2018/11/12 by Mark Handley · 5 citations
Engineering · Computer Science · #Satellite Communication Systems #Advanced Optical Network Technologies #Opportunistic and Delay-Tolerant Networks
paper · doi:10.1145/3286062.3286075
openalex publication_date 2018/11/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
SpaceX has filed plans with the US Federal Communications Committee (FCC) to build a constellation of 4,425 low Earth orbit communication satellites. It will use phased array antennas for up and downlinks and laser communication between satellites to provide global low-latency high bandwidth coverage. To understand the latency propertes of such a network, we built a simulator based on public details from the FCC filings. We evaluate how to use the laser links to provide a network, and look at the problem of routing on this network. We provide a preliminary evaluation of how well such a network can provide low-latency communications, and examine its multipath properties. We conclude that a network built in this manner can provide lower latency communications than any possible terrestrial optical fiber network for communications over distances greater than about 3000 km.