50-12A, was issued by the European Cooperation for Space Standardization on 23rd January 2003. This standard was written by Steve Parkes, head of the Space Systems Research Group at the University of Dundee and Managing Director of STAR-Dundee Ltd, with input from engineers across Europe. Early versions of SpaceWire are already being used on several European and American missions. It is anticipated that with the publication of the SpaceWire standard that an increasing number of missions will use SpaceWire technology.