An experiment in international high-speed packet switching via satellite

Early experiments have shown that high-speed data communications via satellite permit geographically distributed computers and resources to be effectively operated as integrated data processing facilities. It was found that a substantial amount of mainframe computing power was required for control and management of the satellite network functions. The observed requirements led to an experimental program in high-speed international packet switching (HIPS) and the the development of a programmable interface processor (PIP). The PIP controls all necessary functions of the satellite network and provides advanced network services. The HIPS experiment had the objective to establish a two-node satellite network to carry out packet-switching experiments and demonstrate new techniques and technology. Attention is given to system configuration, the transmission subsystem, experimental results, and applications evaluation.