Enabling DTN in Spaceflight Systems: Integration of ION with the F Prime Flight Software Framework

In this paper we will present an integration of Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) within the F Prime flight software framework.Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking technology was designed and developed to address communication challenges in deep space environments characterized by long propagation delay and discontinuous connectivity where contemporaneous end-to-end data paths may not always be present. The Interplanetary Overlay Network (ION), an implementation of DTN, had its first in-flight demonstration on the EPOXI spacecraft in 2008. ION has been deployed and operating on the ISS, supporting science commanding and delivery between onboard instruments and ground investigators. ION has also been demonstrated on the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) mission with the Deep Space Network (DSN) and on the Morehead State University’s 21-meter antenna. As DTN technology continues to demonstrate its potential for mission-critical communications, focus on mission infusion is gaining substantial momentum both inside and outside of NASA.F Prime is an open-source flight software (FSW) framework that makes use of reusable software components to provide flight projects with an extensible and modular FSW architecture. F Prime has allowed for rapid development and deployment of FSW on instruments, CubeSats, and technology demonstrations such as ISS-RapidScat, ASTERIA, and Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. By implementing DTN uplink and downlink as discrete F Prime components, DTN can be enabled on existing F Prime projects with significantly reduced developmental effort.We will describe the architecture and technical approach of how we integrated ION with F Prime to enable future missions to participate in space-based DTN networks and leverage automated capabilities for reliable store-and-forward, routing, transport of command, telemetry, event reporting, and file transfer between the flight deployment and ground. This integration will be the basis for future upgrades that will introduce advanced networking capabilities for end-to-end security and data streaming such as video and audio playback in near real-time.