Building the Interplanetary Internet: Infrastructure and Technical Foundations
International Institute of Outer Space Law Working Group on International Law Aspects of Interplanetary Internet (IISL WG-IPN) - 26 March, 2026
VIDEO | AUDIO | RECAP EN / ES / FR | ARCHIVE | PERMALINK
Speakers: Dr. Keith Scott — Board Member, IPNSIG
Respondent: Vint Cerf — IPNSIG
Host: Berna Akcali Gur, PhD — Chair, IISL WG-IPN
Moderator: Charles Horikami — IISL WG-IPN
The IISL Working Group on the Legal Aspects of the Interplanetary Internet convened this webinar to bridge the gap between technical architecture and governance. Hosted with UNU-CRIS, the session aimed to equip legal and policy stakeholders with foundational technical understanding necessary for future regulatory frameworks.
The interplanetary Internet is emerging as a critical infrastructure for deep space exploration, driven by increasing international collaboration and commercialization. Organizations such as IPNSIG, CCSDS, and IETF are leading technical development, while parallel governance discussions are underway across multiple forums.
Technical Foundations of the Interplanetary Internet (Dr. Keith Scott)
Dr. Keith Scott provided a comprehensive overview of how networking in space differs fundamentally from terrestrial Internet design.
Traditional space communications rely on point-to-point links, often tunneled over the Internet, with heavy manual coordination. This model does not scale for future multi-mission, multi-actor environments.
The interplanetary Internet introduces Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN), built around the Bundle Protocol (BP), which functions as the equivalent of IP in space. Key characteristics include:
Store-and-forward architecture: Data can be held at intermediate nodes for extended periods due to long delays and intermittent connectivity
Extreme latency tolerance: Earth–Mars communication delays range from 4 to 20 minutes one-way
Scheduled connectivity: Communication opportunities depend on orbital dynamics and must be pre-planned
Heterogeneous transport layers: Different links may use different protocols depending on environmental conditions
Unlike the terrestrial Internet, which assumes continuous end-to-end connectivity, DTN is designed for intermittent, unpredictable links.
Scott emphasized that networking replaces manual relay operations, enabling automated data forwarding across multiple hops and agencies.
Bundle Protocol and Architecture
The Bundle Protocol (BPv7) enables:
End-to-end data delivery across disrupted environments
Storage at intermediate nodes
Flexible security mechanisms protecting data both in transit and at rest
Bundles consist of structured blocks, including metadata, payload, and optional extensions (e.g., security, routing, priority).
A key innovation is the Convergence Layer Adapter, allowing BP to operate over diverse underlying communication systems, including traditional IP networks or direct space links.
Routing and Scheduling Challenges
Routing in space is fundamentally different from terrestrial networking:
Schedule-Aware Bundle Routing (SABR) uses predicted communication windows to determine forwarding paths
Connectivity is time-dependent and dynamic, not continuous
Risk of routing loops requires standardized coordination
Current Mars relay operations already resemble early prototypes of this model, with agencies coordinating communication schedules across orbiters and landers.
Scaling this approach raises challenges:
Computational complexity of global scheduling
Need to partition networks into regions (similar to autonomous systems on Earth)
Handling link failures and dynamic topology changes
Network Architecture and Interoperability
Unlike the Internet’s relatively stable autonomous systems, the interplanetary network is:
Highly dynamic
Cross-organizational (“foamy”)
Composed of mixed public and private assets
Nodes from different entities may interconnect unpredictably, requiring new models of cooperation and coordination.
A major risk is fragmentation (“balkanization”) if competing standards emerge. Efforts like NASA’s LunaNet aim to establish interoperable frameworks and create a critical mass of adoption.
Deployment and Evolution
DTN is already operational in several contexts:
International Space Station
NASA Deep Space Network
Earth-observing missions (e.g., PACE)
Emerging lunar and Mars programs (Artemis, Moonlight)
Future development will combine:
Planned infrastructure (e.g., lunar relay satellites)
Opportunistic assets (repurposed mission hardware)
The system is expected to evolve incrementally toward a distributed, networked architecture.
