Meteorological Data Delivery Utilizing Optical Laser Communications through Proliferated LEO Mesh Networks

Future meteorological sensor platforms will consist of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations and will face even greater constraint for timely and low latency delivery of their high-capacity meteorological sensor data. Congestion for access to RF downlinks at the poles will limit and delay access of these LEO sensor platforms to RF downlinks for the timely delivery of their sensor data.

Axta has developed AxtaSim, an end-to-end simulation and network model demonstrating on-orbit access and network backhaul performance across orbital mesh networks. In application AxtaSim will help determine potential service performance, routes and costs to deliver the next generation sensor platform data. AxtaSim demonstrates orbital network access applying high-capacity Optical Communications Terminals with access to the commercial orbital mesh networks that support them. This communications technology provides bandwidth, link capacity, and low latency delivery of meteorological data to critical processing and distribution endpoints.

Availability of commercial mesh networks brings a new dimension to backhaul and landing of meteorological data eliminating one of the most significant obstacles to meteorological data gathering. The current paradigm employs an RF downlink at the poles where visibility of passes and congestion for the access is the greatest. AxtaSim will show how the benefits of mesh technology in application for both Government and Commercial sectors. Our tool and its models will show how the use of SpaceX Starlink and the future Amazon Kuiper or other mesh network will enable low latency high-capacity meteorological data transit via proliferated LEO mesh networks and space-ground capability across the planet.

AxtaSim also provides network simulation of the high observability orbits such as that for the planned Intelsat iMEO, a multi-plane Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation. AxtaSim presents the performance, contact duration and cost benefits between MEO and LEO constellations. The MEO constellation offers high connectivity time to LEO orbits supporting long duration data relay transfers from LEO to MEO to the ground.

Axta is performing modelling and simulation of planned constellations from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) using AxtaSim under a BAA effort. This work is showing the benefit of leveraging optical access to LEO satellite mesh networks. The benefits of these networks are being studied for the meteorological sensor platform applications. Simulation of these mesh networks support direct to cloud backhaul allowing evaluation of comparative data transport and delivery opportunities for the NOAA Next-Gen sensor platforms.

In summary, our demonstration study with AxtaSim enables the evaluation of significant increases in sensor platform data and delivery opportunities, lowering platform management and support costs while benefitting from increased data throughput. Our modelled connectivity examples from LEO and MEO to NOAA service edges through Starlink, Amazon Kuiper and iMEO present a future look at end-to-end system performance in a network simulation.