VISTA

Space communications face significant challenges due to high delays and frequent disruptions caused by the vast interplanetary distances and sporadic connectivity between surface and orbital nodes. Traditional internet protocols are inefficient in such contexts, leading to the development of Delay-Tolerant Networking (DTN) and the Bundle Protocol, spearheaded by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. DTN enables data storage for extended periods, allowing intermittent connectivity for interplanetary and space-terrestrial inter-networking. Future deep-space missions, including those to the Moon and Mars, have integrated DTN into their communication architecture requirements, and despite DTN's adoption on the International Space Station (ISS), scalability and operational issues remains, particularly in critical areas like Contact Graph Routing (CGR), resource management and inter-regional routing. The applications of space-terrestrial DTN, particularly in using CubeSats like the ones developed in Spatial Center of the University of Montpellier, can serve environmental, societal, and scientific causes locally and internationally. Collaborative efforts in this field aim to develop more efficient DTN technologies for both space and terrestrial missions, boosting scientific output and reducing operational strain.