Describes use of Saratoga with the Bundle Protocol for delay-tolerant networking to conduct the first Interplanetary Internet tests in space.
Accepted by the International Journal of Satellite Communications and Networking, special issue for best papers of the Fourth Advanced Satellite Mobile Systems Conference (ASMS 2008), for publication.
We describe the first use from space of the Bundle Protocol for Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN), and lessons learned from experiments made and experience gained with this protocol.
Experience with delay-tolerant networking from orbit (956K)
earlier version published at ASMS 2008: DOI 10.1109/ASMS.2008.37
Peer-reviewed conference paper, IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 2010.
We examine the utility of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for short-range intersatellite links (ISLs), and compare and contrast LEDs with existing laser technologies used for long-distance ISLs.
Using Light-Emitting Diodes for intersatellite links (316K)
LED ISL presentation slides, given by Will Ivancic, 10 March 2010. (704K. Images from DARPA F6 and NASA, used with attribution.)
Describes HTTP-DTN.
Proceedings of the Workshop on the Emergence of Delay-/Disruption-Tolerant Networks (E-DTN), part of the International Conference on Ultra Modern Telecommunication (ICUMT), St. Petersburg, Russia, 14 October 2009.
Taking MIME and HTTP as a starting point, and adopting the well-understood need for different "convergence layers" to carry HTTP in different challenged environments where TCP may not be suitable, this paper outlines work in progress to run HTTP over different transports, and how this can be used to create a simple, yet powerful, approach to relaying content in delay- and disruption-tolerant networks (DTNs).
Moving data in DTNs with HTTP and MIME (100K)
HTTP-DTN slides presented by Ioannis. (96K)
DOI 10.1109/ICUMT.2009.5345656
Describes the Bundle Protocol.
Proceedings of the Workshop on the Emergence of Delay-/Disruption-Tolerant Networks (E-DTN), part of the International Conference on Ultra Modern Telecommunication (ICUMT), St. Petersburg, Russia, 14 October 2009.
This position paper is intended to encourage discussion of the role, scope, and adoption of the Bundle Protocol.
Sharing the dream (65K)
Sharing the dream slides presented by Ioannis. (99K)
DOI 10.1109/ICUMT.2009.5345655
Describes the Bundle Protocol.
Peer-reviewed conference paper, IEEE Aerospace conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 2009.
We examine the Bundle Protocol and its related architecture closely, and discuss areas where we have found that the current Bundle approach is not well-suited to many of the operational concepts that it was intended to support.
A Bundle of Problems (288K)
A Bundle of Problems slides, presented 11 March 2009 (3.8M)
DOI 10.1109/AERO.2009.4839384 | 10+ cites in Google Scholar
Summarises our experience with the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit and with delay-tolerant networking for the Interplanetary Internet.
article for IEEE Communications Society Satellite and Space Communications Technical Committee newsletter, vol. 18 no. 2, pp. 10-11, November 2008.
The team of NASA Glenn Research Center, Cisco Systems and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd has now gained considerable practical experience and leadership both with taking the Internet into space, and with delay-tolerant networking.
Investigating operation of the Internet in orbit: Five years of collaboration around CLEO (1.3M)
Describes use of Saratoga with the Bundle Protocol for delay-tolerant networking to conduct the first Interplanetary Internet tests in space.
Conference paper IAC-08-B2.3.10, 59th International Astronautical Congress, Glasgow, September 2008.
This is the first successful use of the DTNRG Bundle Protocol in a space environment.
Related: UK-DMC satellite first to transfer sensor data from space using 'bundle' protocol, SSTL press release, 11 September 2008.
- See also:
- CLEO Orbital Internet earns Time Magazine award, Robin Wolstenholme, Surrey Satellite Technology space blog, 14 November 2008.
- TIME's Best Inventions of 2008: #9 The Orbital Internet, Jeremy Caplan et al., Time Magazine, vol 179 no. 19, 10 November 2008.
Use of the Delay-Tolerant Networking Bundle Protocol from Space (1.1M)
Slides for Use of the Delay-Tolerant Networking Bundle Protocol from Space (4.7M)
Also known as NASA Technical Memorandum TM-2009-215582. | cites in Google Scholar.
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| Vint Cerf, T-shirt (de?)signer. |
Describes use of Saratoga with the Bundle Protocol for delay-tolerant networking to conduct the first Interplanetary Internet tests in space.
Eighth Annual NASA Earth Science Technology Conference (ESTC 2008), University of Maryland, June 2008.
