The Small-World Beneath LEO Satellite Coverage: Ground Hubs in Multi-Shell Constellations
Hailong Su, Jinshu Su, Yusheng Xia, Haibin Li

TL;DR
This paper analyzes the structural properties of large LEO satellite constellations, revealing their small-world characteristics and the critical role of ground stations in ensuring efficient, resilient global connectivity.
Contribution
It introduces a complex network analysis of a multi-shell LEO constellation, highlighting the importance of ground stations and feeder links for efficient routing and network resilience.
Findings
The constellation exhibits small-world network properties.
Ground stations are crucial for inter-shell connectivity.
Feeder links significantly reduce path lengths.
Abstract
In recent years, the emergence of large-scale Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations has introduced unprecedented opportunities for global connectivity. However, routing efficiency and inter-shell communication remain key challenges in multi-shell architectures. This paper investigates the structural properties and network dynamics of a representative six-shell mega-constellation composed of 10,956 satellites and 198 gateway stations (GSs). Leveraging tools from complex network analysis, we identify several critical findings: (1) the constellation exhibits strong small-world characteristics, enabling efficient routing despite large network diameters; (2) GS relays play a pivotal role in enhancing inter-shell connectivity by bridging otherwise disconnected components; (3) feeder links significantly reduce average path length, making long-haul communication more feasible; (4)…
Peer Reviews
No public reviews on file for this paper yet. If you reviewed it on a platform where reviews are public (OpenReview, ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML), you can paste yours below so the community can read it here.
Videos
No videos yet. Explain this paper in a talk, walkthrough, or lecture? Add one.
Taxonomy
TopicsSpacecraft Design and Technology · Satellite Communication Systems · Space Satellite Systems and Control
