Net reaches out to final frontier
by
Mateen Greenway
A programme to kick-start the use of Internet communications in space has been announced by the US Department of Defence. The Internet Router Protocol in Space (IRIS) project will put an Internet router in space in the first quarter of 2009. The Iris project has been given the go ahead after winning funding from the DoD, under the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) programme.
IRIS will initially support voice, video and data communications for US troops using IP (Internet Protocol) standards; The system is designed to support IP packet Layer 3 routing or multicast distribution, which can be reconfigured on demand.
Deploying routers on satellites would allow them to communicate directly with one another, rather than sending it on a round trip via ground stations, reducing delays between remote terminals by using fewer hops, saving on satellite capacity, using fewer frequencies for each message and offering greater networking flexibility.
"IRIS extends the Internet into space, integrating satellite systems and the ground infrastructure for warfighters, first responders and others who need seamless and instant communications," said Bill Shernit, CEO of Intelsat general.
With IP becoming more prevalent for use in space, NASA and Internet pioneer Vint Cerf have also been investigating the possibility of using internet technology across the solar system although no definite timescale has been announced for the interplanetary Internet.
