Satellite Link Design for LEO Constellation

Abstract

This research explores the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, replicating the commercial OneWeb system. This work is divided into two key sections: Distance & Geometric Analysis and Link Performance Analysis. We start by designing a Walkerstar network of 12 orbital planes featuring a dozen satellites orbiting 950 km above the Earth's surface. To enhance coverage and connectivity, we carefully adjust the constellation's phasing parameters in MATLAB. We set up links with the satellite network by fixing a ground station at RMIT University. After locating the satellites closest to the base terminal, we determine their distances and plot their azimuth and elevation values on Skyplot. In the second phase, a thorough link budget analysis is conducted, including a comparison of modulation techniques 4PSK and 16QAM. The purpose is to find the best method for terminal use out of the two modulation schemes.