Multilayer Feature-Rich Satellite Network Analysis: An Application-Oriented and Time-Evolving Approach

Satellite communication network is a multilayer feature-rich system which architecture design should be done in accordance with various application requirements. Satellite resource are limited and thus should be carefully balanced among different functionalities to achieve the best overall system performance. Energy distribution should be determined by considering application service, payload and platform features. In this paper, a time-evolving graph model is modified to characterize satellite communication-specified scenario with strengthened payload-platform relationship and integrated physical-to-network multilayer modeling. Considering mission scenarios satisfying multiple user needs, feature-rich network analysis strategy is developed. Multi-objective optimization models are formulated and solved concerning design variables in various system levels. Simulation scenarios are established based on Pareto analysis while non-dominated designs are analyzed to assist the decision-making process in system architecting. Results show that comprehensive linear and nonlinear models suggest satellite design with better capacity performance. This framework is consistent with the top-down system development procedure and is easily extendible to include detailed elements of system design and modeling.