IP telephony for interplanetary exploration

Voice over IP (VoIP), using techniques developed for telephony, is a natural method for providing voice services for planetary explorers. Providing the ability to make telephone calls over the Internet, VoIP can replace radiofrequency communications in remote environments that are not serviced by a conventional telephone system. VoIP can provide better quality voice than either analog radio or conventional phone. As another benefit, VoIP enables the integration of voice and data applications, thus eliminating the need for separate frequency management and antenna systems. This paper provide an overview of IP telephony and wireless LAN concepts and examine VoIP applicability for planetary exploration. The use of VoIP at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) be evaluated. Benefits be highlighted and additional features that would be desirable to incorporate with VoIP be discussed. The paper conclude with a discussion of VoIP studies that be conducted by the NREN group in the future.