DISRUPTION TOLERANT NETWORKING FOR SPACE OPERATIONS (DTN)
Research Area: Avionics and Software
Expedition(s): 19-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Kevin Gifford, PhD, University of Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN)
research is concerned with establishing
communications with and between
extreme and performance-challenged
environments, even if continuous, end-to-
end connectivity is not available. The DTN
program establishes a long-term, readily
accessible communication test-bed
aboard the International Space Station
(ISS). Two Commercial Generic
Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), CGBA- 4
and CGBA-5, serve as communications
test computers that transmit messages
between the ISS and ground Mission
Control Centers. All data is monitored and
controlled at the BioServe remote
Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) located on the Engineering Center premises at the
University of Colorado - Boulder.
EARTH BENEFITS
DTN Earth-based applications include sensor networks, mobile devices, use of data mules, and
military communications that involve stressed, disconnected, and disrupted networks.
SPACE BENEFITS
For Exploration, DTN enables network communications using multiple communication assets
and network paths that increases the robustness of the communication network. DTN also
improves the timeliness of data return from operating spacecraft, which reduces risk, reduces
cost, increases crew safety, improves operational awareness, and improves science return.
Expedition 28 Flight Engineer Ron Garan is seen during
periodic servicing of the CGBA-5 with its CSI (Science
Insert).