MARS could soon be buzzing with its own internet. Nasa, the American space agency, wants to girdle the silent red planet with powerful satellites to help astronauts communicate with each other and with Earth. Starting next year the agency aims to launch a series of spacecraft that will form the building blocks of the new system. If Nasa succeeds in establishing a network of manned bases on Mars – perhaps as early as 2014 – the inhabitants should be able to send and receive e-mails. Plans are due to be announced in the next few months.
May 5th, 2000
NASA Turns On First Internet Node In Space
NASA has demonstrated the ability to use standard Internet protocols to communicate with an orbiting spacecraft just like any other node on the Internet.
March 7th, 2000
Ohio-based Company to Fly Rings Around Mars
When NASA rolls out its latest plan for its Mars program, one tiny company will likely be sharing the stage with space-business heavyweight Lockheed Martin. With the Red Planet now clearly the solar system’s number one travel destination, Mason, Ohio-based BAE Systems/Cincinnati Electronics could play a pivotal role in a series of missions to build a mini-internet around Mars.
February 28th, 2000
Generation InterPlanetary Internet SpaceRef.com
Ten years from now the Internet could be a phenomenon that has expanded beyond Earth to form an interplanetary network of Internets reaching to Mars and beyond. That is the vision of Vint Cerf and his colleagues at the InterPlanetary Internet (IPN) team.
December 11th, 1999
Cerf wants Internet to cross the final frontier The Times of India
The man who was instrumental in bringing about the internet revolution by designing the Internet Protocol, is now working on a project which resembles science fiction. Vincent Cerf, widely known as the `Father of the Internet’, is working with six engineers to set up an `Interplanetary Internet Backbone’ that would enable communication across planets.
December 7th, 1999
Mars ‘Internet’ to Help Future Missions Phone Home Could Get Higher Priority
While the final nail is not in the coffin for NASA’s latest Mars mission, one thing is sure — it’s easier to phone home than to get a spacecraft to call in from the Red Planet. As ever, the space agency has another plan up its sleeve and the presumed loss of Mars Polar Lander may push that plan onto the fast track.