High throughput satellite systems: An analytical approach

Abstract

KA-SAT has represented a new generation of high throughput satellites (HTS) with the largest number of spots delivering a capacity of 90 Gbit/s for a wide variety of services ranging from internet access in homes to satellite news gathering and domestic broadcasting. HTS systems require a critical approach in terms of communication system requirements and payload analysis. This paper presents the typical system architecture of such systems and provides an analytical approach to elements that are required for the estimation of forward and return capacity, the key factor in these systems. These elements include the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and the gain over noise temperature (G/T) cumulative densities, the carrier-to-inference (C/I) estimations and the capacity assessment for the forward and return links.

SDN/NFV-enabled satellite communications networks: Opportunities, scenarios and challenges

“…Advances in satellite communications are being addressed from multiple angles such as High Throughput Satellites (HTS) with multi-beam and frequency reuse capabilities [6], lowcost micro-satellites in low-orbit constellations and higher millimetre wave frequencies [7] [8] and more flexible payloads components to dynamically modify satellite antenna beam patterns in orbit to respond to market demands [9]. Likewise, within the satellite ground segment (satellite hubs, satellite terminals and networking equipment within the satellite networks), main innovations are being pursued through the introduction of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) technologies [10] [11].…”

Towards SDN/NFV-enabled satellite ground segment systems: Bandwidth on Demand use case

“…As instance, SDN switches can add/drop VLAN tags/MPLS headers, enforce differentiate QoS treatments, etc., both for internal or for external interworking purposes. The VSN SDN controller is used (1) to control the operation of the SDN switches, (2) to support dynamic activation of the data transmission services (e.g. satellite bearer services [10]) through an interface with the NCC functions, and (3) to expose a control interface for interworking with the tenant's network.…”

“…Technological advances in the satellite domain such as the use of High Throughput Satellites (HTS) in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) [2] is changing the way that capacity is being brought to the market, reducing the price per bit and making it more attractive for other services such as satellite broadband communications. Likewise, a range of disruptive initiatives envisioning the use of non-GEO constellations with a large number of low-cost micro-satellites [3] might come to fruition in the forthcoming years, anticipating a further reduction in the cost of transmitting a bit over a satellite link while enhancing some of the Quality of Service (QoS) metrics such as latency.…”

Progress in and Prospects of On-Board Communication Equipment Technologies for Communications Satellites in Japan

“…On-board communication technologies should still meet the requirement of higher communication capacity under severe conditions. After 2010, HTS (High Throughput Satellites) started to be commercialized globally by using the Ku or Ka-band with throughputs of several hundred Gbit/s [37]. Among the multi-beam onboard communication technologies described so far, OBP is a key technology to handle over 100 beams.…”