RTO timer for best transmission efficiency of bundle protocol in deep-space communications

Delay/disruption tolerant networking (DTN) was proposed as an overlay-network technology for reliable data delivery in a stressed communication environment. A typical application of DTN is for reliable data delivery in deep-space communications, which is characterized by an extremely long signal propagation delay, random and lengthy link disruptions, lossy data links, and asymmetric channel rates. At present, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and several other space agencies consider DTN to be the most effective technology to handle the lengthy link delays and link disconnection inherent in deep-space communications. Bundle protocol (BP), developed as the main protocol of DTN, is used to build an overlay network and to provide custody-based, store-and-forward message transmission.