InterPlaNet not to be confused with InterPlanetary Network

InterPlanetary Network

The InterPlanetary Network is a group of spacecraft equipped with gamma ray burst detectors. By timing the arrival of a burst at several spacecraft, its precise location can be found. The farther apart the detectors, or the greater the timing precision of each detector, the more precise the GRB...

, is a computer networking protocol designed to operate at interplanetary distances, where traditional protocols such as the Internet Protocol

Internet Protocol

The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...

 break down. It has been under development by Vint Cerf

Vint Cerf

Vinton Gray "Vint" Cerf is an American computer scientist, who is recognized as one of "the fathers of the Internet", sharing this title with American computer scientist Bob Kahn...

 and NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 since 1998 and a permanent network link to Mars

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...

 was planned by 2008 until the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter

Mars Telecommunications Orbiter

The Mars Telecommunications Orbiter was a cancelled Mars mission that was originally intended to launch in 2009 and would have established an Interplanetary Internet between Earth and Mars...

was canceled in 2005. The protocol was expected to be space-qualified and ready for use by around 2010.

External links

• InterPlanetary Internet Special Interest Group
• http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nost/nost/wwwclassic/documents/pdf/CCSDS-B10.0-Y-17.pdf