Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations

The integration of satellite-based Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) with terrestrial communication infrastructures introduces significant challenges, especially in coping with the unpredictable nature of traffic generated by end users. Traditional scheduling approaches in satellite systems often assum...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Arnau Singla, Isabel Gallardo-Duval, Anna Calveras, Juan A. Fraire, Joan A. Ruiz-De-Azua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10976725/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849723263228313600
author Arnau Singla
Isabel Gallardo-Duval
Anna Calveras
Juan A. Fraire
Joan A. Ruiz-De-Azua
author_facet Arnau Singla
Isabel Gallardo-Duval
Anna Calveras
Juan A. Fraire
Joan A. Ruiz-De-Azua
author_sort Arnau Singla
collection DOAJ
description The integration of satellite-based Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) with terrestrial communication infrastructures introduces significant challenges, especially in coping with the unpredictable nature of traffic generated by end users. Traditional scheduling approaches in satellite systems often assume deterministic traffic models, limiting their effectiveness in dynamic and data-driven scenarios. This paper presents a framework for integrated NTN operations that incorporates stochastic traffic modeling into satellite scheduling, enabling a more flexible and realistic approach to resource management in NTNs. By leveraging statistical traffic models based on the central limit theorem, the proposed method accounts for traffic uncertainty and embeds it directly into the scheduling process. A key concept introduced is schedule certainty, which quantifies the reliability of a schedule under uncertain input conditions and serves as both a decision variable and an optimization parameter. This novel approach is exemplified through the Constellation Management System framework, extended with a data generation uncertainty model to showcase its practical implementation and benefits. Results demonstrate that probability-aware scheduling achieves a tightly controlled certainty level aligned with operator-defined thresholds, providing higher certainty levels for equivalent performance metrics. This allows satellite operators to dynamically adjust service coverage and system efficiency, accounting for varying levels of traffic uncertainty. This work highlights the importance of probability-aware scheduling in enabling more robust and efficient operation of future satellite-terrestrial hybrid networks.
format Article
id doaj-art-da9b735b003344ac8a1e764540cc372e
institution DOAJ
issn 2644-125X
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IEEE
record_format Article
series IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
spelling doaj-art-da9b735b003344ac8a1e764540cc372e2025-08-20T03:11:05ZengIEEEIEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society2644-125X2025-01-0163950396310.1109/OJCOMS.2025.356441110976725Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN OperationsArnau Singla0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8539-3688Isabel Gallardo-Duval1https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3327-4046Anna Calveras2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6371-8595Juan A. Fraire3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9816-6989Joan A. Ruiz-De-Azua4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5892-3404Space Communications Research Group, i2CAT Foundation, Barcelona, SpainSpace Communications Research Group, i2CAT Foundation, Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Network Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, SpainInria, INSA Lyon, CITI, Villeurbanne, FranceSpace Communications Research Group, i2CAT Foundation, Barcelona, SpainThe integration of satellite-based Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) with terrestrial communication infrastructures introduces significant challenges, especially in coping with the unpredictable nature of traffic generated by end users. Traditional scheduling approaches in satellite systems often assume deterministic traffic models, limiting their effectiveness in dynamic and data-driven scenarios. This paper presents a framework for integrated NTN operations that incorporates stochastic traffic modeling into satellite scheduling, enabling a more flexible and realistic approach to resource management in NTNs. By leveraging statistical traffic models based on the central limit theorem, the proposed method accounts for traffic uncertainty and embeds it directly into the scheduling process. A key concept introduced is schedule certainty, which quantifies the reliability of a schedule under uncertain input conditions and serves as both a decision variable and an optimization parameter. This novel approach is exemplified through the Constellation Management System framework, extended with a data generation uncertainty model to showcase its practical implementation and benefits. Results demonstrate that probability-aware scheduling achieves a tightly controlled certainty level aligned with operator-defined thresholds, providing higher certainty levels for equivalent performance metrics. This allows satellite operators to dynamically adjust service coverage and system efficiency, accounting for varying levels of traffic uncertainty. This work highlights the importance of probability-aware scheduling in enabling more robust and efficient operation of future satellite-terrestrial hybrid networks.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10976725/Satellite constellationnon-terrestrial networksTN-NTN integrationuncertainty modelingoperations management
spellingShingle Arnau Singla
Isabel Gallardo-Duval
Anna Calveras
Juan A. Fraire
Joan A. Ruiz-De-Azua
Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations
IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society
Satellite constellation
non-terrestrial networks
TN-NTN integration
uncertainty modeling
operations management
title Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations
title_full Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations
title_fullStr Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations
title_full_unstemmed Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations
title_short Probabilistic-Aware Satellite Constellation Scheduling for Integrated TN-NTN Operations
title_sort probabilistic aware satellite constellation scheduling for integrated tn ntn operations
topic Satellite constellation
non-terrestrial networks
TN-NTN integration
uncertainty modeling
operations management
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10976725/
work_keys_str_mv AT arnausingla probabilisticawaresatelliteconstellationschedulingforintegratedtnntnoperations
AT isabelgallardoduval probabilisticawaresatelliteconstellationschedulingforintegratedtnntnoperations
AT annacalveras probabilisticawaresatelliteconstellationschedulingforintegratedtnntnoperations
AT juanafraire probabilisticawaresatelliteconstellationschedulingforintegratedtnntnoperations
AT joanaruizdeazua probabilisticawaresatelliteconstellationschedulingforintegratedtnntnoperations