A new generation CCSDS File Delivery Protocol for multi‐hopped space file transfer

The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) is an international standardisation organisation for space data systems. It has been developing standard recommendations for space communication networks. To overcome the increasing space mission complexity and to provide an autonomous file transfer solution, the CCSDS has specified a new file transfer protocol for use both in space and ground based networks, named CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP). The CNES (French Space Agency), as one of the active participants in CCSDS, has successfully developed CFDP and demonstrated its utility for space use.

This paper presents the organisation of CFDP and its reference scenarios. The CNES implementation of CFDP is then described. Then how the protocol is validated on a local area network (LAN) using the CNES implemented space link simulator is described. Finally the paper presents the comparison of the CFDP performance with the other protocols.