Interplanetary Internet

  Now-a-days, we can talk to anyone in any corner of this world almost instantly because of Internet. What did you think about we could communicate with someone beyond the Earth?


There're a few reason for low data transfer speed :
Distance -- On Earth, we are only a fraction of a light second apart, making Earth communication nearly instantaneous over the Internet. As you move farther out into space, however, there is a delay of minutes or hours because light has to travel millions of miles, instead of thousands of miles, between transmitter and receiver.


Line of sight obstruction -- Anything that blocks the space between the signal transmitter and receiver can interrupt communication.


Weight -- High-powered antennas that would improve communication with deep space probes are often too heavy to send on a space mission, because the payload must be light and efficiently used.


SCPS is a protocol suite designed allow communication over challenging environments. Originally developed jointly by NASA and DoD’s USSPACECOM to meet their various needs and requirements. These protocols have been found to be applicable in meeting the needs of the satellite and wireless communities.


(Source :www.scpr.org)


With this kind of network in place, the communications problems resulting from having very little communications infrastructure in place at Mars that plagued the 'rescue' efforts after the Mars Polar Lander disappeared would be greatly simplified.


Referencing:


HowStuffWorks "How Interplanetary Internet Will Work". 2011. HowStuffWorks "How Interplanetary Internet Will Work". [ONLINE] Available at:http://computer.howstuffworks.com/interplanetary-internet.htm. [Accessed 19 October 2011].