What are the most common components of satellite network architecture?

1 Satellite segment

The satellite segment consists of the satellites themselves and their associated subsystems, such as power, propulsion, attitude control, payload, and telemetry. The satellites are launched into specific orbits depending on their intended function and coverage area. For example, geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites remain fixed above a certain point on the equator, while low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites move around the planet at a lower altitude and faster speed. The satellites carry transponders that receive, amplify, and retransmit signals from and to the ground segment.

2 Ground segment

The ground segment comprises the terrestrial stations that communicate with the satellites and provide control, monitoring, and data processing functions. The ground segment includes user terminals, gateways, network operations centers, and tracking, telemetry, and command (TT&C) stations. User terminals are the devices that access the satellite network for various applications, such as voice, data, video, or navigation. Gateways are the stations that connect the satellite network to other networks, such as the Internet, cellular, or terrestrial. Network operations centers are the facilities that manage the overall performance, configuration, and maintenance of the satellite network. TT&C stations are the stations that send and receive commands and data to and from the satellites to ensure their proper functioning and orbit.

3 Space segment

The space segment refers to the links between the satellites and the ground segment. The space segment can be divided into two types: uplink and downlink. The uplink is the link from the ground segment to the satellite segment, while the downlink is the link from the satellite segment to the ground segment. The space segment uses different frequency bands, such as C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band, or L-band, depending on the application and the propagation characteristics. The space segment also involves different modulation, coding, and multiple access techniques, such as frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), or orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), to transmit and receive signals efficiently and reliably.

4 Network layer

The network layer is the layer that handles the routing and switching of packets between different nodes in the satellite network. The network layer can use different protocols, such as Internet Protocol (IP), Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), to provide different levels of quality of service (QoS), reliability, and security. The network layer can also use different architectures, such as star, mesh, or hybrid, to connect the nodes in different ways. For example, in a star architecture, all nodes communicate through a central hub, while in a mesh architecture, nodes communicate directly with each other.

5 Transport layer

The transport layer is the layer that provides end-to-end communication between applications running on different nodes in the satellite network. The transport layer can use different protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), or Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP), to provide different levels of reliability, congestion control, and error recovery. The transport layer can also use different techniques, such as split connection, spoofing, or caching, to overcome the challenges of satellite communication, such as high latency, packet loss, or bandwidth variation.

6 Application layer

The application layer is the layer that supports the specific services and functions that the satellite network offers to the users. The application layer can include different types of applications, such as voice over IP (VoIP), video conferencing, web browsing, email, file transfer, remote sensing, or broadcasting. The application layer can also use different protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP), to provide different features and functionalities, such as compression, encryption, authentication, or synchronization.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?