Blue Sky Thinking on Computer Networks in Space

Constellations of thousands of satellites will envelop the earth to provide new kind of high-throughput and low-latency connectivity. These new mega-constellations such as Elon Musk’s Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper, or OneWeb rely on large numbers of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to cut down the latency from 250 – 300 milliseconds (in the case of geostationary satellites) to a few tens of milliseconds, enabling entirely new classes of exciting applications such as low-latency algorithmic trading across distances, or providing high throughput connectivity to difficult-to-reach locations such as oil rigs.

However, the problem at hand -- providing reliable high-bandwidth connectivity between fast-moving objects in space -- is extremely complex, and many aspects are as yet unresolved. These developments, especially the need to create a network of unprecedented numbers of satellites when they are dynamically moving in their orbits, call for new network protocol and architecture research. This has led to a flurry of interest from computer networking researchers across the world ever since the first Starlink satellite launched in 2018. However, there is an acute need for this line of work to consider and be informed by the realities and difficulties of satellite engineering and space systems engineering – for example, the networks need to work as the satellites pass by at extremely high speeds, and space radiation can randomly flip bits on ordinary electrical systems, calling for radiation hardening.

This workshop brings together academia from both the satellite engineering and computer networking communities and industry over two days to provide each community exposure to state-of-the-art knowledge, showcase novel transatlantic testbeds, explore problems, and create a common research agenda.

This workshop will also host funding opportunities panel discussion with panelists from the National Science Foundation (NSF), US, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK, and others to have a two-way discussion about what funding options currently exist, as well as new research questions that the researchers would want to bring to the attention of the funders.

PROGRAMME

Programme at a glance is available here

For full programme, please visit the workshop brochure

LOCATION

39 BB 02, Department of Computer Science, Alan Turing Building, Stag Hill Campus, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

Prof Gorry Fairhurst, University of Aberdeen

Dr Debopam Bhattacherjee, Microsoft Research, Bangalore

Prof Malcolm Macdonald, University of Strathclyde

Prof Mark Handley, UCL

Andy Marr, CGI

Jon Earl, CGI