Abstract
This paper investigates the applicability of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology to satellite communications at the Ku-band and above. After introducing the possible diversity sources to form a MIMO matrix channel in a satellite environment, particular emphasis is put on satellite diversity. Two specific different topics from the field of MIMO technology applications to satellite communications at these frequencies are further analyzed: (i) capacity improvement achieved by MIMO spatial multiplexing systems and (ii) interference mitigation achieved by MIMO diversity systems employing receive antenna selection. In the first case, a single-user capacity analysis of a satellite MIMO spatial multiplexing system is presented and a useful analytical closed form expression is derived for the outage capacity achieved. In the second case, a satellite MIMO diversity system with receive antenna selection is considered, adjacent satellite cochannel interference on its forward link is studied and an analytical model predicting the interference mitigation achieved is presented. In both cases, an appropriate physical MIMO channel model is assumed which takes into account the propagation phenomena related to the frequencies of interest, such as clear line-of-sight operation, high antenna directivity, the effect of rain fading, and the slant path lengths difference. Useful numerical results obtained through the analytical expressions derived are presented to compare the performance of multi-satellite MIMO systems to relevant single-input single-output (SISO) ones.
Highlights
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology has recently emerged as one of the most significant technical breakthroughs in modern digital communications due to its promise of very high data rates at no cost of extra spectrum and transmit power [1, 2]
The previous analyses have been applied for the prediction of possible capacity improvement and interference mitigation achieved by the proposed satellite 2 × 2 MIMO spatial multiplexing and diversity systems, respectively, and for comparison to the relevant single-input single-output (SISO) cases
The validity of the proposed analytical model in (9), predicting the outage capacity achieved by a satellite 2 × 2 MIMO spatial multiplexing system, is numerically verified
Summary
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology has recently emerged as one of the most significant technical breakthroughs in modern digital communications due to its promise of very high data rates at no cost of extra spectrum and transmit power [1, 2]. Wireless communication can be benefited from MIMO signaling in two different ways: spatial multiplexing and diversity In the former case, independent data is transmitted from separate antennas, and aiming at maximizing throughput (i.e., linear capacity growth with the number of antennas can be achieved). In the latter case, the same signal is transmitted along multiple (ideally) independently fading paths aiming at improving the robustness of the link in terms of each user BER performance. The underlying differences between the terrestrial and the satellite channels make such applicability a non straightforward matter and, a rather challenging subject In this case, one of the fundamental problems is the difficulty of generating a completely independent fading profile over the space segment. This is not the typical case in terrestrial communications where rich scattering and non-LOS environments with multipath propagation
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