Dan Shell

Using Internet nodes and routers onboard satellites

An Internet router was integrated into the UK-DMC remote-sensing satellite as a secondary experimental payload. This commercial product has been orbiting in space for over three years. We describe the integration of the router and satellite and the successful on-orbit testing of the router, which took place using the Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC) application as part of a larger systems internetworking exercise. Placing this Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit (CLEO) onboard a small satellite is one step towards extending the terrestrial networking model to the near-Earth space environment as part of a merged space-ground architecture.

Application of mobile-IP to space and aeronautical networks

NASA is interested in applying Mobile Internet Protocol (mobile-IP) technologies to its space and aeronautics programs. In particular, mobile-IP will play a major role in the Advanced Aeronautic Transportation Technology (AATT), the Weather Information Communication (WINCOMM) and the Small Aircraft Transportation System; (SATS) aeronautics programs. This paper describes mobile-IP and mobile-routers-in particular, the features, capabilities, and initial performance of the mobile-router is presented. The application of mobile-router technology to NASAs space and aeronautics programs is also discussed.

Application of mobile router to military communications

Cisco Systems and NASA Glenn Research Center under a NASA Space Act Agreement have been performing joint networking research to apply Internet technologies and protocols to space-based communications. During this time, Cisco Systems developed the mobile router which NASA and Cisco jointly tested. The early field trials of this technology have been successfully completed. The mobile router is software code that resides in a network router. A mobile router allows entire networks to roam while maintaining connectivity to the Internet. This router code is pertinent to a myriad of applications for both government and commercial sectors. This technology can be applied to the wireless battlefield and for near-planetary observation and sensing spacecraft. It enables communication via the Internet or intranets to aircraft. The mobile router can be incorporated into emergency vehicles, particularly ambulances and life-flight aircraft, to provide real-time connectivity back to hospital healthcare experts. Commercial applications include entertainment services, IP telephone and Internet connectivity for cruise ships, commercial shipping, tour buses, aircraft and, eventually, cars. This paper briefly describes the mobile router operation. An upcoming wide area network field test with application to US Coast Guard communications is described. The paper also highlights military and government networks that can benefit from the deployment of the mobile router and its associated applications.

Mobile router technology development

Cisco System and NASA have been performing joint research on mobile routing technology under a NASA Space Act Agreement. Cisco developed mobile router technology and provided that technology to NASA for applications to aeronautic and space-based missions. NASA has performed stringent performance testing of the mobile router, including of the interaction of routing and transport level protocols. This paper describes mobile routing, the mobile router, and some key configuration parameters. In addition, the paper describes the mobile routing test network and test results documenting the performance of transport protocols in dynamic routing environments.

Mobile-IP priority home agents for aerospace and military applications

Recent developments in mobile router technology include the ability to prioritize selection of the home agent by the mobile unit. This technology was originally developed for route optimization. However, the technology also can be applied to autonomous catastrophic recovery, and robust redundant network control centers. This paper describes a variety of architecture scenarios that can benefit from prioritized home agents including: homeland security, virtual mission operations, mobile command centers and route optimization for aeronautical applications. A demonstration testbed was presented where this technology was proven in the field. In addition, a virtual mission operation center demonstration currently being deployed was described.

Modem link-property advertisements

Devices and associated applications are increasingly connected to a variety of smart modems that have dynamically varying link characteristics. For example, incoming and outgoing link rates can be varied over time with adaptive coding and modulation to suit the channel characteristics. In addition, those links may go up and down due to a variety of factors. The link rate and conditions offered by the modem to connected devices and associated applications therefore vary. In order to autonomously condition traffic and allow the network to get the most out of the modems link capacity, the upstream devices and applications need to be informed of the modems link conditions. This becomes a form of cognitive networking. This paper will discuss the problem and present a simple protocol that can be used to provide upstream devices and applications with downstream link conditions. While the protocol in this document is described in the context of modem radio-frequency link properties, it can also be broadly applied to other scenarios such as cryptographic devices.

Satellite Communications Using Commercial Protocols

NASA Glenn Research Center has been working with industry, academia, and other government agencies in assessing commercial communications protocols for satellite and space-based applications. In addition, NASA Glenn has been developing and advocating new satellite-friendly modifications to existing communications protocol standards. This paper summarizes recent research into the applicability of various commercial standard protocols for use over satellite and space- based communications networks as well as expectations for future protocol development. It serves as a reference point from which the detailed work can be readily accessed. Areas that will be addressed include asynchronous-transfer-mode quality of service; completed and ongoing work of the Internet Engineering Task Force; data-link-layer protocol development for unidirectional link routing; and protocols for aeronautical applications, including mobile Internet protocol routing for wireless/mobile hosts and the aeronautical telecommunications network protocol.