# Presentation: 726853

## Operating Missions as Nodes on the Internet(OMNI)

**February 2000**

**IP Network**

- http://ipinspace.gsfc.nasa.gov/

**Spacecraft**

**Balloons**

**Field Sites**

**NASA Solar**
**Eclipse Mission**

**Planes**

**OMNI van**

**Shuttle**

**Mars**

## Standard IP Communication Concept

- The NASA/GSFC Codes 451, 560, 581, 582 and 588 are pursuing projects that demonstrate the feasibility of using COTS Internet hardware and software to support NASA science missions such as satellites, balloons, and remote field sites
- The OMNI prototype is being developed and demonstrated to remove myths and misconceptions about the Internet Protocol “not working” in space
- The basic approach is to make all remote science systems “nodes on a network”
- Using an IP network backbone provides the following benefits:
- Scientists are familiar with the Internet and its collaboration capabilities
- No special communication hardware is needed at ground systems or end users
- A wide range of COTS hardware and software solutions exist and their development, debugging and ongoing maintenance is paid for by someone else
- Collaborative science missions are possible since IP provides a common communication mechanism between science systems
- Data for most NASA missions is delivered over IP backbones today (TDM or CCSDS frames in Nascom 4800 bit blocks delivered over UDP/IP by Nascom and DSN)

## Standard IP Communication Concept

**Spacecraft**

**TDRSS**
**(White Sands)**

**Balloons**

**Field Site**

**Ground**
**Stations**

**TDRSS**

**NASA Solar**
**Eclipse Mission**

**Airplanes**

**OMNI Van**

**General Public**
**&**
**Educational Outreach**

**Mars**

**Shuttle**

**Control Center/**
**Data Distribution Facility**

**Principal**
**Investigator**

**Dial-up**
**Scientist**

**Private IP Network**

**Internet**

**Security Firewall**

**Collaborative**
**Investigator**

## Current Mission Data Flows

- Old satellites (time division multiplex (TDM) frames)
- Instrument data records are sampled in small pieces
- Samples commutated across multiple communication frames
- Frames inserted into Nascom 4800 bit blocks at ground tracking station
- Nascom blocks delivered to control centers and level-zero processor (LZP) via IP network
- Newer satellites ( CCSDS conventional and AOS formats)
- Instrument records generated in CCSDS packet formats
- CCSDS packets multiplexed into CCSDS frames
- CCSDS frames inserted into Nascom 4800 bit blocks at ground tracking station
- Nascom blocks delivered to control centers and level-zero processor (LZP) via IP network
- Some new missions
- CCSDS frames synchronized at tracking station and delivered to control centers and LZP via IP
- Custom built front-end processors at each satellite’s control center and LZP  system synchronize data to locate frames and decommutate data or extract packets
- Data must be captured and reformatted for further distribution to scientists and end-users
- A large amount of custom and expensive ground communication equipment must be built, operated, and maintained to support NASA unique formats
- Communication between satellites and cross-support between missions is very difficult or impossible

## Current Mission Data Flows

**Current Mission Data Flows**

**Inst. A**

**Inst. B**

- Instrument
- data

- TDM
- frames

- Nascom
- 4800 bit blocks

- UDP/IP packet

**Inst. A**

**Inst. B**

- CCSDS
- Instrument
- packets

- Nascom
- 4800 bit blocks

- UDP/IP packet

- CCSDS
- frames

**Satellite**

**Tracking **
**Station**

**Ground **
**Network**

**Control Center/**
**Level-Zero Processing**

**Principal Investigators**

**A**

**B**

**New CCSDS Formats**

**Old TDM Formats**

**IP Network**

**IP Network**

**A**

**B**

- RF link

- RF link

## IP Based Mission Data Flows

- Instrument records are generated, written to onboard files if desired and IP network addresses are added to realtime data to identify a destination
- Connection-less UDP/IP delivery is used for “unreliable” data delivery (unaffected by propagation delay and errors, operates over a simplex communication path)
- Connection-oriented TCP/IP is used for “reliable” data delivery (sensitive to propagation delay and errors, requires a duplex communication path)
- IP packets flow through RF communication links to tracking stations and are routed across Internets using standard networking equipment (Frame Relay/HDLC framing)
- IP packets can flow unmodified from an instrument to any end user (end user can be control centers, LZP, scientists, or other satellites, balloons, etc.)
- No custom processing facilities are required to reformat data for basic delivery
- Files of data from each instrument can flow directly to scientists without requiring intermediate processing
- The reduction in custom hardware, software and intermediate processing systems results in significant cost savings and quicker data delivery for a mission

