A new routing algorithm for low Earth orbit satellite networks

In the modern world of telecommunications, the concept of wireless global coverage is of the utmost importance. However, real global coverage can only be achieved by satellite systems. Until recently, satellites were in geostationary orbit and their high altitude could not allow real-time communication such as cellular networks. The development of LEO satellite networks seems to overcome this limit. However, LEO satellite systems have specific characteristics that need to be taken into account. In the same manner, the TCP/IP standard was developed for a terrestrial network. There is a need for a solution that permits the use of TCP/IP on LEO satellite networks without losing too many packets. The idea is to develop a routing algorithm that maximizes the round trip time (RTT) delays compared to the TCP timer granularity. For that, we use a finite state automaton (FSA) based link assignment that simulates the satellite constellation as a fixed network for a predetermined time interval. In this configuration, the problem becomes a static routing problem where an algorithm can find the best solution