Information Technology Solutions for Delta-DOR Large Volume Data Transfers

Abstract

Delta-DOR (Differential One-Way Ranging) measurements generate very large data volumes that have to be transferred over ground communications networks from deep space ground stations to a site where the data are processed by a correlator. The two ESA deep space stations New Norcia, Australia, and Cebreros, Spain, have been fitted with Delta-DOR systems, the correlator is located in the control centre ESOC, Germany. The interconnecting ESA mission operations network (known as OPSNET) has been used for the data transfer. Although OPSNET capacity was and is for economic reasons sized for throughputs considerably lower than for Delta-DOR needs, OPSNET has been successfully used to support the ESA Delta-DOR campaigns. The pertinent capability of the overall solution was the result of combined optimizations of the OPSNET IP network, of the TCP/IP stacks in the source and destination systems, and of the file transfer multiplexing utility.