IPComm - Interplanetary Communication

Since space missions have been flown a proper data return to Earth was inherently required. The complexity level and the number of space experiments have been increased over the last decades leading to higher demanded data rates challenging communications. The most limiting factor on achievable data rates for interplanetary communications is the distance enforcing high efforts to overcome it. This study in brief detail investigated 13 generic ESA mission scenarios comprising 5 Lunar missions, 5 Mars missions, and three missions to special targets based on planned and already flown missions respectively. Communication user and system requirements were classified, scaled, and adapted to those future mission scenarios and validated by calculations. Furthermore a compilation of current and past activities in Interplanetary Internet (IPN) was gathered and extended to the demands of the mentioned generic future space missions.