Space Comms

Space Comms group aims at contributing to the development of enabler technologies that integrate new communications capabilities in Earth Observation (EO) missions. These technologies are mainly oriented on satellite-to-ground and inter-satellite interactions. In particular, the group contributes to integrate Internet of Things (IoT) technologies with satellite platforms, conceive novel protocols for Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) and Federated Satellite Systems, participate in the development of Inter-Satellite Link devices, and promote the deployment of Software Defined Network (SDN) techniques over satellite systems.

Among the main market sectors impacted by SpaceComms research activity, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, CubeSat platforms, and ground segment for satellite networks.

Research Topics

SpaceComms current interests lie at the interaction with satellite platforms that contributes in new applications, and their main areas of expertise include:

IoT technologies for satellite-to-sensor direct connections and sporadic inter-satellite communications.

Inter-satellite communications protocols to deploy temporal satellite networks in a variable and uncertain node density environment.

Software Defined Networks (SDN) architectures for dynamic networks composed of terrestrial and non-terrestrial nodes.

Federative collaborations among heterogeneous satellite systems to contribute on the Internet of Satellites paradigm

Research Challenges

IoT over satellites

The goal of this research line is to integrate IoT technologies with satellite systems, contributing to the standardization of protocols and merge both domains.

Technologies

Narrow Band-IoT (NB-IoT)

Long Range (LoRa)

CCSDS standards

Applications

LEO satellite constellations based on CubeSat platforms

Satellite Networks

The goal of this research line is to design algorithms and protocols that lay the foundation of networks composed of satellite systems that may not be specifically