IP routing issues in satellite constellation networks

The growth in use of Internet-based applications in recent years has led to telecommunication networks transporting an increasingly large amount of Internet Protocol (IP)-based traffic. Proposed broadband satellite constellation networks, currently under development, will be required to transport IP traffic. A case can be made for implementing IP routing directly within the constellation network, in order to transport IP traffic well and to provide good support for IP multicast and for emerging IP-based Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees. This paper examines strategies for implementing and operating IP routing effectively within satellite constellation networks, given known constraints on the constellation resulting from satellite mobility, global visibility, routing and addressing.