Memory dynamics for DTN protocol in deep-space communications

Considering the significant success of the terrestrial Internet, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other space agencies have been working for a few decades to enable space communications using the Internet-type protocols such as transmission control protocol/ Internet protocol (TCP/IP), namely, space internetworking or simply space Internet. It is well known that long propagation delays, intermittent connectivity, heavy channel noise, and asymmetric link rates in space environments all conspire to limit the effectiveness and performance of TCP over space communication channels, especially in deep-space communications [1]. The space Internet in deep-space interplanetary environments is generally named interplanetary Internet (IPN) [2]. Numerous literature surveys [2]-[7] have been done on IPN architectures and protocols.