Building an Efficient Satellite Network Routing Scheme: Challenges and Opportunities

With the rapid deployment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks, optimizing resource management and routing has become a focal point of research. The successful operation of these satellite networks relies heavily on energy sourced from solar panels and batteries, with battery lifetime being a crucial factor for sustained network performance. As such, energy-efficient routing strategies that prolong satellite battery life are vital for enhancing both the performance and longevity of satellite networks. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of developing effective satellite network routing schemes, emphasizing key challenges related to routing optimization and energy consumption. It identifies several research hurdles in designing energy-efficient routing approaches and explores potential solutions to address these challenges. Additionally, a use case is presented to demonstrate the fundamental principles of designing and evaluating energy-efficient routing strategies within satellite networks.