Operating a terrestrial Internet router onboard and alongside a small satellite
- Paper number
IAC-05-B5.3./B5.5.03
- Author
Dr. Lloyd Wood, Cisco Systems, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Alex da Silva Curiel, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Will Ivancic, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Glenn Research Center, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. David Hodgson, DMC International Imaging Ltd., United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Mr. Dan Shell, Cisco Systems, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Chris Jackson, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd., United States
- Coauthor
Mr. David H. Stewart, Jr., United States
- Year
2005
- Abstract
After eighteen 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. Benefits include ease of operation and the ability to leverage existing systems and infrastructure designed for general use with a large set of latent capabilities to draw on when needed, as well as the familiarity that comes from reuse of existing, known, and well-understood security and operational models. Drawbacks include cases where integration work was needed to bridge the gaps in assumptions between different systems, and where performance considerations outweighed the benefits of reuse of pre-existing file transfer protocols. We find similarities with the terrestrial IP networks whose technologies have been taken to small satellites -- and also some significant differences between the two in operational models and assumptions that must be borne in mind.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-B5.3._B5.5.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.