Projects

Overview
Project Title	Unified Space Data Link Protocol Blue Book
Approval	Approved
Document Number	732.1
Charter	5.04 Space Link Protocols Working Group
Document Type	Blue
Description of Document	This project will develop the Next Generation Space Data Link Protocol, (NGSLP) blue book. It will contain the format, service, and primitives for high rate robotic and manned missions and consider the application profiles for the following links: future i.e., Direct to Earth (DTE), Direct from Earth (DFE), and Proximity Environments). See also the companion NGSLP GB project which addresses the concepts, rationale, requirements, and operational scenarios. The focus of this protocol is to meet the emerging needs of both manned and unmanned high rate missions. The high data rate targets for robotic missions for this protocol are on the order of 10 Gbit/sec downlink and 10 Mbit/sec uplink. The manned mission targets are on the order of 10-20 Gbit/sec downlink and 1 Gbit/sec uplink. The key drivers identified for this protocol are: 1) Given these higher data rate targets, it is clear that this new protocol must provide longer frames to make the frame handling processes more efficient than they currently are (given the current frame length limitations i.e., 2048 octets on the downlink and 1019 octets on the uplink). 2) Moreover it is clear that a longer frame sequence counter is required to enable unambiguous frame ordering from multiple downlinks. 3) There is a need to increase the spacecraft ID address space for the anticipated greater spacecraft population. 4) This protocol provides a path to deliver control directives with minimum latency: compatible with such applications as data rate and/or Coding and Modulation changes; and to provide short message low latency message delivery. Although desirable it is not required that a single universal format replace all of the existing CCSDS link layer protocols. This Protocol is targeted for agencies emerging missions, both human and robotic, which we anticipate will require higher performance (higher data rates and throughput) and operate with enhanced security. We define a new space data link layer protocol that is largely based upon the proven features of the existing CCSDS link protocols and adds options that can be used to tailor future mission link layer needs.
Applicable Patents	There are no patent issues for this technology that are known by the CCSDS community
Patent Comments
Survey of Similar Standards Documents or Projects Undertaken in Other Bodies and elsewhere in CCSDS
Resources
Book Editor	NASA
Book Editor Resources	NASA will provide the book editor. 10 MM effort.
Prototype 1	DLR
Prototype 1 Resources	Initial Prototyping resources by DLR envisioned for late 2016/Early 2017 at the 3 to 8 MM level of effort initially.
Prototype 2	NASA
Prototype 2 Resources	Envisioned in the Mid to late 2017 timeframe from 3 to 8 MM.
Prototype 3
Prototype 3 Resources
Contribute	DLR, NASA, UKSA
Monitor Only	CNES, ESA
Resource Comments

Schedule

Legend for Schedule Milestones = Required for Orange Books = Required for Green Books = Required for Magenta Books = Required for Blue Books Note - Red Books are Draft Blue/Magenta Books Schedule Milestones	Original Completion Date (Date in M/D/YYYY format.)	Comments (Date in M/D/YYYY format.)
Project Approved	4/14/2014	CMC-P-2014-08-004 Confirmed by CNES delegate.
Project Start Date	10/15/2014
Internal WG Review
First Draft Circulated to WG	4/21/2014
First Draft Comments Due	5/19/2014
Second draft circulated to WG	10/27/2014
Second Draft Comments Due	2/16/2015
Final WB Submitted to AD for Further Processing	4/15/2015
External Milestones
Secretariat Document Processing	6/1/2015
First Agency Review	8/2/2015
RID Resolution	10/2/2015
Secretariat Document Processing 2	11/15/2015
Final Agency Review	6/29/2016
RID Resolution	9/15/2016
First Prototype Development	6/15/2015
Second Prototype Development	3/14/2016
CMC Approval	12/12/2016
Total Time to Complete (in months)	25