Low earth orbit satellite based communication systems – research opportunities

Telecommunication systems are undergoing revolutionary changes that are transforming society, changing the way in which industrial and service organizations operate, and are having a profound effect on the daily life of individuals. Low earth orbit satellite (LEOS) based communication systems are a new and exciting endeavor in reshaping the global communication network and the services that it provides. Huge investments are made in the development of LEOS systems, and larger amounts will be needed for their ongoing operation and use. Many LEOS based systems have been announced over the last decade. Globalstar, Iridium, Orbcomm and Teledesic are just a few of the many systems under development with the aim of providing global communication services to the masses. Limited experience exists in developing and managing large scale commercial satellite based mobile communication systems, which makes it a very risky business. Many open, interesting and challenging research issues are faced by the designers of such systems. This paper presents LEOS based communication systems, analyzes their economic viability, and discusses some of the important research areas involved in their development, configuration, maintenance, operation and management. We hope that exposing operation researchers to LEOS will attract their attention and will generate the much needed research in this important area.