Design of Hybrid Mobile Communication Networks for Planetary Exploration

• Main Authors: Richard L. Alena, John Ossenfort, Charles Lee, Edward Walker, Thom Stone
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Arctic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.154.6687; http://www.ic.arc.nasa.gov/m/pub/630h/0630%20(Alena).pdf

into hybrid communication networks for future planetary missions. These networks consist of space-based communication assets connected to ground-based Internets and planetary surface-based mobile wireless networks. These hybrid mobile networks have been deployed in rugged field locations in the American desert and the Canadian arctic for support of science and simulation activities on at least six occasions. This work has been conducted over the past five years resulting in evolving architectural complexity, improved component characteristics and better analysis and test methods. A rich set of data and techniques have resulted from the development and field testing of the communication network during field expeditions such as the Haughton Mars Project and NASA Mobile Agents Project. This paper defines design, analysis and test methods for hybrid