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Space Mobile Network Concepts for Missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit

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Space Operations: Inspiring Humankind's Future

Abstract

The space mobile network (SMN) is an architectural framework that will allow for quicker, more efficient and more easily available space communication services, providing user spacecraft with an experience similar to that of terrestrial mobile network users. While previous papers have described SMN concept using examples of users in low Earth orbit, the framework can also be applied beyond the near-Earth environment. This chapter details how SMN concepts such as user-initiated services, which will enable users to request access to high-performance link resources in response to real-time science or operational events, would be applied in and beyond the near-Earth regime. Specifically, this work explores the application of user-initiated services to direct-to-Earth (DTE), relay, and DTE/relay hybrid scenarios in near-Earth, lunar, martian, and other space regimes.

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Abbreviations

BP:

Bundle Protocol

CCSDS:

Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems

DAS:

Demand Access System

DS:

Deep Space

DSS:

Distributed Space System

DTE:

Direct to Earth

DTN:

Delay/Disruption-Tolerant Networking

IP:

Internet Protocol

LEO:

Low Earth Orbit

MRN:

Mars Relay Network

MUPA:

Multiple Uplink per Antenna

OMSPA:

Opportunistic Multiple Spacecraft per Aperture

PNT:

Position, Navigation, and Timing

PROX-1:

Proximity-1

RF:

Radio Frequency

SCaN:

Space Communications and Navigation

SMN:

Space Mobile Network

TDRSS:

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System

UIS:

User-Initiated Services

References

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Acknowledgements

This work is in support of the NASA’s Space Communication and Navigation Program Office. The work carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, was under a contract with NASA. C. J. Roberts would like to thank professors Tom Bradley and John Borky for their contributions in shaping the user-initiated services concept. D. J. Israel and C. J. Roberts acknowledge the contributions of Jacob Burke, Mark Sinkiat, and Jacob Barnes in defining the UIS relay and DTE scenarios. We also acknowledge Seema Vithlani and Katherine Schauer for their contributions in technical writing, technical editing, and graphics development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA

    David J. Israel, Christopher J. Roberts & Robert M. Morgenstern

  2. NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA

    Jay L. Gao & Wallace S. Tai

Authors
  1. David J. Israel
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  2. Christopher J. Roberts
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  3. Robert M. Morgenstern
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  4. Jay L. Gao
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  5. Wallace S. Tai
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to David J. Israel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Direction du Numérique, de l'exploitation et des Opérations, Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales—CNES, Toulouse, France

    Helene Pasquier

  2. Payload and Mission Operations, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA

    Craig A. Cruzen

  3. German Space Operations Center, DLR—German Aerospace Center, Wessling, Bayern, Germany

    Michael Schmidhuber

  4. NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA

    Young H. Lee

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Israel, D.J., Roberts, C.J., Morgenstern, R.M., Gao, J.L., Tai, W.S. (2019). Space Mobile Network Concepts for Missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit. In: Pasquier, H., Cruzen, C., Schmidhuber, M., Lee, Y. (eds) Space Operations: Inspiring Humankind's Future. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11536-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11536-4_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11535-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11536-4

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