How to Start Satellite Communication Projects Using NS3

To start a satellite communication project in NS3, it has numerous steps that configuring a network with satellites and ground stations in which interaction happens through long distances. NS3 haven’t direct support that particularly for satellite interaction however we can replicate simple satellite networking concepts by setting up nodes, links, and mobility patterns simulating the satellite behavior.

Below is a basic approach to configuring a satellite communication network in NS3.

Steps to Start Satellite Communication Projects in NS3

  1. Install NS3
  1. Download and Install NS3 if we doesn’t installed earlier:

git clone https://gitlab.com/nsnam/ns-3-dev.git ns-3

cd ns-3

./waf configure –enable-examples –enable-tests

./waf build

  1. Verify Installation: We execute a simple example to verify NS3 is properly installed.

./waf –run=point-to-point

  1. Set Up Satellite Network Topology

In a satellite communication network, we will normally contain:

  • Ground Stations: Fixed nodes at the ground, which interaction with satellites.
  • Satellite Nodes: Nodes that denote the satellites that frequently within Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
  • Satellite Links: High-latency links are associating ground stations to satellites or inter-satellite links (ISLs) among the satellites.
  1. Create Ground Station and Satellite Nodes

For the ground stations and satellite, initially we make nodes. We can set up satellites including high-speed point-to-point links and then replicate the high-altitude orbital characteristics by modifying the node mobility.

Example:

#include “ns3/core-module.h”

#include “ns3/network-module.h”

#include “ns3/internet-module.h”

#include “ns3/point-to-point-module.h”

#include “ns3/mobility-module.h”

#include “ns3/applications-module.h”

using namespace ns3;

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

CommandLine cmd;

cmd.Parse(argc, argv);

// Create ground station and satellite nodes

NodeContainer groundStations;

groundStations.Create(1); // One ground station

NodeContainer satellites;

satellites.Create(1); // One satellite

// Set up a point-to-point link to represent the satellite channel

PointToPointHelper pointToPoint;

pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Gbps”));

pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“250ms”)); // Simulate latency for GEO satellite

NetDeviceContainer devices;

devices = pointToPoint.Install(groundStations.Get(0), satellites.Get(0));

// Install Internet stack

InternetStackHelper stack;

stack.Install(groundStations);

stack.Install(satellites);

// Assign IP addresses

Ipv4AddressHelper address;

address.SetBase(“10.1.1.0”, “255.255.255.0”);

Ipv4InterfaceContainer interfaces = address.Assign(devices);

// Configure mobility for ground station (fixed) and satellite (orbiting)

MobilityHelper mobility;

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);

mobility.Install(groundStations);

Ptr<ListPositionAllocator> positionAlloc = CreateObject<ListPositionAllocator>();

positionAlloc->Add(Vector(0.0, 0.0, 35786.0 * 1000)); // GEO orbit height in meters

mobility.SetPositionAllocator(positionAlloc);

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantPositionMobilityModel”);

mobility.Install(satellites);

// Set up applications

uint16_t port = 9;

UdpEchoServerHelper echoServer(port);

ApplicationContainer serverApp = echoServer.Install(groundStations.Get(0));

serverApp.Start(Seconds(1.0));

serverApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

UdpEchoClientHelper echoClient(interfaces.GetAddress(0), port);

echoClient.SetAttribute(“MaxPackets”, UintegerValue(10));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“Interval”, TimeValue(Seconds(1.0)));

echoClient.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(1024));

ApplicationContainer clientApp = echoClient.Install(satellites.Get(0));

clientApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

clientApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

Simulator::Run();

Simulator::Destroy();

return 0;

}

  1. Configure Satellite Mobility

Utilize NS3’s ConstantVelocityMobilityModel or other models replicating the orbits for satellites:

  • GEO Satellites: Configure a secure position on high altitude that is around 35,786 km.
  • LEO Satellites: Replicate the movement over the sky to utilize the ConstantVelocityMobilityModel.

Example for LEO satellite orbit:

mobility.SetMobilityModel(“ns3::ConstantVelocityMobilityModel”);

Ptr<ConstantVelocityMobilityModel> mob = satellites.Get(0)->GetObject<ConstantVelocityMobilityModel>();

mob->SetVelocity(Vector(7500.0, 0.0, 0.0)); // Approximate velocity in m/s for a LEO satellite

  1. Configure Satellite Links

Configure satellite links along with suitable data rates and latency:

  • Inter-Satellite Links (ISLs): We can utilize high data rates including lower delays (if close).
  • Ground-Satellite Links: To utilize high-latency and high-bandwidth point-to-point links.

For example:

pointToPoint.SetDeviceAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“100Mbps”)); // For ISL

pointToPoint.SetChannelAttribute(“Delay”, StringValue(“50ms”)); // Lower delay for ISLs

  1. Implement Applications to Simulate Satellite Traffic

We replicate the communication traffic to utilize applications such as UdpEchoClient, OnOffApplication, or BulkSendApplication. It will signify data exchanges among the ground stations and satellites.

This example utilizing OnOffApplication to denote the continuous traffic:

OnOffHelper onOff(“ns3::UdpSocketFactory”, InetSocketAddress(interfaces.GetAddress(0), port));

onOff.SetAttribute(“DataRate”, StringValue(“1Mbps”));

onOff.SetAttribute(“PacketSize”, UintegerValue(512));

ApplicationContainer onOffApp = onOff.Install(satellites.Get(0));

onOffApp.Start(Seconds(2.0));

onOffApp.Stop(Seconds(10.0));

  1. Collect and Analyze Performance Metrics

In satellite communication, crucial performance parameters contain:

  • Throughput: Estimate the data rates across satellite links.
  • Propagation Delay: Satellite links contain high latency particularly GEO.
  • Packet Loss: Experiment how successfully packets are distributed through long-distance, high-latency links.

Gather information to utilize FlowMonitor:

FlowMonitorHelper flowmon;

Ptr<FlowMonitor> monitor = flowmon.InstallAll();

monitor->SerializeToXmlFile(“satellite-flowmon.xml”, true, true);

  1. Visualize and Analyze Results
  • NetAnim: Envision node locations and data flows utilizing NetAnim. It supports in monitoring the interaction and satellite mobility.
  • Trace Files: For packet transmission, delay, and reception details, to examine the NS3 trace files.
  • Plotting Tools: Transfer data to plot the performance metrics such as throughput, delay, and packet loss.
  1. Explore Advanced Satellite Scenarios

When we familiarise in a basic configuration then we deliberate more complex sets up:

  • Multi-Hop Satellite Networks: Replicate a satellite constellation utilizing numerous satellites along with inter-satellite links.
  • Dynamic Handover: We replicate the handover like satellites travel and ground stations modify the connections.
  • LEO and MEO Constellations: Configure a satellite constellation along with continuous coverage, to need several satellites and inter-satellite routing.
  • Atmospheric Effects: For atmospheric impacts we can append error models, for free-space optical interaction or Ka-band satellite links.

By using NS3, we have thoroughly initialized and examined the Satellite Communication project through the above basic procedure with instances. Additional details will be appeared in another manual depends on your requirements.

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