This paper describes the first DTN bundle protocol testing from space, using the United Kingdom Disaster Monitoring Constellation (UK-DMC) satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Delay/Disruption-Tolerant Network Testing Using a LEO Satellite (300K)
cites in Google Scholar | later published at ASMS 2008: DOI 10.1109/ASMS.2008.37.
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit.
NASA Technical Memorandum 2008-215203. Read the related IAC 2007 paper below.
On Thursday, 29 March 2007, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cisco Systems and SSTL performed the first configuration and demonstration of IPsec and IPv6 onboard a satellite in low Earth orbit.
Related: Cisco router on UK-DMC first to use IPv6 onboard a satellite in orbit, SSTL news item, 29 March 2007.
IPv6 and IPsec Tests of a Space-Based Asset, the Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit (CLEO) (1.2M)
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit.
Conference paper IAC-07-B2.6.06, 58th International Astronautical Congress, Hyderabad, India, 24-28 September 2007.
This is the first time that IPsec and IPv6 have been operated onboard a satellite in orbit.
Related: Cisco router on UK-DMC first to use IPv6 onboard a satellite in orbit, SSTL news item, 29 March 2007.
IPv6 and IPsec on a satellite in space (1.2M)
IPv6 and IPsec on a satellite in space - presentation slides (1M)
IAF archive | cites in Google Scholar.
Peer-reviewed conference paper, International Workshop on Space and Satellite Communications (IWSSC '07), Salzburg, Austria, 13-14 September 2007.
We examine how the design of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) implicitly presumes a limited range of path delays and distances between communicating endpoints.Errata: Figure 5's y axis has values that should be multiplied by 8, thanks to dividing goodput in bytes per second by throughput in bits per second. The graph is otherwise correct, and the axis is shown correctly in the presentation slides.
This paper led to a change in ns behaviour to vary the number of TCP SYNs sent.
TCP's protocol radius (203K)
Cathryn Peoples' protocol radius presentation (145K) and photos of Salzburg.
DOI 10.1109/IWSSC.2007.4409409 | IEEExplore workshop proceedings | cites in Google Scholar.
Describes Saratoga.
Peer-reviewed conference paper, International Workshop on Space and Satellite Communications (IWSSC '07), Salzburg, Austria, 13-14 September 2007.
We examine how Saratoga can be adapted to serve as an efficient convergence layer for Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN), by transferring DTN bundles as well as files.
Saratoga (1M)Wes Eddy's Saratoga slides (1.1M)
DOI 10.1109/IWSSC.2007.4409410 | IEEExplore workshop proceedings | 10+ cites in Google Scholar.
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit.
refereed journal paper, special issue on Space Networks, International Journal of Satellite Communications and Networking, vol. 25 issue 2, pp. 195-216, March/April 2007. Preprint revised for publication 3 January 2007. Includes and expands on all content of our earlier End-to-end, Small Satellite Conference and IAC conference papers.
Putting 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.
Using Internet nodes and routers onboard satellites (3.2M)
DOI 10.1002/sat.870 | 10+ cites in Google Scholar.
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit. Read and cite the IJSCN journal paper above instead.
Acta Astronautica, volume 59, issues 1-5, July-September 2006, pp. 124-131. Conference paper IAC-05-B-05-03, Selected Proceedings of the 56th International Astronautical Congress, Fukuoka, Japan, 17-21 October 2005.
After twenty months of flying, testing and demonstrating a Cisco mobile access router, originally designed for terrestrial use, onboard the low-Earth-orbiting UK-DMC satellite as part of a larger merged ground/space IP-based internetwork, we use our experience to examine the benefits and drawbacks of integration and standards reuse for small satellite missions.
Operating a terrestrial Internet router onboard and alongside a small satellite (725K)
DOI 10.1016/j.actaastro.2006.02.026 | IAF archive of conference paper | cites in Google Scholar
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit.
Refereed conference paper, unclassified track, IEEE Milcom 2005, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 17-20 October 2005.
The combination of the CLEO and VMOC initiatives together provides a framework to define, test, and field a 'system of systems' based on the Internet Protocol (IP), capable of supporting secure distributed mission operations of IP-based platforms and sensors.
CLEO and VMOC were demonstrated at the Cisco Systems booth in the Milcom exhibition, with live satellite telemetry and live access to the onboard router.
CLEO and VMOC: enabling warfighters to task space payloads (US letter, 400K)
CLEO and VMOC slides (8.8M)
DOI 10.1109/MILCOM.2005.1606128 | cites in Google Scholar.
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| Packet magazine cover. |
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit.
