Radio protocols through a moving satellite link
5G-LEO extended OpenAirInterface for non-geostationary satellite links. The project addressed timing, Doppler and mobility adaptations across the UE and base-station protocol stacks, using a laboratory demonstrator to study the selected LEO scenario. The public OAI developments are available as foundations for further NTN experimentation.
A LEO pass changes timing and frequency while coverage and serving cells evolve. Radio compensation and network handover must work together. Evaluation follows the programmed channel evolution, protocol state and useful traffic across that changing geometry.
The University-participating consortium developed public OAI protocol adaptations and a laboratory demonstrator. Those developments are research foundations cited for 5G Nanosatellite. This page presents the completed public foundation and its testing context.
| Condition | Observation | Engineering question |
|---|---|---|
| Time-varying delay and Doppler | UE/gNB tracking and timing records | Can the radio implementation follow the satellite pass? |
| Serving-cell transition implemented by UE/network | Handover and radio-state events | Does the protocol transition remain coordinated with the changing link? |
| Traffic across acquisition, transition and recovery | Packet/session timing and delivery | What useful service survives the changing radio conditions? |
ESA ARTES 4.0 / Space for 5G research, activity 3C.023.
Consortium participants