Exploiting Inter-Satellite Links for In-Flight Connectivity Scheme in Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks

Space-air-ground integrated networks (SAGIN) are pivotal for achieving uninterrupted in-flight connectivity (IFC). Most existing studies, however, merely treat satellites as transparent forwarding nodes, and overlook their caching capabilities in enhancing the IFC data rate. In this paper, we consider an IFC-oriented SAGIN, where the satellites collaboratively deliver the content to airborne passengers to facilitate airborne communication. Considering the cached files instantaneously accessible via satellites, this work pioneers the integration of multiple inter-satellite links (ISLs) into the IFC framework, thereby innovating the content delivery process. To minimize the average delay of content delivery, we formulate an optimization problem and propose an exact penalty-based method to derive the satellite association scheme. Our proposed framework has a low complexity and thus paves the way for high-speed Internet connectivity to aviation passengers. Finally, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed IFC framework for SAGIN.

I. Introduction

The demand for continuous and reliable internet connectivity has extended from terrestrial networks to the aviation sector in recent years [1]. A report shows that 82% of people surveyed consider in-flight connectivity (IFC) as a basic expectation of passengers [2]. Meanwhile, introducing in-flight Wi-Fi is estimated to potentially add an extra $30 billion to airline revenues by the year 2035 [3].