Magazine article, Cisco Systems Packet Magazine, vol. 17 no. 3, pp. 19-23, third quarter 2005.
Given a Cisco Achievement Program (CAP) team award by Packet Magazine.
With governments no longer able to afford or justify unrestricted budgets, and with a new generation of space enthusiasts mastering the principles of space technology and rocket propulsion, the commercial market has stepped up its involvement in space activity.
Internet to orbit (334K)
Japanese translation of Internet to Orbit from Packet Japan, Winter 2005, pp. 26-31.
Chinese translation of Internet to Orbit (textual summary) from Cisco Networking China, fifth issue of 2005, no. 32, pp. 36-39.
Reprinted shortened as Make Internet Available on the Aerospace Orbit, China New Telecommunications, no. 12, 2006, pp. 81-83 (textual summary, abstract).
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit. Read and cite the IJSCN journal paper above instead.
Conference paper SSC05-IV-03, Session 4: The year in retrospect, 19th Annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites, Logan, Utah, 8-11 August 2005.
After a year of testing and demonstrating a Cisco mobile access router intended for terrestrial use onboard the low-Earth-orbiting UK-DMC satellite as part of a larger merged ground/space IP-based internetwork, we reflect on and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of integration and standards reuse for small satellite missions.
Adopting Internet standards for orbital use (724K, portrait US letter)
Also known as NASA Technical Memorandum TM-2005-213881 | cites in Google Scholar.
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit.
NASA Technical Memorandum TM-2005-213556, May 2005.
a Cisco Internet router (Cisco Systems, Inc., San Jose, CA) was launched into low Earth orbit onboard the UK-DMC, the disaster-monitoring satellite built by Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL, Guildford, UK). This router has since been successfully tested and demonstrated by an international government and private sector collaboration, showing how IP can be used to communicate with satellite payloads in space.
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full NASA memorandum |
abridged report (proceedings of Earth-Sun System Technology Conference 2005)
Describes the CLEO Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit. Read and cite the IJSCN journal paper above instead.
Seminar paper, pp. 83-85, Proceedings of The End-to-End Challenges of Broadband via Satellite, IEE Savoy Place, London, 26 January 2005, ISBN 0-86341-491-5.
A Cisco Internet router is orbiting onboard the UK-DMC satellite as a secondary experimental payload, and has been tested successfully.Print errata: p. 2: NASA Glenn's headquarters.
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Testing a router onboard a satellite in space
(42K, portrait A4)
Request for Comments document in the Best Current Practices series, Internet Engineering Task Force.
IETF RFC3819/BCP89, July 2004.
This document provides advice to the designers of digital communication equipment, link-layer protocols, and packet-switched local networks (collectively referred to as subnetworks), who wish to support the Internet protocols but may be unfamiliar with the Internet architecture and the implications of their design choices on the performance and efficiency of the Internet.
- RFC3819 (RFC3819/BCP89 published as paginated text)
90+ cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry.
Conference paper IAC-03-U.4.07, 54th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, Germany, 29 September - 3 October 2003.
The co-located satellites in the orbital slot together form a network and, particularly when using and communicating with the Internet Protocol, can be viewed as a network 'cloud' that provides functionality in a flexible manner.
Print errata: p. 2:
Replicating a decoded baseband transmission to...
In not having to pass through
the atmosphere, intersatellite links are...
slides, p. 10: IP overlays can be in individual clouds. p. 16: and the launcher was a Kosmos-3M.
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Slot clouds paper
(corrected, 79K)
- Slot clouds slides, originally presented Thursday 2 October 2003. (corrected, 2.6M, landscape US letter)
CiteSeer entry. AIAA archive. Also given as Surrey Space Centre Guest Lecture, Tuesday 28 October 2003.
Chapter 2, Internetworking and Computing over Satellite Networks, Yongguang Zhang (ed.), Kluwer Academic Press, ISBN 1-4020-7424-7, pp. 13-34, March 2003.
Reviewed by Ioanis Nikolaidis, New Books and Multimedia Column, IEEE Network, vol. 17 no. 4, July-August 2003, p. 7.
Reviewed by Mile Stojcev, Microelectronics Reliability, vol. 44 issue 2, February 2004, pp. 363-364.
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| Zhang with wood: blue-sky research |
Chapter 2: Satellite constellation networksPrint errata: p. 29: a well-designed hierarchy of address blocks...
Satellite constellations are introduced. The effects of their orbital geometry on network topology and the resulting effects of path delay and handover on network traffic are described. The design of the resulting satellite network as an autonomous system is then discussed.
