Interplanetary Internet

The speed of light, illustrated here by a beam of light traveling from Earth to the Moon, would limit the speed at which messages would be able to travel in the interplanetary Internet. In this example, it takes light 1.26 seconds to travel from the Earth to the Moon. Due to the vast distances involved, much longer delays may be incurred than in the Earth-bound Internet.
Computer network types
by scale
Internet
Visualization of Internet routing paths
An Opte Project visualization of routing paths through a portion of the Internet
General
Governance
Information infrastructure
Services
History
Guides
icon Internet portal
Mars to Earth communication is a simple example of Interplanetary Internet
Simplified Interplanetary Internet overview, Mars to Earth communication

The interplanetary Internet is a conceived computer network in space, consisting of a set of network nodes that can communicate with each other.[1][2] These nodes are the planet's orbiters and landers, and the Earth ground stations. For example, the orbiters collect the scientific data from the Curiosity rover on Mars through near-Mars communication links, transmit the data to Earth through direct links from the Mars orbiters to the Earth ground stations via the NASA Deep Space Network, and finally the data routed through Earth's internal internet.[3]

Interplanetary communication is greatly delayed by interplanetary distances, so a new set of protocols and technologies that are tolerant to large delays and errors are required.[2] The interplanetary Internet is a store and forward network of internets that is often disconnected, has a wireless backbone fraught with error-prone links and delays ranging from tens of minutes to even hours, even when there is a connection.[4]

As of 2024 agencies and companies working towards bringing the network to fruition include NASA, ESA, SpaceX and Blue Origin.[5][6]

  1. ^ Jackson, Joab (August 2005). "The Interplanetary Internet". IEEE Spectrum. doi:10.1109/MSPEC.2005.1491224. S2CID 45962718. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Generation InterPlanetary Internet - SpaceRef - Your Space Reference". February 28, 2000. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2007.
  3. ^ Krupiarz, C.; Birrane, Edward J.; Ballard, Benjamin W.; Benmohamed, L.; Mick, A.; Stambaugh, Katherine A.; Tunstel, E. (2011). "Enabling the Interplanetary Internet" (PDF). Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest. 30 (2): 122–134. S2CID 46026742. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "The Interplanetary Internet: A Communications Infrastructure for Mars Exploration" (PDF). 53rd International Astronautical Congress. Houston, Texas: The World Space Congress. October 19, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2011.
  5. ^ Platt, Kevin Holden. "SpaceX, Blue Origin Vie To Expand Mars-Earth Interplanetary Internet". Forbes. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
  6. ^ "Mars Relay Network: Interplanetary Internet - NASA Science". science.nasa.gov. Retrieved May 15, 2024.