An Analytical Study on Functional Split in Martian 3D Networks

TL;DR

This paper presents an analytical study of a 3D network architecture for Mars that supports low-latency connectivity using UAVs and CubeSats, enabling functional split in space-based wireless networks.

Contribution

It introduces a novel 3D network architecture for Mars with a detailed analysis of its viability and the trade-offs involved in space communication infrastructure.

Findings

The proposed architecture is viable under certain constraints.

Low-altitude CubeSats can meet strict delay requirements.

Trade-offs exist between infrastructure constraints and network performance.

Abstract

As space agencies are planning manned missions to reach Mars, researchers need to pave the way for supporting astronauts during their sojourn. This will also be achieved by providing broadband and low-latency connectivity through wireless network infrastructures. In such a framework, we propose a Martian deployment of a 3-Dimensional (3D) network acting as Cloud Radio Access Network (C-RAN). The scenario consists, mostly, of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and nanosatellites. Thanks to the thin Martian atmosphere, CubeSats can stably orbit at very-low-altitude. This allows to meet strict delay requirements to split functions of the baseband processing between drones and CubeSats. The detailed analytical study, presented in this paper, confirmed the viability of the proposed 3D architecture, under some constraints and trade-off concerning the involved Space communication infrastructures, that are discussed in detail.