Designing an Apocalypse-Resilient Cosmic Internet

A Technical Dive into Building a Network that Survives Earth's Apocalypse

Introduction

The Internet has become the epitome of human connectivity and knowledge sharing. As we've grown increasingly dependent on this intricate web of networks, its vulnerabilities have also become apparent. A cosmic internet, resilient even to Earth-bound apocalypses, is moving from the realm of luxury to necessity.

But before diving into the technicalities, let's set the stage: The aim of this post is not just to discuss the architecture of a hypothetical cosmic internet. It's about having fun with the idea, stimulating our collective imaginations, and maybe, just maybe, inspiring some thought-provoking discussions. I'm an experienced software architect, but let's be clear—my expertise doesn't extend to cosmic network design. This is a venture into the exciting unknown, a blend of science and imagination, and I invite you to join me on this speculative journey.

Inspiration

¹John Carmack, an influential tech visionary (I'm a huge fan of him), recently inspired me with a tweet. He proposed a space-based internet² that could withstand catastrophic events, serve humanity's expansion into space, and function autonomously. His idea of off-grid servers, smart routing, and durable GEO satellites serves as the foundation for this post.

The Apocalyptic Scenario: Earth's Doomsday

In a nightmarish turn of events, the world's worst fears are realized: a nuclear apocalypse devastate Earth. Major cities are obliterated within minutes, taking down with them the bulk of data centres that once hosted all the humankind information—medical records, technological blueprints, historical documents, and more. A lot of satellites that orbited Earth are either knocked out of the sky by nuclear shockwaves or disabled by the electromagnetic pulses that followed the blasts.

Sarah, a scientist, is among the lucky few who managed to reach a subterranean shelter before the disaster. Her shelter, designed to sustain a community of 50 people, is stocked with essential supplies. However, the shelter's residents are not just battling for physical survival; they're struggling to preserve knowledge and maintain a semblance of societal structure. Sarah knows of a website hosted on an Orbiting Data Center (ODC) that contains critical information—how to purify water using makeshift materials, techniques for subsistence farming in contaminated soil, medical first aid procedures, and communication protocols for survivors.

Access to this server isn't a mere convenience; it's a lifeline. The information it holds could mean the difference between a short, brutish existence and the hope for rebuilding. The shelter's isolated server can only connect to the outside world, or what's left of it, via a rudimentary satellite link. Can any existing or theoretical network architecture enable Sarah to access this vital information? How would each architecture behave in this dire situation?

Architectural Models for a Cosmic Internet

Earth-Centric Model

System Architecture

In the Earth-Centric model, Earth's surface hosts the primary data centres, network operation centres, and ground stations that control satellites in both Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO). In addition, there are backup data centres and relay stations established on the Moon and Mars. These celestial bases are connected to Earth via ³ links and are generally used for research and redundancy.

System Components Involved:

• Earth-Based Data Centres: Store the majority of the data and handle most of the computational load.

• Ground Stations: Control the satellites, handle Earth-to-space communications.⁴

• LEO Satellites: Provide fast, low-latency internet services.⁵

• GEO Satellites: Offer wider coverage but with higher latency.⁶

• Moon and Mars Bases: Serve as backup data storage and have their own ground stations to control any orbiting satellites around these celestial bodies.

Post-Apocalypse Impact:

• Earth-Based Data Centres: Destroyed, resulting in loss of primary data storage and computational resources.

• Ground Stations: Incapacitated, leading to loss of control over satellites.

• LEO Satellites: Likely knocked out by nuclear shockwaves or rendered useless by electromagnetic pulses (EMPs).

• GEO Satellites: Some might survive, but would be uncontrollable due to the loss of ground stations.

• Moon and Mars Bases: Operational, but with limited data and no capability to control or receive data from Earth-orbiting satellites.

In this grim scenario, Sarah's chances of accessing the critical website would depend on whether the data she needs had been backed up to the Moon or Mars bases. Even if it had been, the communication link would be tenuous at best, given that the shelter's server relies on a rudimentary satellite link that, in all likelihood, is no longer functional due to the loss of Earth's ground stations.

This scenario highlights the Earth-Centric model's vulnerability to catastrophic Earth-bound events and underscores the need for a more resilient architecture.

