Internet Routing in Space

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IRIS Space Router IRIS Cisco.jpg
IRIS Space Router

Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) was a program to build a radiation-tolerant IP router created by Cisco Systems for satellite and related spacecraft. It was a follow-on from Cisco's earlier CLEO router in space on the UK-DMC satellite. The Cisco Space Router was launched to geostationary orbit on board Intelsat 14 (IS-14), a spacecraft built by Space Systems/Loral for satellite operator Intelsat, in November 2009. [1] IRIS was evaluated by the United States Department of Defense by way of a JCTD (Joint Capabilities Technology Demonstration). The Space Router runs Cisco IOS (Internetworking Operating System) software and also contains an onboard Software-defined radio running satellite modem waveforms. The United States Department of Defense used the JCTD to evaluate the reduced latency, improved throughput and increased flexibility provided by the Space Router. [2]

Cisco Systems American multinational technology company

Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational technology conglomerate headquartered in San Jose, California, in the center of Silicon Valley. Cisco develops, manufactures and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment and other high-technology services and products. Through its numerous acquired subsidiaries, such as OpenDNS, WebEx, Jabber and Jasper, Cisco specializes into specific tech markets, such as Internet of Things (IoT), domain security and energy management.

CLEO - Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit, is an Internet router from Cisco Systems that was integrated into the UK-DMC Disaster Monitoring Constellation satellite built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) as a secondary experimental hosted payload, and launched into space with the satellite from Plesetsk on 27 September 2003.

UK-DMC or UK-DMC 1, also known as BNSCSAT-1, was a British satellite that formed part of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). It was built by Surrey Satellite Technology, who operated it via DMC International Imaging on behalf of the British National Space Centre and later the UK Space Agency. It was launched alongside other DMC satellites on 27 September 2003, and retired from service in November 2011.

The Space Router provided the ability to route Internet Protocol computer network traffic on board the satellite, which enabled users of Web, VoIP, and other IP applications to directly communicate without having to double-hop data to and from an intermediate Earth station. The ability to avoid the double-hop to the Earth station can reduce latency, which is approximately 250 ms for GEO satellites. Latency reduction is a key driver for increased use of real-time applications, including video teleconferencing, over satellites.[ citation needed ]

The Internet Protocol (IP) is the principal communications protocol in the Internet protocol suite for relaying datagrams across network boundaries. Its routing function enables internetworking, and essentially establishes the Internet.

The avoidance of the double-hop to the Earth station can also reduce satellite transponder costs. Routing IP traffic natively on the satellite with the router’s built-in Cisco IOS Software and onboard software-defined radio can increase throughput, reduce latency, and enable flexible bandwidth-on-demand real-time applications between users in different geographic regions that do not have easy access to fiber networks.[ citation needed ]

Cisco IOS, formally the Internetwork Operating System, is a family of operating systems used on many Cisco Systems routers and current Cisco network switches. Earlier, Cisco switches ran CatOS. IOS is a package of routing, switching, internetworking and telecommunications functions integrated into a multitasking operating system. Although the IOS code base includes a cooperative multitasking kernel, most IOS features have been ported to other kernels such as QNX and Linux for use in Cisco products.

Software-defined radio radio communication system implemented in software

Software-defined radio (SDR) is a radio communication system where components that have been traditionally implemented in hardware are instead implemented by means of software on a personal computer or embedded system. While the concept of SDR is not new, the rapidly evolving capabilities of digital electronics render practical many processes which were once only theoretically possible.

IRIS is an example of a hosted payload, a method to add multiple non-core components to satellite to reduce the cost of launching the components into orbit. [3]

A hosted payload is a module attached to a commercial satellite with communications circuitry that operates independently of the main spacecraft but which shares the satellite’s power supply and transponders. The concept has been also been referred to as “piggybacking” or “hitchhiking.”

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Intelsat communications satellite services provider

Intelsat Corporation—formerly INTEL-SAT, INTELSAT, Intelsat—is a communications satellite services provider. Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast services.

SSL (company) aerospace company

SSL, formerly Space Systems/Loral, LLC (SS/L), of Palo Alto, California, is a wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary of Maxar Technologies.

Satellite Internet access is Internet access provided through communications satellites. Modern consumer grade satellite Internet service is typically provided to individual users through geostationary satellites that can offer relatively high data speeds, with newer satellites using Ku band to achieve downstream data speeds up to 506 Mbit/s.

Interplanetary Internet

The interplanetary Internet is a conceived computer network in space, consisting of a set of network nodes that can communicate with each other. Communication would be greatly delayed by the great interplanetary distances, so the IPN needs a new set of protocols and technology that are tolerant to large delays and errors. Although the Internet as it is known today tends to be a busy network of networks with high traffic, negligible delay and errors, and a wired backbone, the interplanetary Internet is a store and forward network of internets that is often disconnected, has a wireless backbone fraught with error-prone links and delays ranging from tens of minutes to even hours, even when there is a connection.

The Disaster Monitoring Constellation for International Imaging (DMCii) consists of a number of remote sensing satellites constructed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and operated for the Algerian, Nigerian, Turkish, British and Chinese governments by DMC International Imaging. The DMC provides emergency Earth imaging for disaster relief under the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters, which the DMC formally joined in November 2005. Other DMC Earth imagery is used for a variety of civil applications by a variety of governments. Spare available imaging capacity is sold under contract.

Forwarding plane

In routing, the forwarding plane, sometimes called the data plane or user plane, defines the part of the router architecture that decides what to do with packets arriving on an inbound interface. Most commonly, it refers to a table in which the router looks up the destination address of the incoming packet and retrieves the information necessary to determine the path from the receiving element, through the internal forwarding fabric of the router, and to the proper outgoing interface(s). The IP Multimedia Subsystem architecture uses the term transport plane to describe a function roughly equivalent to the routing control plane.

Intelsat 14 is a communications satellite owned by Intelsat located at 45° West longitude, serving the Americas, Europe, and African markets. Intelsat 14 replaced Intelsat 1R which was at the end of its design life. It was built by Space Systems Loral, as part of its LS-1300 line.


The STAR-2 Bus is a fully redundant, flight-proven, spacecraft bus designed for geosynchronous missions.

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Orion 3 was an American spacecraft which was intended for use by Orion Network Systems, as a geostationary communications satellite. It was to have been positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 139° East, from where it was to have provided communications services to Asia and Oceania. Due to a malfunction during launch, it was instead delivered to a useless low Earth orbit.


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<i>Beyond Frontiers</i>

Beyond Frontiers is the third book in a series from satellite owner and operator SES describing the past, current and future of the development of satellite broadcasting. Published in 2016, and following High Above (2010) which detailed the history of the company and of satellite broadcasting,. Even Higher (2012) that looked at the future of broadcasting, Beyond Frontiers describes the current business of the company and its strategy.

References

  1. ↑ "Cisco's Space Router Successfully Operates in Orbit". Press release. Cisco Systems. 18 January 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Assessment of the Internet Protocol Routing in Space - Joint Capability Technical Demonstration, E. Cuevas, H. Esiely-Barrera, H. Warren Kim and Z. Tang, Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, vol. 30 no. 2, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Hosted Payload Discussion Moving into Mainstream". Via Satellite. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
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