Title :
An operational and performance overview of the IRIDIUM low earth orbit satellite system
Author :
Pratt, S.R. ; Raines, Richard A. ; Fossa, Carl E., Jr. ; Temple, Michael A.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Air Force Inst. of Technol., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA
Abstract :
Today, both the military and commercial sectors are placing an increased emphasis on global communications. This has prompted the development of several low earth orbit satellite systems that promise worldwide connectivity and real-time voice communications. This article provides a tutorial overview of the IRIDIUM low earth orbit satellite system and performance results obtained via simulation. First, it presents an overview of key IRIDIUM design parameters and features. Then, it examines the issues associated with routing in a dynamic network topology, focusing on network management and routing algorithm selection. Finally, it presents the results of the simulation and demonstrates that the IRIDIUM system is a robust system capable of meeting published specifications.
Keywords :
satellite communication; telecommunication network management; telecommunication network routing; IRIDIUM design parameters; IRIDIUM low Earth orbit satellite system; dynamic network topology; global communication; network management; operational overview; performance overview; real-time voice communication; routing algorithm selection; worldwide connectivity; Artificial satellites; Cellular networks; Global communication; Low earth orbit satellites; Military communication; Military computing; Military satellites; Routing; Telephone sets; Telephony;
Journal_Title :
Communications Surveys, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/COMST.1999.5340513
