The Effects of Low Earth Orbit Satellite Constellation Altitude and Inclination on Simulated Non-Terrestrial Network Performance
| dc.contributor.author | Downs, John Steven | en |
| dc.contributor.committeechair | Kenyon, Samantha Parry | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Schroeder, Kevin Kent | en |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Tripathi, Nishithkumar Dhananjay | en |
| dc.contributor.department | Aerospace and Ocean Engineering | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-13T08:00:11Z | en |
| dc.date.available | 2025-03-13T08:00:11Z | en |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-03-12 | en |
| dc.description.abstract | Through the history of satellite communications, non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) have varied in scale and architecture. Satellite orbital elements have been a key feature of the ongoing development and design of modern constellations. Orbital altitude and inclination have impacted the types of service and extent of ground coverage each network can provide. The large scale of low Earth orbit (LEO) mega-constellations has allowed them to provide reliable internet access to a variety of communities and landscapes. When compared to their higher altitude counterparts, the high velocity of low-altitude satellites adds a layer of complexity to each system's network topology. The development of simulation-based testbeds has allowed for further analysis of these complexities. In the study, three LEO mega-constellations were designed, varying in altitude and inclination. The three constellations were simulated using a space network testbed and network latency measurements were taken using Mininet. Of the three constellations, the design most closely resembling existing NTNs with a lower altitude and moderate inclination was found to be the most efficient in terms of network performance. However, the other two designs still provided some unique advantages, which are discussed. | en |
| dc.description.abstractgeneral | The development of satellite communication networks has had a long and varied history. Early networks were mostly composed of a small number of high-altitude satellites. Through improvements in orbit design, low altitude satellite mega-constellations with satellite counts in the thousands have become the primary focus in modern space communication research. These networks have been able to provide reliable internet service over a variety of landscapes, but the high velocities of the low altitude satellites have led to more complexities compared to the high-altitude counterparts. To keep up with the complexities and rapid development of these systems, simulators have been designed to test the various satellite networks. In the study, three large-scale satellite constellations were designed tested using a space network simulator. The designs differed in satellite altitude and orbit inclination. Of the three designs, the one most closely resembling real-life satellite networks was found to be the most efficient. However, the other two designs still offered some unique advantages, which are discussed. | en |
| dc.description.degree | Master of Science | en |
| dc.format.medium | ETD | en |
| dc.identifier.other | vt_gsexam:42569 | en |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10919/124846 | en |
| dc.language.iso | en | en |
| dc.publisher | Virginia Tech | en |
| dc.rights | In Copyright | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | en |
| dc.subject | Satellite | en |
| dc.subject | Constellation | en |
| dc.subject | Simulation | en |
| dc.subject | Testbed | en |
| dc.subject | Network | en |
| dc.title | The Effects of Low Earth Orbit Satellite Constellation Altitude and Inclination on Simulated Non-Terrestrial Network Performance | en |
| dc.type | Thesis | en |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Aerospace Engineering | en |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | en |
| thesis.degree.level | masters | en |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science | en |
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