IP in Space - Selected Topics on Network Architecture and Management

IP is the "glue" that allows building converged architectures for data, voice and video applications. While this is especially true for the Internet and terrestrial networks used in enterprises and, for example, governments in both civil as well as military applications - "IP in Space" is still in its infancy. Some benefits of using IP (and "commercial-of-the-shelf" COTS technologies) in space are obvious (lower mission cost, new concepts of operation, interoperability, access to all kind of broadband services for anybody, anytime, anywhere ...) there are also technical challenges caused by, for example, protocol design and network control and management. The lecture will address some of the protocol issues (TCP and PEPs, mobility, routing in space) as well as end-to-end concepts (QoS, management etc.) for space-based networks and networks that contain space segments