![]() ![]() The DSN allocates a majority of the bandwidth to its main application, which is responsible for mission critical activities. “The limited bandwidth results in long round-trip delay, and there’s a risk for packet loss.”Įstablishing a Connection with Alexa in space But the DSN is not like broadband,” says Li. “With Alexa, we often work with the high bandwidth and low latency of commercial internet. Its upload speed, for example, can achieve a maximum bandwidth of only 200 Kbps for Alexa payload device– only four times as fast the speeds achieved by the typical modem. Though the DSN is powerful, it does have significant bandwidth restrictions for different applications. Scientists also use the DSN to conduct advanced scientific research, such as mapping asteroids and exploring the interiors of planets. The network can acquire and distribute telemetry data, provide a place for teams to control space missions, and track spacecraft with incredible precision. In addition to its communications capabilities, the DSN also has powerful applications for tracking, monitoring, and commanding spacecraft. While designing the DSN, NASA placed the related facilities strategically so that the DSN could stay in constant communication with spacecraft as the earth rotates, providing a critical link to explorers in space. According to NASA, the DSN is the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system on the planet, made up of satellite and antenna installations located around the world. The Deep Space Network (DSN) is NASA’s proprietary communications network. ![]() In this article, Li explained how Alexa’s engineers overcame issues related to limited bandwidth to communicate over NASA’s Deep Space Network. Li joined the Alexa team 5 years ago, before which he helped build devices like the Echo Show at Amazon Lab126, the inventive San Francisco Bay Area research and development team that designs and engineers high-profile consumer electronic devices. Zhengran Li is a software development manager at Amazon. In this series, we are exploring how Amazon’s brightest minds have developed innovative solutions to support Alexa’s journey. Recently, Alexa went into space aboard the Orion spacecraft as part of Artemis I, the first of a series of NASA missions that will pave the way for human exploration to the moon and Mars. Alexa joined the mission as part of Callisto, a technology demonstration payload embedded into NASA’s Orion spacecraft and built in collaboration with engineers from Amazon, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin. ![]()
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