A new Internet protocol designed for interplanetary transmissions is bringing its delay-tolerant magic to Earth
Posted 11.06.2009 at 5:44 pm
11 Comments
Disruption-Tolerant Networking
Disrupt this, space travel!
Google
Google's Android does a lot more these days than just smart phones and nifty mobile gadgets. An Internet pioneer is using the platform to launch a interplanetary Internet protocol on Earth that could harden wireless networks against delays in data transmission.
Vint Cerf worked with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the TCP/IP protocol that all netizens rely upon today, and tried adapting the old reliable for NASA's interplanetary communications with distant spacecraft. But complicating issues such as planetary rotation and the long distances involved -- 40 minutes roundtrip for data traveling at light speed between Earth and Mars -- led Cerf to design a new Internet protocol that does not require a continuous connection.
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Technology, Jeremy Hsu, android, cell phones, DTN, google, Internet, mobile, nasa, protocol, smart phones, Space, TCP/IP, van certThe Disruption-Tolerant Networking (DTN) protocol works pretty much as advertised. It deals with delays in interplanetary communication by forcing its nodes to hold onto data packets until connection has been restored, and then resumes transmission. The Register reports that Cerf's team is testing the new protocol on outbound space platforms headed for destinations 80 or 90 light-seconds away from Earth.
Now Cerf has also added DTN to Google's Android as an application platform for the open-source operating system. His team has already tested the protocol in northern Sweden on laptops speeding away from each other in all-terrain vehicles.
This is just the latest example of Android's usefulness beyond the mobile market. E-readers ranging from Spring Design's Alex to the multi-touch Barnes & Noble hybrid known as the Nook also use Android. Even the military has seized upon Android as the platform for keeping warfighters connected with their drone buddies high in the sky.
At the very least, the space-faring DTN protocol shows that not even the sky's the limit for Android.
[via The Register]
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I am seriously disapointed with popsci's advertisement choice. This is a intellectual news site where people discuss the latest science information, but popular science is advertising tobacco. Honestly? thats for idiots, not this websites target audience.
Dude, i don't think this had anything to do with tobacco.
Honestly, what does it matter what PopSci is advertising. If it takes a few tobacco ads to keep this website up and running, who cares? I for one check this website daily as I work in an enviornment that blesses its employees with 8 hours of contact with the internet. This website is the one thing keeping me sane amoung all other experiences in my day. So get a life NeonRobot, and take some time to think about things before you complain about them. Im sure of all things you find on the internet, tobacco ads are the worst of them right?
just ignore the ads... lol.
i just pay attn to a few interesting articles... that's it.
Eh... I smoke. I know it's not good for me, but I have faith in science to give me new parts. The only that that sucks about smokes these days is the stupid Fire Safe regulations. How ridiculous is that?
To the article, however, I'm not surprised. Android is turning out to be a remarkabley flexible OS with all sorts of potential for application. I can't wait to get my own space internet!
@NeonRobot
Ok, it's just an ad, get over it. Now about DTN, why didn't we think of this earlier, and what exactly is Android?
@V3RTIGO the android is a phone that google made i think...
but interplanetary cellphone service is awesome
"Hello jim hows it up on mars heard you got the colony finished." "Oh its great bob we found some diamonds around a crater maybe there were actually volcanoes here. Oh well got to go i think my new rover has gotten here and i want to know what the mpw (miles per watt) is on it"
Alright, sorry about the venting. Please pay no attention to my above post because I was high on weed when I wrote it.
Just kidding, but seriously, all apologies.
@V3rtigo @uncleiroh13 although, google has recently come out with a smart phone called The Droid, Android is actually the Operating System used on all Google phones. however, Andriod is not limited to google phones. since it is such a good Operating System, (powerful, intuitive, and easy to get creative with) it has been used in other devices such as internet tablets and, as mentioned in the article, a platform for innovations with the internet. please correct if wrong
well of all people to come up with it is google surprise surprise *sarcsm :)
@uncleiroh13
dont want to party pooper but this technology does NOT make interplanetary communication faster ie. limit: the speed of light, and I doubt mars colonists would like to be getting tobaco telemarketers callin me up on their phone
@uncleiroh13 I totally love your colony fiction! Yeah it would be totally awesome. Do you think we could get some 3D virtual image of our friends back on Earth? It would be rotating around like in scifi movies, would it not? Heheh...
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