Bundle protocol for data delivery over highly asymmetric deep-space channels

Abstract

Bundle Protocol is the main protocol of delay-/disruption-tolerant networking. Its store-and-forward mechanism and custody transfer option enable it to provide reliable file delivery services in a stressed communications environment. A typical application of Bundle Protocol is for data delivery in a deep-space communication environment, which is characterized by an extremely long signal propagation delay. However, little work has been seen in performance of Bundle Protocol transmission in deep-space communications. In this article, we present an overview of file transfer operation and performance of Bundle Protocol over a relay-based deepspace communication infrastructure characterized by highly asymmetric channel rates based on file transfer experiments. An optimal Bundle Protocol bundle size for the best transmission performance is also under investigation in this article.