Reminder: IEEE Aerospace & Electronics Systems Magazine - Special Issue on "Recent Trends in Interplanetary Communications Systems"

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*Apologies if you receive multiple copies*
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The submission deadline is approaching: March 15, 2010.

IEEE Aerospace & Electronics Systems Magazine

Call for Papers: "Recent Trends in Interplanetary Communications Systems"

The information content of scientific data coming from remote planets
explorations is very high and it is still not fully exploited by the
scientific and public communities. A large distribution of such data to
scientists not directly involved in a space mission project is a
relevant objective worthy of interest. This evolution requires an
increase in returned data volumes and higher data rates, envisaging the
need of complex Interplanetary communications architectures and
technologies.
Furthermore, future human missions to Mars and Moon will require a
reliable and interactive  communication infrastructure able to connect
astronauts, landers, rovers and orbiters with Earth facilities.
Several issues have to be taken into account while defining and
realizing an interplanetary network. Some of the most important concerns
are: a) large propagation delays and path losses; b) scarce resources;
c) limited quantity of energy; d) discontinuity of the links.
These requirements added to constraints on cost, size, mass and energy
consumption of space communication equipments make the enhancement and
optimization processes highly recommendable.
Radio Frequency (RF) and optical communications technologies represents
two complementary approaches to establish point to point communications
links at very long distance. The research in the design and optimization
of these technologies is open and wide.
Besides new RF and optical communications technologies, the exploitation
of novel networking solutions plays a crucial role. In more detail,
concerning the networking architecture, the Delay Tolerant Network (DTN)
architecture is an important tool, which basically consists in the
Bundle Protocol layer implemented under the application layer and
running directly over transport, network or data link layers.

We solicit papers covering a variety of topics that include, but are not
limited to the following subjects:
   - Architecture design and specific mission analysis;
   - Satellite constellations and infrastructures for space missions;
   - Innovative protocol stacks and paradigms for interplanetary networks;
   - DTN protocols in space missions;
   - RF and optical communication technologies;
   - Physical and MAC layer schemes and advanced modulation/coding
techniques;
   - Interplanetary and DTN routing protocols;
   - Congestion control at different protocol layers;
   - Flexible and reliable Transport layer (Enhanced TCP, LTP, SCPS-TP,
TP-Planet, etc.) over medium, long and Interplanetary distances;
   - Innovative space mission applications including space life sciences,
space telemedicine, instrument connectivity and monitoring;
   - Interplanetary network security;
   - Efficient network and power management techniques;
   - Advanced video, image and signal processing for deep space systems;
   - Advanced simulations and emulations to assess the performance of
interplanetary networks.

Interplanetary communications systems involve several
scientific/engineering communities ranging from space science and
systems to communications technologies and networks, and all of them are
solicited to submit articles.

Papers should be tutorial in nature and focus on issues and findings
that will influence the development of communication services and
applications for the selected area. Papers should allow readers to gain
basic understanding and insight into the evolution of Interplanetary
Communications Systems. Detailed mathematical equations and proofs are
not desirable.


Submission information:

Authors should follow the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine
formatting and paper submission guidelines available on:
http://sysaes.msubmit.net. Please, specifically identify submitted
contributions as part of this special issue.


Schedule:

Prospective authors are requested to submit original papers 
electronically via the website (http://sysaes.msubmit.net) by March 15,
2010.
Tentative publication date: last quarter of 2010.


Guest Editors:

Mauro De Sanctis
University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy
mauro.de.sanctis@uniroma2.it

Giuseppe Araniti
University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria, Italy
araniti@unirc.it

Igor Bisio
University of Genoa, Italy
igor@dist.unige.it

Ruhai Wang
Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA
wang@ee.lamar.edu

Scott C. Burleigh
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California, USA
scott.c.burleigh@jpl.nasa.gov

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