Space based communication network for DoD applications

Summary form only given. To support low-altitude sensor satellites the authors advocate the establishment of a general-purpose space based communication infrastructure at medium or geosynchronous Earth orbit (MEO or GEO), to support the needs of future sensor systems. This communication infrastructure should be able to transfer information from a multitude of sensor-rate mobile uplinks (from ground based, airborne, and low Earth orbit (LEO) sensors) to a few GEPs (ground entry points) at aggregate rates. In addition, low rate control channels will be available with all these links (in the opposite direction). This communication infrastructure should be based on a well-defined protocol (interface specification), that fits into the global communication security architecture in use.<>