Population Based Routing in LEO Satellite Networks

Packet switching in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network may calculate the best traffic route through the less populated areas of the planet, in order to avoid relaying through the busiest satellites. A number of ideas for route calculation in a LEO system have been evaluated and the performance results are presented. This paper reports from ongoing research on Space Information Networks (SIN) with the purpose to offer application services in a LEO satellite network to mobile users. The conclusion is that route calculation based on population density gives a moderate, but significant improvement in resource utilization.