Simulation tool for Wireless Sensor Network constellations in space

The explosion of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has given rise to the creation of new embedded operating systems and consequently to the associated simulation environments. Most of these environments are designed for testing applications that do not require node mobility and long distances between nodes. The design of WSNs has recently involved space applications. WSNs in space hold the promise to be an attractive replacement of traditional expensive satellite missions. Space applications have characteristics different from terrestrial applications, the primary being the long distance between the motes (up to a few thousand kilometers) and the very high mote´s velocity (7.5 km/s in Low Earth Orbit). This implies that existing simulators have to be adapted to model and simulate space application´s conditions. This work presents the extensions made to the Cooja simulator, a simulator for Contiki OS motes. The extensions made (constellation positioning, mobility and propagation delay) enable the simulation of WSNs constellations in space.