Delay-Tolerant Networking work:
Saratoga Bundle Protocol work Interplanetary Internet work HTTP-DTN

Work done with colleagues at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd and NASA Glenn Research Center.

The DMC satellites are also notable for communicating with their ground stations using the Internet Protocol for both payload data transfer and command and control, so extending the Internet into space. This included an on-board Internet router and the first use of the 'bundle' protocol in space where Sensor data was successfully delivered from the satellite using this disruption-and delay-tolerant networking protocol designed for the Interplanetary Internet.
— Martin Sweeting, Modern Small Satellites - Changing the Economics of Space, Proceedings of the IEEE.

Vint Cerf, T-shirt (de?)signer.

We have done considerable work in the area of delay- and disruption-tolerant networking (DTN), building on our initial co-operation around testing CLEO, the Cisco router in Low Earth Orbit. We are the first to test the "Bundle Protocol," intended for the Interplanetary Internet, in outer space.

Our work, also described in video presentations, includes:

Practical work

Interplanetary Internet work

We have performed practical work in testing the Internet in space, and in being the first to test IPv6 and the Bundle Protocol in space.

Saratoga

a fast data transfer protocol, originally developed at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and taken to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) for public scrutiny.

Theoretical work

Bundle Protocol work

We carried out theoretical analysis and assessed the Bundle Protocol, preferred by the Internet Research Task Force Delay-Tolerant Networking Research Group (DTNRG), found drawbacks, and have proposed workarounds.

HTTP-DTN

We have proposed HTTP-DTN as an alternative, simple, approach to delay-tolerant networking, leveraging existing popular HTTP and MIME protocols and the applications that use them.

Our work has received media coverage:

• SSTL's 30 Firsts: First use of Interplanetary Internet v6 on board a satellite in orbit, UK-DMC1 (2003), 29 June 2015.
• Hosted Payload Pioneered Internet in Space, Surrey Satellite Technology US blog, 30 October 2012.
• The future of the Internet in space, SSTL space blog, 4 November 2011.
• Researching computer networking for space applications, University of Surrey video, 21 July 2011.
• Double honour for space researchers in prestigious Sir Arthur Clarke awards, University of Surrey press release, 15 June 2011.
• Nominees shortlisted for Sir Arthur Clarke Awards, UK Space Agency press release, 14 June 2011.
• TIME's Best Inventions of 2008: #9 The Orbital Internet, Jeremy Caplan et al., Time Magazine, vol. 179 no. 19, 10 November 2008.
• Bits in space, Philip Baczewski, Network Connection, Benchmarks Online, University of North Texas, October 2008.
• Killer ap, In Orbit, Frank Morring, Jr. (ed.), Aviation Week and Space Technology, 29 September 2008, p. 18.
• Delay-tolerant networking tested, Joab Jackson, Government Computer News (now route fifty), 24 September 2008.
• Spaced-out Internet, Physics Buzz, Physics Central, 12 September 2008.
• Tests underway of interplanetary internet, Matthew Sparkes, PC Pro (now alphr), 12 September 2008.
• UK-DMC satellite first to transfer sensor data from space using 'bundle' protocol, press release from SSTL and from the University of Surrey, 11 September 2008.