Performance evaluation of LEO satellite constellations with inter-satellite links under self-similar and Poisson traffic

Abstract

A real-time simulation study for the evaluation of traffic flow in low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, used for the interconnection of high-speed networks, is presented in this paper. The proposed model simulates the traffic process end to end at the packet level, supporting successfully the implementation of self-similar traffic sources, a modelling approach that has been considered more realistic than the well-known Poisson, for real-time communications. An in-depth study for the establishment of inter-satellite links (ISLs) and the design of the terrestrial and space segments is presented and the performance of the integrated system is evaluated in terms of delay and throughput parameters. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.