A proposed communications architecture for the first lunar outpost

The manned and robotic return to the Moon envisioned in America´s Space Exploration Initiative requires communications. An architecture for the Jet Propulsion Laboratories Deep Space Network appropriate for human and robotic exploration of the Moon is proposed. Network management can make a major contribution towards establishing a robust and reliable communications system. Economic implementation of lunar communications requires the use of standardized techniques. The need for standardization extends to the communications medium, the communications protocols, and the network management scheme