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Completed TRL 2 (started at 1, targeting 2)
This IRAD project will use a Core Flight System (CFS) Flight Software (FSW) application to configure an onboard Software Defined Network (SDN) switch. The objective of this project is to mature technology for risk reduction in the areas of high speed switching and software defined networking. To do so, the project will use ground commands as part of a CFS software application to control port-to-port switching in an FPGA-based Ethernet switch.
Innovative elements include the Network Controller CFS FSW application and the FPGA-based SDN switch.
Laser communication relay projects require high speed switching. This project can inform the future development of space network relays that can provide this capability. This IRAD would enable a lunar relay or other future communications missions by providing insight into how a CFS controller should communicate with an SDN switch using the OpenFlow protocol. This IRAD will provide a portable CFS network controller that can be used on the emerging lunar networking architectures, such as LunaNet.
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