ISS Launches First Permanent Node of "Interplanetary Internet"

Posted by timothy on Monday July 13, 2009 @12:00AM 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.

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Re:It will be tested heavily this month... by GaryOlson · 2009-07-13 00:16 · 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.
What protocols is it using? by scubamage · 2009-07-13 01:11 · 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?