Satellite Based Internet

Ahsan Abid (L1S18MSEE0013)

Awais Amin (L1S17MSEE0005)
 Abstract— Satellites have been used to interconnect needs to be robust in order for the satellite to tackle harsh
heterogeneous networks components in a satellite-based internet space environment, rain attenuation and radiation. GSOs act
system while providing worldwide direct internet access to homes as bent pipes meaning they serve as repeaters between two
and businesses. The likelihood of the internet as the rapidly communication points on the ground. There is no need for
growing satellite communication applications coupled with
multimedia networks has generated a great deal of interest in the
onboard processing (OBP). Some satellite systems use the
performance of TCP over satellite systems. This article presents OBP which include demodulation/remodulation,
architecture of the satellite internet, compares the advantages of decoding/recoding and routing to utilize channels efficiently.
using LEO satellites with the GEO satellite system. The paper High capacity intersatellite links (ISLs) can also be
also discusses the current challenges and future directions in supported by OBP by connection two satellites within line
satellite-based internet. of sight.
Hand Off
Keywords— Satellite based internet, bent pipe, OBP, ISL, LEO satellites faster revolutions than other satellites, so
DBS
their period is small which is around 100 minutes. When
one satellite moves out of sight another satellite moves in to
I. INTRODUCTION provide services. This is called a Hand-Off. Hand off
In the recent past, the Internet has enjoyed exponential scheme is used for both space and ground segments to locate
growth. The rapid expansion of new applications and a suitable satellite for each ground terminal.
proliferation of computer hosts and users have imposed
new challenges to the development of the internet. Also, Coverage Area and Number of LEO Satellites
in order to provide universal internet access, reasonable Because of the lower altitude of LEO, it has a much
mobility is mandatory. narrower footprint than a GEO satellite. A large number of
Studies have shown that the future of broadcasting, satellites are required to form a constellation so that
internet and telecommunication services would merge continuous and global coverage is ensured. Examples
with satellite-based multimedia. Due to global coverage, include Telegenic (288 satellites) and Iridium (66 satellites).
broadcast capability and ability support mobility of a To ensure constant coverage, all of these satellites need to
satellite communication system, it has become an be kept in their respective positions. This poses a challenge
excellent candidate to provide the users all over the world to the engineers and operators.
with the broadband integrated internet services. People
living in remote areas where terrestrial internet The Bent-Pipe Architecture
infrastructure is sparse, are benefited greatly by satellite A typical scenario of a satellite-based internet with bent pipe
internet. architecture is shown in figure 1.
However, new challenges could arise because of the The satellites that can be deployed are GSO, MEO, or LEO.
interoperation between the satellite system and existing It provides internet access and data trunking services.
terrestrial internet. The paper will attempt to discuss the Internet infrastructure on ground is interfaced with satellite
research efforts on integrating satellite systems into the network via GSs. The bent pipe scheme results in low
internet. In the following section, the rudimentary spectrum efficiency and long latency because of no direct
background of satellite systems is presented. communication in space.
Furthermore, the article states the proposed internet OBP and ISL
architectures. Moreover, some technical issues faced by A combination of OBP and ISLs can be used to construct a
designers and scientists in the construction of a satellite- network (Fig.2). One such example of this architecture is
based internet will be discussed leading to the suggested Teledesic consisting of 288 LEO satellites with ISLs. In this
solution. In the last section, future directions will be scheme, users can directly transmit data to the satellite and
identified. receive data from the satellite. ISLs provide large
geographical
II. SATELLITE - BASED INTERNET ARCHITECTURE Direct Broadcast System
“Due to the varied designs of a satellite system, there are There has also been a trend to offer internet access through
myriad options to construct a satellite-based internet. First, Direct Broadcast Satellites (DBS) used for television
we need to understand some basic satellite components. The broadcasting. DBS provides a good trade-off between
satellite system is made up of two segments: A ground functionality and portability. After collecting information at
segment and a space segment. The ground segment consists
of gateway stations (GSs), a network control center (NCC)
and operation control centers (OCCs). The GSs function as
network interfaces between satellite network and several
external networks. Satellite operations and orbiting control
are managed by the NCC and OCCs. The space segment is
made up of Geostationary Orbit (GSO) and non-
geostationary orbit (NGSO) which includes medium earth
orbit (MEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) characterized by the
orbit altitude above the Earth’s surface.

