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Study on CFDP and DTN Architectures for ESA Space Missions

Authors:
Felix Flentge

Keywords: Bundle Protocol (BP); CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP); Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN); Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP)

Abstract:
Upcoming file-based operations concepts and more complex communication topologies for space missions require modifications and extensions to the ‘traditional’ space and ground communication architectures. This paper reports on a study initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA) to analyse the suitability of the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol(CFDP) and Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) architectures for future ESA missions. Starting from an analysis of potential future missions, generic mission scenarios involving complex communication topologies have been studied and corresponding communication requirements have been defined. Based on these generic mission scenarios and the communication requirements two reference architectures have been designed: one using CFDP on top of already deployed protocols and one combined CFDP/DTN architecture. A simulation environment to evaluate the reference architectures has been created and various communication scenarios have been evaluated. The paper introduces both reference architectures and presents some results of the simulation activities. These results and further analysis of the reference architectures lead to the conclusion that both architectures are quite similar in terms of performance and can satisfy most requirements. However, in the short to medium-term time frame CFDP without DTN seems to provide the easier way to adoption since it is conceptually simpler and more mature while the additional features of DTN may only be required in the long-term.

Pages: 75 to 80

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2011

Publication date: April 17, 2011

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4480

ISBN: 978-1-61208-128-1

Location: Budapest, Hungary

Dates: from April 17, 2011 to April 22, 2011