Assessing the capacity of a federated ground station

Abstract

We introduce models and tools to assess the communication capacity of dynamic ground station networks, in particular federated networks that are composed of geographically diverse and independent stations that loosely collaborate to provide increased satellite connectivity. Network capacity is the amount of information exchanged between a network of satellites and ground stations. The constraints on total network capacity which influence transmission capabilities are outlined, such as the satellite, ground station, and overall network parameters. Orbit propagators are combined with engineering analysis software to compare the capacity of existing and future ground station networks. Simulation results from recent clustered satellite launches are presented and discussed. By studying network capacity, we identify the potential for leveraging these federated networks to support multiple missions from multiple institutions. Future work is outlined, including the need to accurately model both satellite communication requirements, develop real time network analysis tools, and work towards developing dynamic optimization techinques for global autonomous networks.