## IP Based Mission Data Flows

**IP Based Mission Data Flows**

**Inst. A**

**Inst. B**

- Instrument
- data

- UDP/IP packet

**Satellite**

**Tracking**
**Station**

**Ground**
**Network**

**Control Center/**
**Level-Zero Processing**

**Principal Investigators**

**A**

**B**

- UDP/IP
- packet

**IP Network**

- RF link

## End-to-End Space Link Evolution

- Legacy NASA communication systems used custom NASA protocols and equipment because there were no other options
- Current NASA satellite communication systems use a mix of custom and COTS network technology, but there is still lots of room for improvements
- Custom communication protocols require expensive development, maintenance and operation of custom gateways and processing systems
- Current satellite protocols do not provide the ease of use and addressing capabilities to support new, collaborative science missions
- Future “IP to the Satellite” concepts use COTS network technology and protocols to the C&DH system on the spacecraft
- This eliminates custom gateways and protocols and reduces development, maintenance and operations costs while also enabling collaborative science missions
- Future “IP to the Instrument” concept extends IP onboard the satellite
- This enables direct access from instruments to scientists to further reduce  intermediate processing systems and “non-science” costs for missions
- Legacy spacecraft still supported with existing systems and protocols

## End-to-End Space Link Evolution

**4800BB**

**CCSDS**

**4800BB**

**1553**

**Spacecraft/**
**Balloon/**
**Field Site**

**Tracking **
**Station**

**Control Center/**
**Data Processing**

**Scientist**

**Dial-up**
**Scientist**

**CCSDS**

**Legacy**

**GW**

**IP**

**Data**

**Data**

**Data**

**Data**

**Data**

**C&**
**DH**

**CCSDS**

**Data**

## End-to-End IP Communication Prototype

- The basic goal of the OMNI prototype is to demonstrate that IP works over space links and to investigate issues of LAN based satellites, balloons, etc.
- IP provides end-to-end data delivery and makes the science system a “node on a network”. Various upper layer protocols can be used for file transfers, status monitoring and commanding
- The OMNI prototype consists of a simulated satellite (VME chassis, PPC 603 processor, VxWorks real-time OS) with 3 “science instruments”
- GPS receiver 	(RS-232 interface)
- Weather station 	(RS-232 interface)
- Video webserver 	(Ethernet interface, multiple cameras)
- The prototype demonstrates real-time and playback data similar to a real satellite
- Real-time data - records sent in real-time using UDP/IP/HDLC
- Playback data - records logged to files for later transfer via FTP/TCP/IP/HDLC
- Commanding can be done via UDP or TCP
- The laboratory demonstration uses a simulated RF link (Adtech channel simulator)
- Outdoor demos use a TDRSS RF link for demonstration of full mobile, intermittent access to the science equipment

## End-to-End IP Communication Prototype

**(PPC 603)**

**Sat. Modem**

**Sat. Modem**

**Sat. Xcvr**

**Sat. Xcvr**

**IP - ICMP,RIP/OSPF**

**R/S**
**Conv.**

**TDRS**

**White Sands**

**GSFC**

**Science System**

**Scientists**

**GPS**

**Weather**

**Weather, GPS, Video**
**Real-time - UDP**

**Weather, GPS, Video files**
**File transfer - FTP/TCP**

**Pointing**
**Antenna**

**Web Video Server **

**Router**

**Router**

**Router**

**End-to-End IP Communication Prototype**

**SSP**
- (Web server)
- (Security)
- (Archives))

**Web**
**Browser**
- (Data Monitor)
- (Command)

**Pan/Tilt/Zoom**
**Camera **

## End-to-End Satellite Networking Issues

- The key component in the architecture is the IP network layer and its basic ability to deliver packets between any network source and destination
- Lower layer key issues (communication links support common IP packet delivery)
- IP network exists between all ground systems
- Need to adopt industry standards for serial interfaces over science system RF links
- Standard transceiver interfaces are needed (TDRSS project is working on new transceivers)
- Satellite LAN and router technology is the first step in implementing IP onboard satellites
- Upper layer key issues (IP provides a common interface to upper layer software)
- Standard satellite operating systems are needed which support standard networking protocols (i.e. FTP/TCP/UDP/IP) and file systems for separating instrument and housekeeping data
- Work is needed in structuring satellite subsystems with more distributed processing concepts so they can operate as “nodes on a network”
- The OMNI prototype has demonstrated live data flows over TDRSS using standard IP
- The OMNI prototype was used Aug. 11, 1999 on a cruise ship in the Black Sea to return live images and weather information on the last total solar eclipse of the millennium.
- Work is underway to perform IP flight tests with the UoSAT-12 spacecraft in 1Q2000
- Discussions are underway with commercial software and hardware manufacturers to develop the missing components for end-to-end IP support