Hybrid Model

System Architecture

The Hybrid Model combines elements of both the Earth-Centric and Distributed Models. Earth serves as the primary hub but is supplemented by a network of Interplanetary Routing Nodes (IRNs) and Orbiting Data Centres (ODCs). These assets are not just backups; they actively participate in data storage and routing, functioning in tandem with Earth-based systems.

Components Involved:

• Earth-Based Data Centres and Ground Stations: Similar to the Earth-Centric model, these handle the majority of data storage and satellite control.

• Interplanetary Routing Nodes (IRNs): Positioned at various points in space, these are smart routers equipped with machine learning algorithms for efficient data routing.⁷

• Orbiting Data Centres (ODCs): These are essentially data centres in space, orbiting Earth, Moon, or Mars. They store data and can perform computational tasks.

• Celestial Bases on Moon and Mars: These have their own IRNs and small-scale ODCs and serve as a bridge for interplanetary communication.

• LEO and GEO Satellites: Serve dual purposes—Earth-based internet coverage and interplanetary data relay.

⁸

Post-Apocalypse Impact:

• Earth-Based Data Centres and Ground Stations: Destroyed or disabled, leading to a complete loss of control over Earth-orbiting satellites.

• Interplanetary Routing Nodes (IRNs): Still operational and capable of autonomous function due to their machine learning capabilities.

• Orbiting Data Centres (ODCs): Partially operational; those orbiting Moon and Mars would continue to function, but Earth-orbiting ODCs may be incapacitated.

• Celestial Bases on Moon and Mars: Fully operational and capable of both storing and routing data.

• LEO and GEO Satellites: LEO satellites would likely be destroyed, but some GEO satellites could survive, albeit without Earth-based control.

In this scenario, Sarah's chances of accessing the vital information are moderately better compared to the Earth-Centric model. The IRNs would detect the loss of Earth-based nodes and reroute her data request autonomously to the nearest functional ODC, likely one orbiting the Moon or Mars. However, latency and data integrity could be issues, given the unprecedented network load and the loss of Earth's primary data centres.

This highlights the Hybrid Model's adaptability and resilience but also brings attention to its complexity and potential points of failure.

Distributed Model with No Central Hub

System Architecture

In this model, there are no central hubs like Earth; instead, we rely on a mesh of Interplanetary Routing Nodes (IRNs) and Orbiting Data Centres (ODCs) distributed across various celestial bodies like the Moon, Mars, and potentially even farther locations like Europa, one of Jupiter's moons.

Components:

• Interplanetary Routing Nodes (IRNs): Smart routers equipped with machine learning algorithms to make real-time routing decisions based on network health, data request types, and other factors. Similar concepts exist in Earth-based Content Delivery Networks.

• Orbiting Data Centers (ODCs): These are self-sustaining data centers orbiting celestial bodies, equipped with solar panels for energy and advanced cooling systems to mitigate overheating.

• Local Gateways: These are Earth-based servers that initially handle user requests and interface with the cosmic network. Post-apocalypse, similar structures would exist in any surviving colonies on the Moon or Mars.

⁹

Network and Packet Flow Examples

1. Earth: Sarah inputs a URL to access vital survival information. The local Gateway forwards this to the nearest IRN.

2. Moon: A Moon colonist inputs a similar request. The IRN directly connected to the Moon colony routes the request to the closest ODC.

3. Mars: A Martian inputs a URL. The Martian local Gateway sends the request to its closest IRN, which then forwards it to an ODC orbiting Mars.

Power Source Criticality and Lifespan

• IRNs: Powered by advanced solar panels and small nuclear reactors, these could last up to 25 years without maintenance.

• ODCs: These could last up to 30 years, thanks to their more substantial power sources, including larger solar arrays and nuclear reactors.

The primary risk for IRNs and ODCs would be mechanical failures and radiation damage, exacerbated by the lack of maintenance post-apocalypse.

Post-Apocalypse Impact:

In the wake of Earth's destruction, the Distributed Model with No Central Hub stands as a beacon of resilience. Here's how:

• Local Gateways: Any local Gateway that survived the apocalypse would become a vital link for survivors like Sarah to access the cosmic network. These could be in subterranean shelters or fortified structures.

