Abstract
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) completed the first global fifth-generation (5G) system standard in its Release 15, paving the way for making 5G a commercial reality. So, what is next in 5G system evolution to further expand the 3GPP ecosystem? Enabling 5G system to support satellite communications is one direction under exploration in 3GPP. There has been a resurgence of interest in providing connectivity from space, stimulated by technology advancement and demand for ubiquitous connectivity services. The ongoing evolution of 5G standards provides a unique opportunity to revisit satellite communications. In this chapter, we focus on the 5G radio access network known as the new radio (NR) and study how to adapt the NR air interface for satellite links. We first provide an overview of use cases and a primer on satellite communications. We then identify key technical challenges faced by NR evolution for satellite communications and propose solutions to overcome them.
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Lin, X. et al. (2021). 5G New Radio Evolution Meets Satellite Communications: Opportunities, Challenges, and Solutions. In: Lin, X., Lee, N. (eds) 5G and Beyond. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58197-8_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58197-8_18
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