An overview of communication and orbital composition technologies based on starlink LEO satellite constellation from a technical perspective

Abstract

With the development of fiber optic and communication technology, densely populated areas have been provided with the good network coverage. However, rural, suburban, ocean and airborne areas still lack economical and effective means of network connectivity. Although the concept of low-orbit communication satellite constellations such as Iridium was proposed in the 1990s, it was not successful due to satellite performance and launch costs. Since 2016, SpaceX has envisioned the construction of the Starlink constellation to provide high-speed Internet services worldwide, which is now operational. This study attempts to analyze the basic theory and performance levels of several key Starlink technologies to analyze the basic characteristics of Starlink in orbital deployment, terrestrial communication, and inter-satellite communication. However, Starlink still has difficulties in various technologies. By exploring new research advances in these areas, the performance of the constellation can be optimized or new solutions can be found. An analysis of Starlinks key performance metrics shows that the key to the success of Starlinks project is the industrialization of advanced laboratory technologies and their application to the design and deployment of satellite constellations.