AETHERIX
EduQual Level 6 · Interplanetary Communication Networks

The AETHERIX Course

Forty-two lessons that build the complete argument — from why TCP/IP cannot cross 401 million kilometres, to a defensible architecture with working code behind every claim.

42lessons
7phases
42diagrams
9live charts
4h 37mreading

0 of 42 complete

1 day until the exam — 3 September 2026

Phase 1DTN & Routing

Why TCP/IP fails in space, and the Bundle Protocol and RL routing that replace it.

Days 1–9

01 DTN Fundamentals — Why TCP/IP Fails in Space 6 min 1 diagram1 chart 02 Bundle Protocol v7 — Structure, Encoding, Flags & Priority 6 min 1 diagram 03 Convergence Layers — LTP, TCPCL, and UDP-CL 6 min 1 diagram 04 Store-and-Forward & Custody Transfer 7 min 1 diagram 05 Contact Graph Routing vs RL Routing 7 min 1 diagram 06 The Q-Learning Routing Agent — Actions, States & Epsilon-Greedy 7 min 1 diagram 07 Reward Function & Hyperparameters 8 min 1 diagram 08 Multi-Agent RL & Federated Q-Table Aggregation 7 min 1 diagram 09 DTN Integration — How All Modules Work Together 7 min 1 diagram

Phase 2Quantum Communication

QKD from first principles: BB84, E91, repeaters, and post-quantum crypto.

Days 10–14

10 Quantum Communication Primer for Space 5 min 1 diagram 11 BB84 Protocol Deep Dive 5 min 1 diagram1 chart 12 E91 Protocol & Quantum Entanglement 6 min 1 diagram 13 Quantum Repeaters & Entanglement Swapping 6 min 1 diagram 14 Post-Quantum Cryptography (ML-KEM, ML-DSA) 6 min 1 diagram

Phase 3Space Infrastructure

The 5-tier, 241-node topology — ground stations to Mars surface assets.

Days 15–20

15 The 5-Tier Interplanetary Network Topology 6 min 1 diagram1 chart 16 DSN Integration & Ground Stations 6 min 1 diagram 17 Satellite Constellations & Inter-Satellite Links 6 min 1 diagram 18 Lagrange Relay Nodes & Deep Space Transit 7 min 1 diagram 19 Mars Orbital & Surface Assets 6 min 1 diagram 20 Topology Review & Design Defense 6 min 1 diagram

Phase 4Link Budgets & Orbital Mechanics

The physics: path loss, link margin, orbital geometry, contact windows, Doppler.

Days 21–27

21 Optical Link Budgets (1550 nm) 6 min 1 diagram1 chart 22 RF Link Budgets (Ka/X/S/UHF) 7 min 1 diagram 23 Free Space Path Loss Mathematics 6 min 1 diagram1 chart 24 Orbital Mechanics & Earth-Mars Distance 7 min 1 diagram1 chart 25 Contact Window Prediction 6 min 1 diagram 26 Doppler Shift Compensation 6 min 1 diagram1 chart 27 Link Budget & Orbital Mechanics Integration Review 8 min 1 diagram1 chart

Phase 5Radiation-Hardened Computing

SEU, SEL, TID, DD — and the TMR, ECC and FDIR that survive them.

Days 28–31

28 Radiation Effects on Space Electronics 7 min 1 diagram1 chart 29 Hardware Mitigation — TMR, SECDED ECC, Rad-Hardened Processors 7 min 1 diagram 30 Software Mitigation — FDIR, Memory Scrubbing, Checkpointing, BIST 7 min 1 diagram 31 NASA Core Flight System (cFS) Integration 7 min 1 diagram

Phase 6Data Prioritization & QoS

Priority tiers, compression standards, and emergency preemption.

Days 32–34

32 Data Classification — The 4-Tier Priority System 7 min 1 diagram 33 Compression & QoS Scheduling — CCSDS 121/122 and Deadline-Aware Forwarding 7 min 1 diagram 34 Emergency Protocols & Priority Preemption 8 min 1 diagram

Phase 7Standards, Scenarios & Exam Mastery

Standards compliance, the conjunction scenario, and exam-day delivery.

Days 35–42

35 Standards Compliance — CCSDS Blue Books, IETF RFCs, NIST FIPS 7 min 1 diagram 36 Failure & Recovery — Solar Conjunction Scenario 7 min 1 diagram 37 Performance Analysis — Metrics, Methodology, Validation 7 min 1 diagram 38 Design Rationale & Architecture Defense 9 min 1 diagram 39 Presentation Mastery — Part 1 (Network & Quantum) 5 min 1 diagram 40 Presentation Mastery — Part 2 (Infrastructure, Scenarios, Conclusion) 6 min 1 diagram 41 Mock Interview Mastery — 15 Questions, 30-40 Minutes 8 min 1 diagram 42 Exam Day Strategy — September 3, 2026 6 min 1 diagram