Deep Space Delay-Tolerant Protocol DeepRelay Gets ISO Standardization: Earth-Moon Communication Achieves Two-Way Real-Time Routing

The DeepRelay deep space delay-tolerant protocol jointly developed by NASA and the European Space Agency received ISO standardization on November 1. This is the first standardized network protocol specifically designed for Earth-Moon space communications.

Traditional internet protocols assume continuously available network links with manageable latency. In deep space, however, Earth-Moon communication latency is approximately 1.3 seconds, and links are periodically interrupted by celestial body occlusion. DeepRelay uses a store-and-forward architecture where data packets are temporarily stored at relay nodes and automatically forwarded when links are restored.

DeepRelay technical lead Kevin Gifford of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory explained that the protocol supports priority queues and adaptive bandwidth allocation. Life support system control commands carry the highest priority, followed by scientific data, then routine communications.

The protocol completed six months of in-orbit testing aboard the Artemis IV lunar orbital station Gateway, achieving a data transmission success rate of 99.7%. ESA stated that DeepRelay will serve as the foundational protocol for the lunar surface communication network planned before 2030.

Chinas Chang-e engineering team and JAXA have also expressed interest in the DeepRelay standard, though China indicated it is evaluating whether to add proprietary encryption and authentication layers on top.