Framework for developing reconfigurable intelligent Internet protocols for space communication networks

This report presents a framework for developing an intelligent Internet protocol, IIP, for space-based networks. IIP is compatible and interoperable with a variety of application, network, transport, and data link layer protocols. It is adaptive to accommodate the dynamic connectivity of space networks and reconfigurable to enable packets, routers, and protocols to be modified or upgraded remotely. IIP is IP-compatible, self-optimizing, fail-safe, secure, and intelligent with respect to energy and computational constraints of space technologies. IIP supports a variety of space missions for sustainable exploration. It enables autonomy, reusability, and robotic networks. The objectives of developing IIP are: (1) to develop the three building blocks of an intelligent space network protocol: a) intelligent network architecture, b) intelligent packet format, and c) intelligent flexible space router; (2) to determine the necessary IIP intelligence levels for different space network entities; (3) to develop a multi-objective optimization system to allow different routing schemes to support different distributed architectures; (4) to develop multiple levels of intelligent capabilities; which consist of: a) lower level: system requirements identification and upgrade; b) medium level: multi-objective optimization routing; and c) higher level: intelligent decision making capabilities; (5) to use simulation and emulation to measure the performance and analyze the tradeoffs of IIP.