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ISS Launches First Permanent Node of "Interplanetary Internet"

Posted by timothy on from the wake-me-up-when-the-terminator-gets-here dept.

schliz writes "Researchers developing the 'Interplanetary Internet' have launched its first permanent node in space via a payload aboard the International Space Station. The network is based on a new communications protocol called Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN). It will be tested heavily this month, and could give astronauts direct Internet access within a year. The Interplanetary Internet is the brainchild of Vint Cerf ('father of the Internet'), among others. Last year, NASA tested the technology on the Deep Impact spacecraft." Update: 07/13 20:01 GMT by KD : If by "permanent" we mean seven years.

5 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking? by BenEnglishAtHome · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hmmmmm. Will we get an earthly version of DTN that ensures I can successfully download large files over TOR? Now, *that* would be useful.

  2. Re:It will be tested heavily this month... by GaryOlson · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Seed a torrent of the latest Harry Potter movie....that should demonstrate the magic of DTN.

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    Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.
  3. Traffic capacity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I would be interested in reading some specifications about what traffic capacity this node has.

  4. What protocols is it using? by scubamage · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Ok, dorky question, but what protocols is it using? I mean, how does it make up for the sometimes massive EMD that will be in the way occasionally? A thunderstorm? TCP doesn't seem like it would be enough to handle the interference. Is it a microwave transmission? Are they using blinky lights? Are they using ethernet or some WAN technology? Do they use IPv6?

  5. Re:Cool protocol.. but sounds a bit familiar... by jd · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Given that DTN sits between two layers already in the kernel, it'd be stupid to have DTN in userspace. (Stupid and potentially dangerous, as you then have a userspace app injecting data into a fairly low level part of the kernel in a way that would have to bypass a lot of safeguards.)

    As for stuff that's in the kernel that shouldn't be - want to give some examples? I can think of a few things that are probably not great, but I can't think of anything that absolutely shouldn't be there.

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