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.