Satellite Payload
For the streamlined satellite communication functions, the
satellite payload is made responsible. After launching the
satellite, it is not possible to repair of replace it. The payload
 Multiple Access Control
an uplink center, it is transmitted to a broadcast satellite and
retransmitted back to the earth surface. The terminal can In a satellite system, a large number of users within the
only receive data and lacks the capability to uplink. The data satellite footprint fight for the satellite uplink channel.
rate can reach dozens megabit per second. The DBS receiver Multiple Access Control (MAC) comprises of a set of rules
is quite inexpensive and portable. As it is receive-only, it defined for the contending users according to which their
consumes less power and is suitable for remote rural access to a shared channel can be controlled. For the past
operations. The antenna size is very small which is easy to few years, communication satellites have used simple MAC
install. DBS utilizes a geostationary satellite which techniques such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
simplifies antenna design and there is no need for tracking and Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA). Only a
and hand-off. Large coverage area is also an advantage. small number of large gateway stations are deployed in this
Mobile users do not have to worry about hand-off issues. scheme. This model is no longer suitable for the newly
The disadvantage is that the communication is only one- developed services provided through satellite networks.
way. Applications that require real-time interaction between both
ends of the network. New MAC schemes are under study to
deal with this issue.
Technical Challenges In general, a good MAC scheme should be simple in nature,
robust and should easily accommodate network
In this section, we are going to discuss some of the reconfiguration. It should be able to achieve a high
challenges faced by the engineers and designers in throughput and maintain the stability of the shared channel.
constructing and implementing the satellite-based internet.
Multiple access control techniques, which are pivotal for
satellite systems, are described first. Then we will talk about
the transmission of IP packets in satellite networks.

