A novel systematic raptor network coding scheme for Mars-to-Earth relay communications

In Mars-to-Earth communications, data transmission suffered severe losses due to the huge path-loss, extremely long propagation delay and lack of line-of-sight link in rovers-to-Earth. Based on delay/disruption tolerant networks (DTN), we proposed a systematic Raptor Network Coding (RNC) scheme for the multi-rovers transform data through an orbiter to Earth station communication scenarios. To enhance the reliability of rover-to-Earth file delivery, and considering the limited capacity of the relaying orbiter, a simplified network coding scheme is designed for the orbiter. We analyzed the asymptotic performance of RNC scheme. Moreover, an improved RNC (IRNC) scheme is optimized in a finite code-length and limited coding complexity. Simulation results show that, our RNC and IRNC schemes can achieve better performance in comparison with existing distributed rateless erasure codes.