5G from Space: An Overview of 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Networks

Abstract

We provide an overview of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) work on evolving the 5G wireless technology to support non-terrestrial satellite networks. Adapting 5G to support non-terrestrial networks entails a holistic design spanning multiple areas from radio access network to services and system aspects to core and terminals. In this article, we describe the main topics of non-terrestrial networks, explain in detail the design aspects, and share various design rationales influencing standardization.