Thanks to new technology from NASA, it may become possible to get internet access in space.

Called the Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN), this development is a new communications protocol that is , according to NASA. The space agency has installed this software on its International Space Station (ISS) to make communication quicker and easier.

“DTN works by providing a reliable and automatic ‘store and forward’ data network that stores partial bundles of data in nodes along a communication path until the parts can be forwarded or retransmitted, then re-bundled at the final destination – either to ground stations on Earth, robotic spacecraft in deep space, or, one day, ,” the agency stated in a release.“This differs from traditional Internet Protocols that require all nodes in the transmission path to be available during the same time frame for successful data transmission.”

On Earth, information on the internet is spread using a series of communication points that must be clear and available for information , according to UPI. In space, these nodes usually aren’t lined up because of movement.

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The image above shows a depiction of the Disruption Tolerant Network. The technology's protocols will enable the Solar System Internet, allowing data to be stored in nodes until transmission is successful.

(NASA)

Delay- and disruption-tolerant networks such as this one are beneficial because they can improve electronic communications by storing data whenever a connection is interrupted and forwarding it to its destination with relay stations, according to NASA. The current technology aboard ISS has established a long-term communications test bed, which sends test messages between the space station and stations on Earth.

While DTN’s initial purpose was to advance space applications, the technology could also prove useful on Earth.

"Our experience with DTN on the space station leads to additional terrestrial applications, especially for mobile communications in which connections may be erratic and discontinuous,” said Dr.Vinton G. Cerf, vice president and chief internet evangelist for Google, in the release. “In some cases, battery power will be an issue and devices may have to postpone communication until battery charge is adequate. These notions are relevant to the emerging 'Internet of Things.'"

Additionally, it allows for more reliable and efficient data transmission,, NASA said in a separate release. It is also more secure and allows for many priority levels to be set for different types of data to make sure that the most important information is received first.

The DTN protocol is being developed by NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems DTN project.

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