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Cisco has managed to shoot a special radiation-hardened router into space, next step global domination. The space router is part of the US Department of Defense's Internet Routing in Space (IRIS), and reached orbit by sharing a rocket with an Intelsat satellite. The goal is to use IP routers in space to deliver voice, data, and video via a satellite network the same way land-based lines are used now.
How does this differ from current satellite data routing? Currently, data is sent to satellites via radio waves from specialized ground substations. By deploying IP routers in orbit, Cisco believes that communication can be accomplished using standard internet protocols.
Now that the IRIS system is in orbit, the US government gets first crack at it. They will spend three months examining possible military uses for the system. After that, Cisco will allow businesses to test the system for one year. Possible issues with latency aside, this could open up an entirely new market driving cheap, flexible communication access around the globe.
Comments are closed on this article
Mr.Pooney
January 22, 2010 at 5:31pm
1- I can't wait for the first Space-walk to go "Unplug-plug" the router when it stops working
2- With our weak protection on wireless transmitions an attacking alien race could find this very usefull to get access to millitary instalations... or to pirate movies and watch porn!
Mr.Pooney
January 22, 2010 at 5:33pm
I wanted to add! is that a picture of the actual thing? if so why does it look like the back of my old 1980's TV?
Caboose
January 23, 2010 at 11:10am
It very well may be. If it's attached to the outside of the ISS, it will need to be heavily protected against all the different types of radiation and particles and crap flying through space. Plus EMP's from the sun.
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
opensuse 11.1
January 22, 2010 at 12:13pm
With a network of these they still will not be able to reduce the transmission time delay. -I could write a term paper on this explaining it all.
nekollx
January 22, 2010 at 10:02am
ELIMINATE!
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Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Caboose
January 22, 2010 at 9:19am
This is pretty neat. I figure that once this gets figured out and works well, next step will be to have communications to the moon with minimal delay, and once that's done, next step will be to mars!
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
Mr_Histamine
January 21, 2010 at 6:52pm
Wonder how long they've been waiting to use that acronym...
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Please deposit your pride, life, and other garbage in the receptacles at the back of the theater before you leave. Thanks!
Techrocket9
January 22, 2010 at 7:03am
Since tools of destruction was released. < pre>
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An army of pacifists can be defeated by one man with the will to fight.
