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Cisco space router testing completed successfully by U.S. DoD

Written by Chris Andrews

The first ever deployment of an Internet Protocol router aboard a commercial satellite has completed its phase of in-orbit testing for the U.S. Department of Defence, and the results represent a major milestone for IRIS (Internet Routing in Space), according to Cisco.

Back in November last year, Freeband TV News reported that Cisco had launched its IRIS router aboard Intelsat’s IS-14 satellite, achieving a successful in-orbit test of the payload. Cisco says that that payload has now proven its viability as a next-generation resource for military and commercial satellite communications, and that additional testing was set to continue over the next 12 months.

As reported at the time, the IRIS router supports network services for voice, video and data communications, allowing those communications using IP and existing ground equipment. This offers several enhancements over conventional satellite technology, eliminating the need to send data to and from an extra ground station, the so-called ‘double hop’ which can be expensive and time-consuming.

Cisco said that during the joint capability technology demonstration (JCTD) evaluation, IRIS services were tested by US DoD and global governmental users in real-world scenarios, both on land and at sea. In each instance, IRIS was able to provide on-demand connectivity and enhance the mission effectiveness of these users, it said. The JCTD evaluation also featured real-time collaboration applications over satellite including virtual private networks and video and file transfers.

So what did they turn up? First of all, there was 99.95% router availability during those tests, allowing the use of applications including voice over IP and video and file transfers. These, Cisco said, performed equally well regardless of terminal location, demonstrating communications performance equal to traditional, land-based networks.

There were also two VPN networks continuously maintained over the platform, allowing for uninterrupted, highly secure communications.

IRIS appears to work as it is meant to, and this could have real commercial, as well as military, consequences.

"The IRIS demonstration is an important first step toward making Internet routing in space a reality that could ultimately enable satellites to make more efficient use of bandwidth," said Kay Sears, president of Intelsat General Corp. "By eliminating the need for routing at a ground-based teleport, we can dramatically increase the efficiency, flexibility and data throughput of satellite links."

Following this JCTD completion, IRIS will now be undergoing extended commercial and government testing for up to 12 months to demonstrate its viability for additional applications for the at-large satellite networking ecosystem, Cisco said.

Again, this could have real potential for providing high speed internet access to those in un-served or under-served communities, theoretically far cheaper, and more reliably, than existing satellite internet hook-ups, or mobile broadband, can offer.

Indeed, Cisco said it was working with satellite manufacturers, system integrators and end users to help enable them to deliver services to points outside traditional ground-based networks.

As a case in point, the company has just signed a Technology Partnership Agreement with Astrium Services to study the applications of space-based routers in general, and specifically how to best apply Astrium’s communication services and payload processing capabilities. Paradigm, owned by Astrium, which supplies military hardened satellite communications, will be working with Cisco on the first in a series of studies, which are due to be completed by January 2011.

Steven Boutelle, CEO of Cisco Internet Routing in Space and vice president, Cisco Global Government Solutions Group said: “Through strategic alliances with companies like Astrium, we are continuing our expansion of IP Routing in Space capabilities to commercial and government customers worldwide.”

While we certainly won’t be seeing commercial broadband services beamed from a router above for some time, the prospects are exciting. As Cisco says in its own literature: “With IRIS, users will be able to experience a true mobile network - one that helps enable them to connect and communicate how, when and where they want, and that continuously adapts to their needs without a reliance on predefined, fixed infrastructure.”

And it could also allow governments to achieve promises of universal broadband coverage, without them having to actually do anything meaningful. Whether there will be commercial services up and running by 2015, to coincide with UK Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s new delivery date for that universal broadband, is another matter.

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