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StatusOngoing
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Activity Code3A.170
The main objective of this project is to design and demonstrate link protection and restoration protocols that can be deployed to provide optical feeder link site-diversity in satellite constellation networks. Optical feeder links are often interrupted by cloud blockages, optical feeder link site-diversity mechanisms and protocols are a good way to achieve the availability required for telecommunication services, while keeping the additional capacity required for redundant paths low.
The project objectives include the definition of a suitable reference operational scenario, which is required for the design and demonstration of the optical feeder-link site-diversity protocols. The main use case is the global interconnection of autonomous systems such as provider, company, or governmental networks.
A further objective is the implementation of a packet based (event driven) system, a protocol simulator for the evaluation and optimisation of the protocols for optical feeder link site-diversity at high transmission rates and under realistic cloud blockage statistics.
Key performance indicators are availability, delay, jitter, disruption durations, required buffering space for delay compensation, and additional capacity needed in redundant paths. These are used for the evaluation of the optical feeder link-site diversity protocols.
The targeted Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the protocols for optical feeder link site-diversity is 4.
The key challenges of the project are the development and implementation of the protocols for optical feeder link site-diversity, the implementation of the packet based (event driven) system, and the protocol simulator for a realistic operational scenario with realistic traffic and cloud blockage models.
The system to be simulated comprises a satellite constellation network with routers/switches in the satellite nodes, optical inter-satellite links, optical feeder links, optical ground station networks with Point of Presence (PoP), a network control centre, and autonomous systems which communicate via the satellite constellation network.
A further key challenge is the performance simulation of the optical feeder link site-diversity protocols at high data rates.
The link protection and restoration protocols for optical feeder link site-diversity in satellite constellation networks are a good means to achieve the availability required for telecommunications services, while keeping the additional capacity required for redundant paths low.
Components: Protocol elements and algorithms (control plane and data plane) for optical feeder link site-diversity in an optical satellite constellation network.
Involved entities: Optical ground stations, optical ground station networks with Point of Presence (PoP), routers of the satellite constellation network, network control centre.
The reference system consists of a satellite constellation network with routers/switches in the satellite nodes, optical inter-satellite links, optical ground stations (OGSes), optical ground station networks with Point of Presence (PoP), a network control center, and Autonomous Systems (ASes), which communicate via the optical satellite constellation network. Autonomous systems access the optical satellite constellation network via a Point of Presence (PoP), which is part of the optical ground station networks.
The project has one phase. Milestones are the:
- Definition of the system scenario.
- Technical specifications of potential solutions for optical feeder link site-diversity.
- Trade-off analyses and the selection of the most promising solution as a technical baseline.
- Detailed design of the protocol and mechanism for optical feeder link site-diversity.
- Implementation of a system and protocol simulator.
- Tests of the implemented solutions with the system and protocol simulator.
- Technology assessment and development plan to further raise the TRL of the mechanism and protocol for optical feeder link site-diversity.
The project has just started. Work currently in progress is the definition of the use cases and of the reference operational scenario, the definition of the key performance indicators for benchmarking, and the definition of service and system level requirements.
