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NASA Successfully Tests Interplanetary Internet
Posted by Sean Fallon at 7:50 AM on November 19, 2008
NASA and Vint Cerf (Google VP, co-creator of the internet, nerd legend) have been working on updating our antiquated radio communications system for space for nearly a decade now, and a recent successful test represents the first step towards the goal of creating a deep space internet. Using software called Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) the team at NASA was able to transmit dozens of space images to and from a science spacecraft located about 20 million miles from Earth.
Unlike TCP/IP, DTN does not assume an continuous end-to-end connection. Delays can occur in a host of situations (like when a spacecraft moves behind a planet or when a solar storm occurs) so the protocol has to be robust...and patient. With DTN, data packets are not discarded when a destination path cannot be found. Instead, each network node stores data until it can safely communicate with another node. It may take a little longer, but the data will eventually get there. The second round of testing will occur next summer when DTN software will be installed aboard the International Space Station. Over the course of the next few years, NASA hopes to have the technology aboard a wide variety of space missions. [NASA]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
bosskev
Posted 10:25 AM 19/11/08
bosskev
admoseremic
Posted 10:22 AM 19/11/08
@crabbygeek: HAHAHAHAHA!!!
admoseremic
PresidenToor
Posted 10:19 AM 19/11/08
Really? "...an continuous..."
PresidenToor
crabbygeek
Posted 10:17 AM 19/11/08
That's going to bring a whole new meaning to the show "To Catch a Predator"
Chris Hanson better get Arnold or Danny Glover to help...
crabbygeek
Mona
Posted 10:12 AM 19/11/08
Nodes communicating with other nodes = sexy.
Mona
Bagelbite
Posted 10:11 AM 19/11/08
Can't we worry about ME getting fios first? jeez *shakes fist at Dallas area
Bagelbite
UberJumper
Posted 10:11 AM 19/11/08
I would like to know what they're doing with Quantum Entanglement as well.
Helllooooo Ansibleeeee!
UberJumper
vee-media
Posted 10:09 AM 19/11/08
@aec007: That actually made me laugh out loud. Thank you :)
vee-media
aec007
Posted 10:06 AM 19/11/08
AMAZON.COM to LunarPost_1@moon.org:
Your Playboy Magazine subscription with Bonus 2020 Playmate of the Year poster needs $20,375,849 to qualify for FREE super-saver shipping!
► Continue Shopping
► Add to Wish-list.
:)
aec007
mpar
Posted 10:05 AM 19/11/08
Oook now the digital invasion its going to have a new meaning
mpar
Log1c
Posted 10:03 AM 19/11/08
@Log1c: Actually more like space porn, pew pew!
Log1c
GizMadone
Posted 10:01 AM 19/11/08
That explains this full-strength, unprotected wireless signal named "NASA'S LINKSYS" I've been seeing...
GizMadone
snakepliskin
Posted 9:59 AM 19/11/08
Speaking of space porn, are we going to be able to get alien porn from their internet?
snakepliskin
Log1c
Posted 9:57 AM 19/11/08
What happened to quantum entanglement?
Also, space porn... gfaw!
Log1c
ganooch
Posted 9:57 AM 19/11/08
Mmmmm... space porn
ganooch
four12
Posted 9:55 AM 19/11/08
Please... lets just skip the jokes and gfaws about space porn and the like.
four12
OtisCabeal
Posted 9:54 AM 19/11/08
Yeah i bet it has 56k load speeds
OtisCabeal
ripfire
Posted 10:44 AM 19/11/08
@kazemizuhi: The Vulcans.
ripfire
kazemizuhi
Posted 10:43 AM 19/11/08
Was just wondering, which vessel, 20m miles away, was the data transmitted to?
kazemizuhi
kazemizuhi
Posted 10:42 AM 19/11/08
@BongoFury: Oh, you didn't hear? Those Andromedians(sp?) have already hacked WEP backwards. Gotta switch to WPA-3000 now.
kazemizuhi
aaj111
Posted 10:33 AM 19/11/08
@BongoFury:
Bastards!
aaj111
bosskev
Posted 10:31 AM 19/11/08
@aec007: ...and with me a snort and a cackle or two. Well done.
bosskev
BongoFury
Posted 10:30 AM 19/11/08
Make sure and turn on the WEP. Don't want those next-door jerks in Andromeda stealing our bandwidth.
BongoFury
Curves
Posted 11:08 AM 19/11/08
Finally, someplace that I wouldnt have to worry about chat stalkers showing up at my door.
Curves
subsider34
Posted 10:56 AM 19/11/08
Hmmm...It seems to me that if, say, a probe dies during a data transfer, the incomplete files will stay on file indefinitely, eventually requiring great amounts of storage for useless parts of pieces of information. Do they have a plan for getting rid of files like this?
subsider34
badhatharry
Posted 11:53 AM 19/11/08
@Curves: That's a concern? Where do you live?
badhatharry
SneakerFiend
Posted 11:56 AM 19/11/08
Why cant we have that on the computers now!?
They should integrate this into computers that use wifi or into smartphones. I mean you dont understand how annoying it is to be loading a page and lose reception and have to reload the page to be told the page isnt found and you have to do the whole process of finding the page all over. Especially if its a page you've never gone to before.
SneakerFiend
ibelli
Posted 1:04 PM 19/11/08
How long did it take?
ibelli
shenanigans
Posted 1:01 PM 19/11/08
You know my dumbass just checked the available wireless network in my area to see if NASA's showed up.
shenanigans
BratPAQ
Posted 1:22 PM 19/11/08
How about IRC? Intergalactic Relay Chat
BratPAQ
Justapspfan
Posted 5:21 PM 19/11/08
I can see it now aliens wardriving, bleep bleep bleep.
Justapspfan
rrwakc
Posted 12:14 AM 20/11/08
@GizMadone: if it would be NASA it would be CISCO
rrwakc
jcous
Posted 2:10 AM 20/11/08
so how close are we to the philotic web?
jcous
GTgeek
Posted 7:03 AM 20/11/08
@Curves: Why exactly do you tell people where you live?
GTgeek
FiveLiters
Posted 2:43 PM 20/11/08
@BongoFury: Yeah,you saw what happened in 'Contact'!
FiveLiters
FiveLiters
Posted 2:43 PM 20/11/08
@bosskev: And not a single rest stop along the way!
FiveLiters
FiveLiters
Posted 2:41 PM 20/11/08
@snakepliskin: Unless you wanna end up with some "two green chicks,one interplanetarycup" mess,stick to EarthPr0n FTW!
FiveLiters