First IP friendly satellite scheduled to launch

by Grant Robertson on April 16, 2007 at 02:00 PM


So far, there is no IP routing in space. That's scheduled to change with the impending launch of the Department of Defense's Internet Routing in Space (IRIS) project.

Once in orbit, the first IRIS satellite will act like a router, feeding packets to other satellites and essentially creating the first permanent IP network in space. Limited ability to address orbiting birds has existed since the 1970s, but IRIS will make IP routing possible without individual downlinks.

What crazy applications can you picture for IP addressable birds?

Tags: IP, IP routing, IpRouting, news, satellite