III. AIRBORNE INTERNET ACCESS

There are three different ways to get a Wi-Fi signal on an

aircraft at 38000 feet above the ground and travelling at 500
mph. All three systems work fairly similar, although they Fast Data Rate: Satellite internet, contrary to popular belief,
vary in bandwidth and data rate. They all need a ground- provides users with faster data rates than dial-up, ISDN and
based internet server, a transmitting antenna or a satellite other technologies.
dish, a receiving and transmitting antenna on the aircraft, an
onboard server and a Wi-Fi router to service a passenger Cons:
wanting to connect to the internet.
Latency Issues: One of the critical issues with satellite
ATG—First technique is called the ATG system which internet is Latency or Ping Rate. Ping rate calculates the
stands for the Air to Ground Transmission. ATG requires time it takes to communicate between two computers,
two antennas that are installed on the belly of the aircraft in devices or servers. Latency issues are prominent if the
order to pick up the signals from the land-based cell towers. satellite being utilized is Geostationary.
Unfortunately, the internet speed tops out at 3 Mbps.
Unreliable Service: Another major issue with this internet
Ku-Band Service – The next method is the satellite-based scheme is its unreliability. Satellites are susceptible to
Ku-Band service. A ground station or a transmitter beams up weather conditions and will under-perform in case of rain or
the signal or an uplink to the satellite which reflects the sun spots.
signal which can then be picked up by a special airplane
antenna. The signal is then decoded via the airplane server Expensive and Date Limits: Satellite internet can be costly.
and distributed via the Wi-Fi router. The satellite connection One might have to pay for upgrades. Companies do tend to
used by the Ku-Band frequency is considerably faster than overcharge for a data rate not faster than a regular
the ATG system with a maximum of 50 Mbps. It does have a broadband. Also, data limits are common among the satellite
few disadvantages. Because of the distance the signal has to internet providing companies. They throttle down users’
travel, satellite Wi-Fi suffers from latency issues that do not internet and apply surcharges on bills.
affect ATG transmissions. Also, the internet speed gets
slower, the more airplanes are transmitting on one satellite.
Another issue is the on-board antenna. It is able to rotate and V. COMPANIES DEPLOYING SATELLITE BASED INTERNET
constantly adjust itself to the nearest satellite causing it to be
considerably large.
Internet services provided through satellite stations in space
Ka-Band Service – The third system is the Ka-Band. It is need a dish for communication with satellite at earth station
currently the fastest Wi-Fi service available for airlines and and service provider’s NOC – Network Operation Center.
satellite wireless provider ViaSat powers Ka-Band with the Such a setup can even provide internet services to rural
ViaSat-1 satellite which is much more powerful than the areas where terrestrial internet services are hard to be
Ku-Band satellite and promises speeds up to 70 Mbps to provided. Satellite Internet uses advanced technology and
each aircraft. hence provides high-speed internet which is way better that
internet provided by dial up networks.
Some airplanes are fitted with a hybrid receiver capable of
switching between the Ka-Band and Ku-Band based on the If the user is within the spot beams of the satellite stations,
best signal strength available. he can get the services of satellite internet. For the residents
of US, there are two major competitors of satellite-based
internet services: 1) Viasat (which was formerly known as
IV. PROS AND CONS OF SATELLITE BASED INTERNET
Exede) and 2) HugesNet. Both of these companies can
provide satellite internet by setting up dish focused towards
Pros: their satellite in the sky and a router or modem in your
house.
Available Everywhere: Satellite-based internet is virtually
everywhere. One doesn’t have to be near to some kind of It usually takes fractions of seconds to transfer data packets
cabling in order to stay online. It is suitable for people who from devices placed at home to the satellite station situated
want to use internet without being dependent on some in space and back to the Earth.
infrastructure. Internet companies do not provide services in
rural areas or places where population is sparse because Besides Viasat and HugesNet, there were many other
there is no profit in it for them. Satellite internet might be companies providing satellite-based internet but since the
the only solution. technology of satellite-based internet is quite advanced and
it needs to be updated regularly, so it is quite expensive to
Overcoming Physical Barriers: Another great advantage of run a company like that. Hence, many satellite-based
satellite internet is that it can overcome any physical internet service providers either shut down or redirected
obstacle such as a skyscraper or a mountain by beaming the their facilities to other companies.
satellite dish to the appropriate satellite to have a clear line
of sight. Some of the major satellite-based internet service providers
and their status are as follows:
Greater User Volume: Satellite internet can handle high
traffic usage meaning it can support huge volume of users. o dishNet: Stopped/Discontinued its services.
o EarthLink: Stopped/Discontinued its satellite-based
internet service and now merged with HughesNet
o Exede: Redirected its brand to Viasat
 o HughesNet: Currently functional and available It stated the target test satellite was intercepted at an altitude
o Viasat: Currently functional and available of 283 km (176 miles). It further stated that interceptor hit
o WildBlue: Exede purchased it in 2009 and is now its target within 168 seconds. This missile system was
functional under Viasat) developed by Indian Defense Services’ research wing
DRDO. With this missile test, India became the fourth
Recently, SpaceX has launched sixty satellite stations with country to have the capability of anti-satellite missile.
the mission to provide internet services to the whole world According to the Indian Defense Service, this missile can hit
with the help of network of their satellites. SpaceX plans to the target satellite at the height of 1200km at the speed of 10
launch hundreds of satellites into the space that will be km/sec. Indian Defense Services claimed that to minimize
orbiting the earth and providing high end internet services the risk of debris, the operation took place at the satellite
all across the world and it will enable SpaceX to generate which was orbiting at the speed of 7.4 km/sec at height of
huge revenue out of this mission and fulfill their dream of approximately less than 300km.
travelling people to Mars.
India claimed that this anti-satellite missile was test fired in
SpaceX postponed two launches earlier and finally launched response to the threats of other missile systems of Pakistan
the Starlink System through Falcon rocket 9 during their and China. Indian Defense Services state that now they have
third attempt which carried all 60 satellites. The Starlink acquired the capability to destruct the enemy state’s hostile
satellites will eventually form a constellation of satellites satellites in LEO and polar orbits.
that are to offer internet to almost anywhere on Earth. Each
of the flat-panel satellites weighs about 500 pounds, Despite giving all the justification by Indian Defense
powered by a single solar array. During their deployment, Services, it is clear that this anti-satellite missile mission
they moved steadily outward from a slowly spinning core. will have adverse effects on space projects and satellite-
“It will almost seem like spreading a deck of cards on a based internet service. According to some of the space
table,” Mr. Musk said. experts, the debris of this anti-satellite missile test will
remain in space for approximately a year while some of the
SpaceX claims that their internet services provided through debris will self-destruct of burn in the space within few
satellite will be different from those provided by others like months. However, the experts have warned that the debris
HugesNet because the satellites launched by SpaceX will be may elevate to the higher orbits. According to US sources, a
orbiting in lower orbit around 220 to 720 miles therefore, it total no of 270 debris pieces were detected in the wake of
will not only reduce the time lag or latency but its the anti-satellite missile test and they are tracking it in order
performance will also be comparable to the services to be careful from any destruction or danger that this debris
provided by ground based internet services or fiber based can cause to the already existing satellite missions. The head
internet services. of NASA, termed anti-missile test by Indian Defense
Services a "terrible thing". He further pointed out that the
Since these satellites will be orbiting in lower orbits, they explosion caused by this test will result in many debris
will be travelling at high speed. Once a satellite beam moves across the space and this will adversely affect and
past a certain point on earth, other satellite beam must come jeopardize the satellite stations of other counties in the
and replace so that users can have access to uninterrupted vicinity and as well as International Space Station.
internet services. Presuming that such satellite launches will
be successful and will continue in future, it will be massive Russia and China also raised their concerns and stated that
shift and a breakthrough in the field of internet services. India will act as a responsible nation and will continue to
This will specially help to provide internet in those areas of work with international community for peace in the outer
the world where it is difficult to lay terrestrial network or space. Some of the countries however, viewed this move as
there is some shortage of infrastructure. This will also help publicity and election stunt by the Prime Minister of India to
to boost economy of third world countries where access to come again into the power by winning upcoming elections.
internet is not very common. India’s anti-satellite missile test will also increase the trend
of the neighboring countries towards weaponization of the
Moreover, in the areas where such facilities are already outer space.
available, it will provide another alternate to the internet
service. Hence competition in market will increase and it India’s Anti-Satellite missile test will not only move towards
will force the providers to decrease the cost of internet the militarization of the space but it will also affect the
services and enhance their service quality to appeal the satellite communication systems already in place across the
customers. world. It will affect the satellite systems already in place
providing satellite-based internet across the world. One of
the biggest concerns of the international space community is
VI. POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF INDIA’S ANTI SATELLITE TEST ON that if debris or shrapnel may damage the satellite stations or
SATELLITE BASED INTERNET spacecraft of any other countries. And these satellite stations
or spacecraft may be the one providing satellite-based
India announced on 27th of March, 2019 that it has taken a internet service and hence such an incidence will cause
huge leap in the field of space science by destroying a “live damage to the internet services on earth. Furthermore, this
satellite” in LEO – Low Earth Orbit. The Prime Minister of debris does not destruct easily. It stays in space for a long
India announced it during an address to the Indian nation time. If the space is damaged for once, it will be a very
and named this mission as “Shakti” difficult task to clean it up. So, all the countries who wish to
plan such activities should also be ready to pay heavy prices conditions so, Satellite based internet services are vulnerable
for all the damages caused to the outer space. to external interference and noise.