## End-to-End Satellite Networking Issues

- L

- L

- L

- W

- W

- E

- E

- F

- P

- P

**IP**

- L

- F

**IP**

**IP**

**IP**

**Router**

**Control**

**Router**

**Satellite Software Systems**
**OBC, OS, File sys., Storage**
**UDP, TCP, NFS, FTP,etc.**
**Common Functions**
**GPS, Automation**

**Satellite Router/Gateway **
**Data Link Protocols**
**Gnd & Satellite Modem**
**Remote Equip Mgmt**
**Satellite Phone**

- RF

**IP**

- 1553

**HDLC**

- Gateway

- ATM

- ATM

**IP**

- 1553

- Custom

- L

- F

**IP**

- L

- E

**IP**

- M

- P

**IP**

- L

- M

- W

- W

- F

- P

- P

- P

**IP**

**IP**

**Router**

**Router**

- L

- E

- M

- M

**Spacecraft/Balloon**
**Field Site**

**Tracking **
**Station**

**Control Center**
**Data Distribution**

**PI**

**Dial-up**
**Scientist**

**Onboard LAN / Bus**
**Instrument  Interface Standards**
**Instrument Command Standards**
**Instrument Data Storage**
**Instrument Autonomy**

**Spacecraft Monitoring / Commanding (SNMP, CMIS/CMIP,  MMS, FMS, etc.)**
**Email, FTP, NFS to Control Center**
**Instrument / Spacecraft Autonomy**

**Planning & Scheduling**
**Resource Allocation / Conflict Resolution**
**Command Management**
**Data Storage / Archival**
**Data Processing**
**Data Distribution ( CDROM, WWW )**

**Scientist Interface with Instrument**
**Instrument Prepared Data Products**
**Email, FTP, NFS  Data Delivery to Scientist**

**Antenna / Receiver / Transmitter Management**
**Mobile IP**
**Contingency Modes**
**Satellite Phone**

**Data**

**Tracking**

**Scientist**

**Scientist**

**Instrument**
** ****Subsystems**

- ATM

**Security**

**Virtual Instruments**
**Constellations of Satellites**

**Ground System Automation**

- E	Ethernet	L	LAN	P	PPP
- F   FDDI         W	WAN	M	Modem

**End-to-End Satellite Networking Issues**

- ATM

**Router**

- L

- E

**IP**

- RF

**HDLC**

- Custom

- Custom

- Custom

## Acronyms

- ATM	Asynchronous Transfer Mode
- C&DH	Command and Data Handling
- CCSDS	Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems
- CMIP	Common Management Information Protocol
- CMIS	Common Management Information Services
- COTS	Commercial Off-The-Shelf
- CSC	Computer Sciences Corporation
- DSN	Deep Space Network
- FDDI	Fiber Distributed Data Interface
- FTP	File Transfer Protocol
- GPS	Global Positioning System
- GSFC	Goddard Space Flight Center
- HDLC	High-level Data Link Control
- ICMP	Internet Control Message Protocol
- IP	Internet Protocol
- IPSec	IP Security
- LAN	Local Area Network
- LZP	Level-Zero Processing
- MMS	Manufacturing Messaging Specification

- NASA	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- NFS	Network File System
- OS	Operating System
- OSPF	Open Shortest-Path First
- PI	Principal Investigator
- Power	Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC
- PPC	Power Personal Computer
- PPP	Point-to-Point Protocol
- RF	Radio Frequency
- RIP	Routing Information Protocol
- SMTP	Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
- SNMP	Simple Network Management Protocol
- TCP	Transmission Control Protocol
- TDM	Time Division Multiplex
- TDRSS	Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
- UDP	User Datagram Protocol
- VME	Versabus Modula Europa
- VPN	Virtual Private Network
- WAN	Wide Area Network
- WFF	Wallops Flight Facility
- WWW	World Wide Web