ABSNE—Agent-Based Space Network Emulator

ABSNE was developed for the Air Force to reproduce the behavior of a mobile, wireless network within a laboratory testbed.

Replicating a wireless space network environment in a laboratory testbed, which is necessary for testing, debugging, and performance evaluation, is challenging. It is impossible to physically mimic the movement of the satellites in space in a testbed environment, but movement dynamics have significant impact on protocol performance as well as the application software that relies on these protocols.

In this effort, ATC developed and demonstrated an emulation tool called the Agent-Based Space Network Emulator (ABSNE). ABSNE technology is critical for testing, debugging, and evaluating the performance of protocols and distributed applications that involve wireless space networks.

The ABSNE emulation capabilities are applicable to any environment where testing of mobile, wireless nodes is required.