Tutorial G |
CCSDS Course — Review of the International Standards for Space Communications |
Fees |
General Tutorial Attendee (Half-Day): $250 Full-Time Student (Half-Day): $125 |
Date |
Monday, February 23, 2026 |
Time |
8:00 AM – 11:30 AM PT |
| Overview | The CCSDS tutorial provides an overview of the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) standards for communications. It includes an organizational and technical background to the standards that have been adopted by a majority of the world’s space agencies. It presents descriptions of the publications and adopting agencies, and example protocol implementations for ground-ground, ground space and space-space communication links. It provides a graphical depiction of the CCSDS protocol stacks with references to the more common OSI stack. It includes descriptions of practical applications for high-latency and error-prone links, reasons to include different forms of modulation schemes, forward error correction and compression, practical reasons for using packets in space, considerations for making everything IP-based, concerns over security, new applications of short and medium distance wi-fi techniques, and interoperability interests between civil and defense systems. Questions related to new standards proposed for user interfaces are also explored. Optical communications and the new Unified Space Link Protocol will also be introduced as the path forward for CCSDS.
I use the following outline as a basis for the course:
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| Instructor | Robert Ritter, MI-Technology for Kratos, Inc. |
Biography |
Robert Ritter is a ground systems architect for multi-agency space programs, the Chief Engineer and President of IMI-Technology, and formerly Director of Communication Systems Engineering for Kratos Corporation. He has over 38 years of experience in designing ground system architectures for satellite missions, and data communication networks. Robert has been involved in many worldwide programs implementing CCSDS Standards, and he has worked closely with DoD, NASA, ESA, JAXA and other agency personnel to find practical means for standards adaptation and co-utilization of assets. He has designed boards for communications and signal processing, has written signal processing and simulation software, and has taught numerous courses in the past, including many CCSDS courses around the world. Mr. Ritter has a BSEE from the University of Virginia, an MSEE from Virginia Tech, and an MBA from George Mason University. |