A space-based communications network (100) includes at least one central ground station (116) having a transceiver that is configured to communicate with satellites, such as cube satellites (110). The cube satellites (110) form an ad hoc network of orbital cube satellites, in which each of the cube satellites (110) communicate with each other. One of the cube satellites communicates with the ground station (116). A ground-based control system (1000) communicates with the central ground station (116). The control system (1000) continuously determines a configuration of the ad hoc network (100) and communicates network control information for the cube satellites (110) to maintain communications in the ad hoc network (100). The cube satellites (110) disseminate the network control to each other via the ad hoc network (100).

A space-based communications network (100) includes at least one central ground station (116) having a transceiver that is configured to communicate with satellites, such as cube satellites (110). The cube satellites (110) form an ad hoc network of orbital cube satellites, in which each of the cube satellites (110) communicate with each other. One of the cube satellites communicates with the ground station (116). A ground-based control system (1000) communicates with the central ground station (116). The control system (1000) continuously determines a configuration of the ad hoc network (100) and communicates network control information for the cube satellites (110) to maintain communications in the ad hoc network (100). The cube satellites (110) disseminate the network control to each other via the ad hoc network (100).

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for communicating user equipment (UE) capability information in wireless communication networks. An exemplary method performed by a UE includes receiving, from a network entity, a request for capability of the UE and transmitting, in response to the request, a UE capability message that differentiates sets of features the UE supports in different network types.

A system for facilitating wireless energy transmissions. The system comprises a ground station and a space station. The ground station is positioned in a location on the earth. The ground station comprises a transmitter device. The space station is positioned in an orbit around the earth. The space station comprises a primary receiver device and a primary transmitter device. The primary receiver device comprises a receiver transceiver. The transmitter device transmits terahertz electromagnetic wave energy wirelessly to the receiver transceiver. The receiver transceiver receives the energy wirelessly from the transmitter. The receiver transceiver comprises a receiver enclosure comprised of a metamaterial. The receiver enclosure converts the terahertz electromagnetic wave energy into electrical energy based on the receiving. The receiver enclosure comprises a receiver antenna comprised of superconducting material and facilitates the receiving. The primary transmitter device transmits the electrical energy wirelessly to a secondary receiver device based on the converting.

In one embodiment, an antenna system is described. The antenna system includes a primary antenna on an aircraft. The primary antenna is mechanically steerable and has an asymmetric antenna beam pattern with a narrow beamwidth axis and a wide beamwidth axis at boresight. The antenna system also includes a secondary antenna on the aircraft, the secondary antenna including an array of antenna elements. The antenna system also includes an antenna selection system to control communication of a signal between the aircraft and a target satellite via the primary antenna and the secondary antenna. The antenna selection system switches communication of the signal from the primary antenna to the secondary antenna when an amount of interference with an adjacent satellite reaches a threshold due to the wide beamwidth axis of the asymmetric antenna beam pattern.

In one embodiment, an antenna system is described. The antenna system includes a primary antenna on an aircraft. The primary antenna is mechanically steerable and has an asymmetric antenna beam pattern with a narrow beamwidth axis and a wide beamwidth axis at boresight. The antenna system also includes a secondary antenna on the aircraft, the secondary antenna including an array of antenna elements. The antenna system also includes an antenna selection system to control communication of a signal between the aircraft and a target satellite via the primary antenna and the secondary antenna. The antenna selection system switches communication of the signal from the primary antenna to the secondary antenna when an amount of interference with an adjacent satellite reaches a threshold due to the wide beamwidth axis of the asymmetric antenna beam pattern.

This disclosure includes various examples and variations of communications networks that employ a satellite network with a plurality of HEO and/or MEO satellites. Regional data centers may be connected to the satellite via gateways. Edge devices may connect to the network through a plurality of edge micro data centers configured in a mesh network to provide distributed and dynamically allocatable compute and storage resources. Each edge micro data center may include a RAN controller to implement an O-RAN network (e.g., via a 5G Node B cell site) to provide end-user devices direct access to the distributed compute and storage resources of the mesh network of edge micro data centers without intermediary backhaul transport layers. Microwave links or other terrestrial network types may be employed to facilitate the mesh network of edge micro data centers.

This disclosure includes various examples and variations of communications networks that employ a satellite network with a plurality of HEO and/or MEO satellites. Regional data centers may be connected to the satellite via gateways. Edge devices may connect to the network through a plurality of edge micro data centers configured in a mesh network to provide distributed and dynamically allocatable compute and storage resources. Each edge micro data center may include a RAN controller to implement an O-RAN network (e.g., via a 5G Node B cell site) to provide end-user devices direct access to the distributed compute and storage resources of the mesh network of edge micro data centers without intermediary backhaul transport layers. Microwave links or other terrestrial network types may be employed to facilitate the mesh network of edge micro data centers.

A terrestrial data communication gateway device for satellite communication comprising: at least one processor; memory accessible to the at least one processor; a LPWAN wireless communication subsystem for communication with multiple remote devices; a satellite communication subsystem for communication with at least one low earth orbit satellite. The memory stores program code executable by the processor to cause the processor to: perform server functions in relation to the multiple remote devices, and configure an edge computing module to perform data processing operations on signals received by the LPWAN communication subsystem. The data processing operations comprise compression of data received by the LPWAN communication subsystem to generate a compressed payload for transmission by the satellite communication subsystem. The memory comprises a backhaul scheduling module to schedule communication of a transmission by the satellite communication subsystem to the low earth orbit satellite.

A terrestrial data communication gateway device for satellite communication comprising: at least one processor; memory accessible to the at least one processor; a LPWAN wireless communication subsystem for communication with multiple remote devices; a satellite communication subsystem for communication with at least one low earth orbit satellite. The memory stores program code executable by the processor to cause the processor to: perform server functions in relation to the multiple remote devices, and configure an edge computing module to perform data processing operations on signals received by the LPWAN communication subsystem. The data processing operations comprise compression of data received by the LPWAN communication subsystem to generate a compressed payload for transmission by the satellite communication subsystem. The memory comprises a backhaul scheduling module to schedule communication of a transmission by the satellite communication subsystem to the low earth orbit satellite.