ISAC-Enabled Non-Terrestrial Networks for 6G: Design Principles, Standardization, Performance Tradeoffs, and Use Cases

TL;DR

This paper explores how Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) can enhance Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) in 6G, addressing operational challenges and proposing design principles, standardization issues, and future research directions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of ISAC-enabled NTN, including architectural design, standardization challenges, and a case study illustrating technical hurdles and future opportunities.

Findings

ISAC can mitigate Doppler effects, interference, and latency in NTN.

A case study demonstrates key technical challenges in ISAC-enabled NTN.

Future research directions are identified for practical deployment.

Abstract

Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) have emerged as a key enabler to fully realize the vision of integrated, intelligent, and ubiquitous connectivity in 6G systems. However, several operational challenges, including severe Doppler effects, interference, and latency, hinder the seamless integration of NTN and Terrestrial Networks (TN). In this context, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), which unifies sensing and communication functionalities within a common framework, offers great potential to address these challenges while enabling new network capabilities. Due to its complementary functionalities, ISAC can play a pivotal role in enhancing NTN performance, although its practical adoption requires a fundamental rethinking of existing architectural and standardization frameworks. Motivated by this need, this article examines key aspects of ISAC-enabled NTN, including architectural design principles, application scenarios, standardization challenges, and key performance tradeoffs. Finally, a representative case study is presented to illustrate major technical challenges and highlight promising future research directions for ISAC-enabled NTN.