Governance and Legal Dimensions (Vint Cerf)
Vint Cerf highlighted that the shift toward commercialization introduces profound legal challenges:
Property rights in space (e.g., mining on the Moon)
Jurisdiction and dispute resolution
Registration and ownership of infrastructure
Liability and interference between actors
Existing frameworks, such as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, do not adequately address these emerging realities.
Cerf emphasized that the interplanetary Internet will require:
New legal agreements for shared infrastructure
Mechanisms for cross-organizational cooperation
Governance models aligned with dynamic, distributed networks
The blending of assets across entities makes both technical coordination and legal alignment essential.
Key Discussion Points (Q&A)
Interoperability vs. competition: While alternative technical approaches exist, widespread adoption of common standards will be critical to avoid fragmentation
China and parallel systems: Some participation in standards discussions exists, but geopolitical divergence may lead to parallel ecosystems
Scalability of routing: SABR may require regionalization to remain computationally feasible
Infrastructure strategy: Both deliberate deployment and opportunistic expansion are necessary
Network structure: The interplanetary Internet will be inherently distributed, though scheduling coordination introduces centralized elements
Conclusion
The interplanetary Internet represents a fundamental shift from isolated mission communications to a shared, automated, and interoperable network in space.
Its realization depends not only on technical innovation—such as DTN and the Bundle Protocol—but also on coordinated international standards, cross-sector collaboration, and new governance and legal frameworks.
As space becomes increasingly commercial and multi-actor, the success of this network will hinge on aligning technical architecture with policy and legal systems capable of supporting a truly global—and eventually interplanetary—communications infrastructure.
RESOURCES
IPNSIG — Interplanetary Networking Special Interest Group — Internet Society chapter co-founded by Vint Cerf in 1998; the central technical and governance body discussed throughout
IPNSIG Academy — free video lecture series on DTN, space communications, and governance; recommended by Dr. Scott as a starting point for non-specialists
IPNSIG Technical Library (Zotero) — 200+ curated references on DTN, Bundle Protocol, and Solar System Internet research
CCSDS — Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems — international standards body for civilian space communication; publishers of the Bundle Protocol specification and SABR routing standard
IETF DTN Working Group — standardising Delay-Tolerant Networking protocols including BPv7 (RFC 9171)
LunaNet — NASA — NASA’s lunar communications and navigation architecture built on DTN; the primary driver pushing CCSDS to accelerate standardisation
LunaNet Interoperability Specification (v5, 2025) — the multi-agency technical standard for interoperable lunar communications referenced directly in the session
Artemis Accords — NASA — non-binding framework (61 signatories) whose interoperability section in practice mandates DTN; discussed by both Dr. Scott and Vint Cerf
Interplanetary Internet Governance — Laura DeNardis, CIGI (2023) — paper cited by Dr. Scott examining how existing space treaties and Internet governance apply to a space-based network
ESA Moonlight — ESA’s lunar communications and navigation programme; co-driver with LunaNet of the push to standardise DTN protocols
ACRONYMS / TECHNICAL TERMS
BGP — Border Gateway Protocol
BIB — Block Integrity Block
BCB — Block Confidentiality Block
BP — Bundle Protocol (current version: BPv7; predecessor: BPv6)
BPSec — Bundle Protocol Security
CCSDS — Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems
CLA — Convergence Layer Adapter
CSTS — Cross-Support Transfer Services
DTN — Delay and Disruption Tolerant Networking
EID — Endpoint Identifier
ERCO — European Relay Coordination Office
IETF — Internet Engineering Task Force
ILRS — International Lunar Research Station
IOAG — Inter-Agency Operations Advisory Group
IP — Internet Protocol
IPsec — Internet Protocol Security
KARI — Korean Aerospace Research Institute
LunaNet — Lunar Communications and Navigation Network (NASA)
MaROS — Mars Relay Operations Service
PACE — Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (NASA Earth-observing mission)
PNT — Position, Navigation, and Timing
QUIC — (transport protocol, not an acronym)
RFC 9171 — IETF specification defining BPv7
SABR — Schedule-Aware Bundle Routing
TCP — Transmission Control Protocol
UDP — User Datagram Protocol