Trevor Watkins, University Libraries, presented “Intelligent Peer-to-Peer Mesh Satellite-Extraterrestrial Deep Space Network: Interplanetary Communication and Data Collection Based on Semantic Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm Using Autonomous Cooperative Agents” at the Second International Conference and Exhibition on Satellite and Space Missions in Berlin, Germany, on July 22, 2016.
Summary: NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) is a network of satellites, antennas and interplanetary probes. While effective, the current two-way communication link used for probe control and data collection has some limitations. This paper discusses how to scale and improve the current Deep Space Network by integrating a new peer-to-peer mesh satellite architecture based on Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm (ABCA) using autonomous cooperative agents. This paper is divided into three parts. First, the architecture is discussed. It is composed of a new central semantic routing algorithm between satellites, a data forwarding mechanism and a winter cluster resiliency scheme. Second, the interaction, responsibilities and cooperation between autonomous software agents that govern each satellite is discussed. Finally, the integration of this infrastructure with the existing DSN infrastructure was discussed.