ISO 15887:2013建立了应用于数字数据的源编码数据压缩算法，并规定了如何将这些压缩数据插入到源分组中以进行检索和解码。 用于数据压缩的源编码是在数据系统中使用的一种方法，用于减少数字数据量，以在包括但不限于以下领域中实现益处: 传输信道带宽的减少； 减少缓冲和存储需求； 在给定速率下减少数据传输时间。 源代码的特征仅在确保多任务支持能力所必需的范围内指定。ISO 15887:2013不试图量化相对带宽减少、所讨论的每种方法的优点或编码器和相关解码器的设计要求。CCSDS 120.0-G-2中包含了一些性能信息。 ISO 15887:2013仅解决无损源编码，其适用于广泛范围的数字数据，成像和非成像两者，其中要求是适度的数据速率降低，受限于不允许在数据压缩/解压缩过程中添加失真。解压缩过程没有被解决。

ISO 15887:2013 establishes a source-coding data-compression algorithm applied to digital data and specifies how these compressed data shall be inserted into source packets for retrieval and decoding. Source coding for data compression is a method utilized in data systems to reduce the volume of digital data to achieve benefits in areas including, but not limited to:

• reduction of transmission channel bandwidth;
• reduction of the buffering and storage requirement;
• reduction of data-transmission time at a given rate.

The characteristics of source codes are specified only to the extent necessary to ensure multi-mission support capabilities. ISO 15887:2013 does not attempt to quantify the relative bandwidth reduction, the merits of each approach discussed, or the design requirements for coders and associated decoders. Some performance information is included in CCSDS 120.0-G-2. ISO 15887:2013 addresses only Lossless source coding, which is applicable to a wide range of digital data, both imaging and non-imaging, where the requirement is for a moderate data-rate reduction constrained to allow no distortion to be added in the data compression/decompression process. The decompression process is not addressed.