Satellite Constellation Optimization for 6G and Beyond Satellite Networks

6G technology will integrate satellite networks to
provide global coverage, support Direct-to-Device communication
in coverage gaps, and enable massive IoT connectivity. This
paper presents an optimization strategy for designing satellite
constellations to minimize the number of satellites while meeting
6G user needs for unmodified handheld devices. Key factors
in the optimization include orbital geometry, satellite antenna
specifications, and quality-of-service metrics such as signal-to
noise ratio, satellite visibility, and the number of visible satellites.
Simulation results indicate that to provide service to a handheld
device at any location on Earth’s surface, a satellite operating in
the S-Band requires 4337 VLEO satellites at an altitude of 183.4
km to achieve a data rate of 18 Mbps and 574 LEO satellites at
an altitude of 558.68 km to achieve a data rate of 7.5 Mbps.