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Chapter 2: satellite constellation networks
(340K)
- Book table of contents
(17K)
cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry. Internetworking and Computing over Satellite Networks is available from Amazon (UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan).
Request for Comments document in the Best Current Practices series, Internet Engineering Task Force.
IETF RFC3366/BCP62, August 2002.
This document presumes that the designers wish to support Internet protocols, but may be unfamiliar with the architecture of the Internet and with the implications of their design choices for the performance and efficiency of Internet traffic carried over their links.
- RFC3366 (RFC3366/BCP62 published as paginated text)
Thesis for award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Surrey, June 2001.
Here, we examine networking and internetworking issues affecting satellite networking in complex satellite constellation networks, and determine what is needed in order to support services based on the TCP/IP suite well in satellite constellations.
- Abstract and full PhD thesis
conference paper, in the proceedings of the
The rosette satellite constellation network with intersatellite links (ISLs) presents unique properties, in providing locally separate ascending and descending network surfaces of interconnected satellites with which the ground terminal can communicate. We present a novel approach exploiting this rosette geometry, by use of control of handover and management of satellite diversity, to determine which surface a ground terminal will select for communication.
Errata: the 'occasional (but small) gap in coverage' in the Celestri simulation was due to adding the phase offset when we should have been subtracting it -- but you still need broader beams to get double surface coverage. The SaVi Celestri simulation has been adjusted.
- Managing diversity with handover to provide classes of service in satellite constellation networks.
(242K, portrait/landscape A4)
10+ cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry | University record.
refereed journal paper, Special issue on Satellite-Based Internet Technology and Services, IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 172-181, March 2001.
The authors introduce the types of satellite constellation networks, and examine how overall performance ofPrint errata: Figure 3(b)i reverses the colours of the seamed and seamless Teledesic delay traces, although the hop traces are correct. Figure 5(b)i has the legends for 50ms and 500ms reversed, as is clear from their positions.TCP communications carried across such a network can be affected by the choice of routing strategies used within the network.
This paper and Ch. 4 of my PhD thesis are not aware that real IP networking devices do load balancing by hashing on source and destination addresses, so that TCP flows are not reordered by round-robin multipath forwarding.
- Effects on TCP of routing strategies in satellite constellations
(187K, portrait US letter)
30+ cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry | DOI 10.1109/35.910605 | University record.
refereed journal paper, Special issue on IP, International Journal of Satellite Communications, vol. 19 no. 1, pp. 69-92, John Wiley & Sons, January/February 2001.
This paper examines strategies for implementing and operatingIP routing effectively within satellite constellation networks, given known constraints on the constellation resulting from satellite mobility, global visibility, routing and addressing.
Preprint errata: Originally scheduled for November/December 2000, as indicated by the note on the first page. Published in the January/February 2001 issue.
- IP routing issues in satellite constellation networks
(124K, portrait A4)
100+ cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry | DOI 10.1002/sat.655.
refereed conference paper, in the proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2000), vol. 2, pp. 806-810, New Orleans, 18-22 June 2000.
In this paper we present a traffic conditioner able to provide fairness between responsive and unresponsive flows originating from the same customer network, using a Fair Two-Rate Three-Color Marker. Its capability for fairness is based on the use of theFRED fair active buffer algorithm to control the token allocation of the token buckets residing in the traffic conditioner.
- A fair traffic conditioner for the assured service in a differentiated services Internet
(69K, portrait A4)
30+ cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry | DOI 10.1109/ICC.2000.853610 | University record | DBLP record.
refereed conference paper, pp. 190-194, Griffiths, O'Reilly et al. (ed.), Proceedings of the Sixth IEE Conference on Telecommunications (ICT '98), Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 29 March - 1 April 1998.
Here, the networking aspects of the broadband satellite constellations are discussed, and the suitability of the constellations for multicast is assessed.
- Supporting group applications via satellite constellations with multicast
(168K, portrait A4)
- Supporting group application slides, presented 2pm, Tuesday 31 March 1998 (272K, landscape A4)
10 cites in Google Scholar | CiteSeer entry | DOI 10.1049/cp:19980038 | IEEExplore | CAT.INIST | University record | full paper online.
Thesis for award of Master of Science (MSc) in Satellite Communication Engineering, University of Surrey, November 1995.
Work completed as Rapport 95-9, ENST site de Toulouse (old site), France.
An ideal, simplified, non-geostationary satellite constellation network, with varying numbers of intersatellite links on each satellite, is presented and analysed, using a minimum-path, circuit-switching approach.
- Abstract and full MSc thesis