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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.

9 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. It will be tested heavily this month... by ei4anb · · Score: 4, Funny

    "It will be tested heavily this month" , so, they are going to post the URL on slashdot ?

    1. 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.

      --
      Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.
  2. lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It...could give astronauts direct Internet access within a year

    i am in ur space station, trollin' ur boards!

  3. "Permanent"??? by Jane+Q.+Public · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Uh... sorry. But NASA's plans for the ISS, or anything like it at this time, are hardly "permanent".

    If you want them to be, get off your butts and tell that to the Whitehouse and your Congresscritters. Because they obviously don't know.

  4. Define "permanent" by qengho · · Score: 5, Informative

    It'll be permanent until the ISS is de-orbited in 2016, eh?

  5. Last Post by PotatoFiend · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sorry, posting this from ISS.

    --
    "Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abuses of power." -- James Madison
  6. 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?

    1. Re:What protocols is it using? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      it uses, of course, DTN, as the protocol. DTN sits in between IP and the other layers (UDP,TCP).. Think of it is as intelligent "store and forward" routing for long latency or sporadic links. It has a lot of flavors, but ultimately, you transfer a bundle of data to another node (perhaps on a predetermined schedule), when the other node agrees it's got it, "custody" of the bundle transfers.

      The physical layer is standard microwave for space (S and K band for station, X band and Ka band for deep space links of the future). It can also be carried over wired media (or heck, avian carriers as well)

    2. Re:What protocols is it using? by scubamage · · Score: 3, Informative

      Also, despite the bad form of replying to myself, I found the RFC's specifying the protocols here: RFC 4838 (DTN) and RFC 5050.