INNER: interface-aware neighborhood routing in large-scale low-Earth-orbit satellite networks

The development of large-scale Low-Earth-Orbit satellite constellations for broadband internet (LEO-NETs) suggests a new kind of internet backbone, built out of a flat network of satellites instead of a hierarchical, highly-provisioned network of core routers. Much current research focuses on how the mobility of the satellite network leads to unreliability. As opposed to current research, this thesis will focus instead on the implicit characteristics of LEO-NET topology design and how mobility affects congestion as well as reliability. Using this evidence, we design Interface-Aware Neighborhood Routing (INNER), a novel routing algorithm that takes advantage of the characteristics of a typical LEO-NET topology and properties of how congestion emerges in a LEO-NET. By utilizing the limited branching factor of satellite networks and the unique properties of long-term congestion in the network, INNER can estimate propagation delay and queuing delay to select a low-delay path without requiring excessive communication between neighbors. We additionally prove that INNER is loop-free without requiring additional memory overhead. Finally, we experimentally evaluate INNER and find that it is competitive with existing research baselines despite requiring less inter-node communication and permitting greater generalizability.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Varghese, Evan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gupta, Indranil

• satellite routing
• low-Earth-orbit satellite networking
• routing algorithms

Statement dc:rights

• © 2025 Evan Varghese

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129624

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129624