Local Mesh Network
Short-Range RF Mesh Communication Network
The short-range RF mesh communication network is a decentralized wireless system connecting mobile robots, stationary sensors, and fixed Ark infrastructure across an operational range of at least 5 kilometers. Operating across UHF or S-band frequencies using radiation-hardened transceivers, the network provides local robot coordination and telemetry distribution with latencies under 50 milliseconds independent of an Earth link. Surface deployment is complicated by local topography and crater rims that obstruct line-of-sight paths, signal multipath from regolith reflections, dust accumulation on antenna elements, and extreme thermal cycling that stresses radio electronics across a 100-year operating life.
Short-range RF mesh network enabling communication between robots, sensors, and fixed Ark infrastructure within the operational area.
Purpose
Provide reliable low-latency data exchange for robot coordination, sensor telemetry collection, and distributed command distribution without dependence on the Earth link.
Context
Serves as the local nervous system connecting all mobile and fixed assets around the Ark; must handle dynamic topology as robots move and support prioritized traffic for safety-critical messages.
Principles
- ▸Self-healing mesh topology for resilience to node failures
- ▸Dynamic routing adapts to mobile node positions
- ▸Quality-of-service prioritization for safety-critical traffic
- ▸Low power consumption for battery-operated nodes
Typical implementations
- ▸UHF or S-band mesh radios
- ▸IEEE 802.15.4-derived protocols adapted for vacuum
- ▸Time-division multiple access for deterministic latency
- ▸Multi-hop relay for range extension beyond line-of-sight
Lunar considerations
- ▸No atmospheric attenuation but multipath from regolith reflections
- ▸Line-of-sight limited by terrain features and crater rims
- ▸Extreme thermal cycling affects radio electronics
- ▸Lunar dust on antenna elements
- ▸No ionosphere so no skip propagation
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Route data packets between all local Ark assets using self-healing mesh topology |
| inputs | data packets from robots, sensor telemetry, command messages from CDH |
| outputs | routed data to destination nodes, network status telemetry |
| max nodes | >=50 |
| data rate per node kbps | >=100 |
| latency ms | <=50 |
| range km | >=5 |
Physical
| materials | radiation-hardened transceivers, conformal antennas |
| vacuum | True |
| dust | lunar regolith |
Operational
| thermal range c | -173, 127 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
Interfaces
Provides
- RF mesh connectivity for all robotic assets
- Aggregated sensor data from distributed mesh nodes
Requires
- Power for mesh gateway nodes and repeaters
- Synchronized time base for TDMA scheduling
Decomposes into
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Local Mesh Network" (L2-COM-MESH). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L2-COM-MESH
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.