an integrated approach to the development of wireless network protocols
BBN Technologies (BBN), under complementary tasks for NASA, designed the High-Throughput Distributed Space-craft Network (HiDSN), developed a laboratory prototype network testbed and, currently, is integrating support for virtual-private-networks (VPN) over such a testbed (SpaceVPN). The ultimate goal of this work is to demonstrate the use and the performance of standard-based IPSec VPNs for secure ground-experimenter access to emulated low-earth orbit sensor satellites in which ground-space-sensor connectivity is achieved using the multi-hop routed space links of HiDSN. As part of this work, BBN has developed and refined an integrated approach to the development of Space-based Radio Protocols. This approach consists of high level quasi-analytic modeling using Mathematica, the use of "Active" Mathematica-based protocol specifications that document and simulate protocols, and the use of Software Defined Radio techniques for software proto-typing, Radio Frequency link emulation and testbed implementation. This paper describes the overall approach used to develop HiDSN for NASA and describes each of the component techniques.
nasa hidsn mathematica software defined radio gnu radio tcema