• IRNs & ODCs Unaffected: Since IRNs and ODCs are distributed across celestial bodies and orbits, they are insulated from Earth-based catastrophes. Their machine learning algorithms would quickly adapt to the loss of Earth-based data centers, rerouting requests to the next optimal ODC.

• Data Integrity: The distributed nature of ODCs ensures that data, including vital survival information, remains intact and accessible even if Earth-based data centers are destroyed.

• Communication: Surviving human colonies on the Moon or Mars would be able to maintain communication with each other, thanks to the network's distributed architecture.

• Energy Sustainability: The ODCs and IRNs are designed for long-term sustainability with minimal maintenance. Even after a catastrophic event, these centers could continue to function for decades, powered by their renewable energy sources.

• Information Retrieval: For Sarah and others in post-apocalyptic Earth, accessing information on how to cope with radiation, find clean water, or communicate with other survivors would still be possible.

In the aftermath of Earth's nuclear apocalypse, the Distributed Model with No Central Hub proves to be a robust system for ensuring the continuity of information and communication.

• Sarah's Quest for Information: Sarah, surviving in a subterranean shelter on Earth, needs vital information on radiation treatment. She uses a terminal connected to a local Gateway to input her request.

• Local Gateway Role: The surviving local Gateway in Sarah's shelter becomes her first touchpoint to the cosmic network. It forwards her request to the nearest available IRN, which could be orbiting the Moon or Mars.

• IRN Adaptability: Recognizing the catastrophic loss of Earth-based resources, the IRN's machine learning algorithms reroute Sarah's request to an ODC that has the requisite data. This could be an ODC orbiting Mars, which had mirrored crucial medical data from Earth.

• Data Retrieval: Sarah receives the radiation treatment data she was seeking, thanks to the network's ability to reroute and fulfill her request despite Earth's compromised state.

• Sustained Communication: Beyond just Sarah, the surviving members of human society on Earth, Moon, or Mars colonies could still access vital information and communicate with each other, thanks to this model.

In essence, the Distributed Model with No Central Hub ensures that not all is lost for Sarah and others like her. Despite the unimaginable scale of destruction, the network's decentralized nature and adaptive routing capabilities offer a glimmer of hope and a means of survival.

Available and Future Technologies

To bring the concept of a cosmic internet to life, we'll need a mix of existing technologies and forward-thinking innovations. Below is a table detailing some of the pivotal technologies that could serve as the backbone for this ambitious venture:

Existing technologies like high-frequency communication links and machine learning algorithms for routing lay a solid groundwork but need to be tailored for the unique challenges of space. Meanwhile, emerging technologies like small-scale nuclear reactors and quantum communication are still in the experimental or developmental stages but hold significant promise for future applications.

Conclusion

The concept of a cosmic internet will become increasingly relevant as we set our sights beyond Earth, envisioning a future where humanity is an interplanetary species. This post has tried to provide a high-level overview of different architectural models that could support such an expansive network. While each has its own set of challenges and benefits, the Distributed Model with No Central Hub offers a compelling blend of resiliency and adaptability, particularly relevant as demonstrated through Sarah's use-case scenario.

In future posts, I'll go deeper into the technological intricacies of these architectures. From exploring the potential of machine learning in data routing to evaluating the long-term sustainability of power sources in space, there's much more to uncover. I’ll also look into new protocols that could better serve a cosmic network, addressing the unique challenges it presents.

If you have thoughts on the architecture, protocols, or any other aspect of a cosmic internet, please feel free to contribute.

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This post was inspired by John Carmack's insights on the limitations and potential of space-based internet systems. The technical details and hypothetical scenarios are extensions of his initial thoughts, designed to explore the possibilities and challenges of such a network. Additionally, some phrase reformulations and grammar checks were performed with the assistance of ChatGPT-4 by OpenAI.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carmack

2. https://www.nasa.gov/smallsat-institute/sst-soa/communications

3. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20160009224/downloads/20160009224.pdf

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_segment

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit

7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplanetary_Internet

8. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Communication-Technologies-and-Architectures-for-Mukherjee-Ramamurthy/321fd43e650b3547bcdec5a6718de12365016a57

9. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Interplanetary-Internet-Network-Concept-Credits-NASA_fig7_346016205