A Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) satellite system is described that implements one or more user route tables and a plurality of pre-calculated backbone route tables at its satellites. The user route tables track user connectivity to the satellites, and each of the backbone route tables defines a snapshot of a time-varying backbone topology seen by a particular satellite. During operation, a satellite selects different backbone route tables as the topology changes over time, and receives updates to the user route tables when connectivity changes occur between the users and the satellites. The decoupling of the user route tables from the backbone route tables at the satellite reduces the computational burden on the NGSO system, as the backbone route tables are calculated in advance and the NGSO system is subsequently tasked with a computationally lower burden of performing real-time updates to the user route tables.

The disclosure herein describes transmitting data from a satellite using a primary ground station and a set of secondary ground stations. An orbit of the satellite is determined over a schedule period and a subset of secondary ground stations is identified based on the determined orbit of the satellite, wherein secondary ground stations are configured to receive from the satellite and not transmit to the satellite. A transmission schedule associated with the satellite is then generated. For each secondary ground station of the subset, a time interval during which the satellite is within communication range is determined, an expected transmission rate is estimated, and the time interval and the expected transmission rate are included in the transmission schedule. The transmission schedule is provided to the satellite via the primary ground station, whereby the satellite is configured to transmit data to the subset of ground stations based on the transmission schedule.

The disclosure herein describes transmitting data from a satellite using a primary ground station and a set of secondary ground stations. An orbit of the satellite is determined over a schedule period and a subset of secondary ground stations is identified based on the determined orbit of the satellite, wherein secondary ground stations are configured to receive from the satellite and not transmit to the satellite. A transmission schedule associated with the satellite is then generated. For each secondary ground station of the subset, a time interval during which the satellite is within communication range is determined, an expected transmission rate is estimated, and the time interval and the expected transmission rate are included in the transmission schedule. The transmission schedule is provided to the satellite via the primary ground station, whereby the satellite is configured to transmit data to the subset of ground stations based on the transmission schedule.

Various approaches for the deployment and use of communication exclusion zones, defined for use with a satellite non-terrestrial network (including within a low-earth orbit satellite constellation), are discussed. In an example, defining and implementing a non-terrestrial communication exclusion zone includes: calculating based on a future orbital position of a low-earth orbit satellite vehicle, an exclusion condition for communications from the satellite vehicle; identifying, based on the exclusion condition and the future orbital position, a timing for implementing the exclusion condition for the communications from the satellite vehicle; and generating exclusion zone data for use by the satellite vehicle, the exclusion zone data indicating the timing for implementing the exclusion condition for the communications from the satellite vehicle.

Various approaches for the deployment and use of communication exclusion zones, defined for use with a satellite non-terrestrial network (including within a low-earth orbit satellite constellation), are discussed. In an example, defining and implementing a non-terrestrial communication exclusion zone includes: calculating based on a future orbital position of a low-earth orbit satellite vehicle, an exclusion condition for communications from the satellite vehicle; identifying, based on the exclusion condition and the future orbital position, a timing for implementing the exclusion condition for the communications from the satellite vehicle; and generating exclusion zone data for use by the satellite vehicle, the exclusion zone data indicating the timing for implementing the exclusion condition for the communications from the satellite vehicle.

In one implementation, load balancing within a constellation of communications satellites is performed. Anticipated positions of satellites are determined. Each satellite is configured to provide multiple beams that define a coverage footprint for the satellite. Based on the anticipated positions of the satellites, it is determined that a first coverage footprint for a first satellite provides primary coverage of a high traffic region and portions of the first coverage footprint for the first satellite also will be covered by coverage footprints for other satellites, Based on these determinations, a beam assignments are defined in which a first subset of beams of the first satellite configured to provide coverage of a first portion of the first coverage footprint are inactive and a second subset of beams of the second satellite are active. The second subset of beams of the second satellite provide coverage within the first portion of the first coverage footprint.

An operation method of a first communication node in a communication system includes receiving one or more transport blocks (TBs) from a second communication node based on transmission parameters in an aggregated transmission period #n; generating decoding results for the one or more TBs; generating information required for changing the transmission parameters based on the decoding results; and transmitting the required information to the second communication node, wherein n is a natural number.

An operation method of a first communication node in a communication system includes receiving one or more transport blocks (TBs) from a second communication node based on transmission parameters in an aggregated transmission period #n; generating decoding results for the one or more TBs; generating information required for changing the transmission parameters based on the decoding results; and transmitting the required information to the second communication node, wherein n is a natural number.

A satellite communication system in which a plurality of satellites each transit about the Earth in a common mid-Earth orbit. The orbit may be configured such that each satellite of the plurality of satellites follows a common, repeating ground track relative to the surface of the Earth. In turn, one or more repeating sky tracks may be defined relative to at least one ground station such that the ground station is in continuous communication with at least one of the plurality of satellites. In an example, a ground station may have visibility to a plurality of repeating sky tracks such that a plurality of discreet communication channels is provided that use different satellites for communication with user terminals of the satellite communications system.

A satellite communication system in which a plurality of satellites each transit about the Earth in a common mid-Earth orbit. The orbit may be configured such that each satellite of the plurality of satellites follows a common, repeating ground track relative to the surface of the Earth. In turn, one or more repeating sky tracks may be defined relative to at least one ground station such that the ground station is in continuous communication with at least one of the plurality of satellites. In an example, a ground station may have visibility to a plurality of repeating sky tracks such that a plurality of discreet communication channels is provided that use different satellites for communication with user terminals of the satellite communications system.