In order to cope with the above-mentioned challenges that

VII. CURRENT CHALLENGES AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS are faced in satellite-based internet communication systems
and to provide uninterrupted, better, cost effective and
In the current age of globalization, information seamless internet services to the consumers, certain steps
infrastructure needs to be very strong. Developing countries should be taken. It should be made available all across the
all over the world are focusing on the development of skills world including rural areas by making a constellation of
and technologies in the field of information communication. satellites providing uninterrupted internet services all across
Economic conditions and development of a country are the world. Low orbital satellites should be deputed in order
strongly linked with uninterrupted communication to address the issues of speed and latency. Effective noise
infrastructures and channels. According to a research, 1.5 removal and bit error correction modules need to be
percent increase in GDP growth rate of developed countries implemented within the system. There is no doubt that
and that of 1.8 percent increase in developing countries is satellite-based internet service has potential to rule the world
observed for every ten percent increase in internet and of communication systems. The above-mentioned
broadband penetration. challenges are most important factors to be addressed and it
The way public and different organizations communicate can affect the economic as well as social growth of common
with each other at global level has been certainly masses. Effective solutions need to be developed in order to
revolutionized by the satellite communication and satellite- make satellite-based internet services and communication
based internet services. Strong data services provide access systems more effective, reliable, consistent, affordable and
to the other people all across the world and it helps a great secure for nations worldwide.
deal in the globalization as well as eradicating international
physical boundaries and making this world a global village.
However, there are many rural areas in the world, which still
do not have access to the internet or other data services.
Few of the current challenges in the field of satellite VIII. CONCLUSION
communications and satellite-based internet are as follows
and in future these challenges need to be addressed in order In this term paper, we presented and introduction to Satellite
to provide data and internet service in every nook and corner Based Internet. The satellite internet architecture schemes
of the world. such as Bent Pipe and OBP were also discussed. Technical
challenges being faced by the designers and engineers such
High Cost: Satellite based internet and data service are very as Multiple Access Control and latency issues were also
expensive. Satellite stations are launched at a very high cost highlighted.
and the entire infrastructure developed for providing data It is predicted that the satellite internet of the future will
services or internet services through a satellite comes at a provide an array of advanced information services. It will be
very high cost. Therefore, the cost of the services is also faster and more reliable. Perhaps the most important, the
very high. Hence, it is very difficult for the third world integration of emerging and future satellite systems with
countries or even developing countries to develop such high terrestrial networks can help bridge the gap and expand the
cost communication infrastructure. reach of Internet based services to business and homes.
Propagation Delay: The time taken for a satellite to
communicate with earth is the propagation delay. Since the
satellites used in satellite-based internet services are at a REFERENCES
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is the case, something is better than nothing.
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Slow Speed: In the current era, internet communication is all
Surrey
about speed. People are very much concerned about the
download and upload speed. Since satellite-based internet is
slow in speed so that aspect is quite disappointing in this
case. This issue needs to be addressed in order to attract
more consumer and users towards satellite-based internet
services.

Noise and Interference: Since satellite-based communication

is RF based communication and RF waves have to travel
long distances. Moreover, it is also dependent on weather