A Novel TDMA based Protocol Stack with Virtual Circuit and Priority Queues for Multi-Class Wireless Traffic in a Space Environment

In important applications like space missions, where reliable data communication is necessary among diverse devices with differing traffic requirements, a highly flexible network is essential. To achieve improved Quality of Service (QoS) in such environments, real-world implementations often face the challenge of handling multiple data stream classes. This paper introduces a revised TCP/IP protocol stack aimed at enhancing wireless communication in space-based systems, specifically for real-time and safety-critical applications. The proposed protocol stack categorizes traffic classes to prioritize data streams, supports virtual circuit establishment through modifications at the network layer, and incorporates a dynamic TDMA-based Media Access Control (MAC) layer for efficient bandwidth allocation. Simulations were conducted using the Omnet++ platform, and the findings are presented. The analysis indicates that the proposed protocol stack can be effectively used for handling different traffic classes with varying latency and jitter requirements.