There are several satellite IoT systems currently existing or proposed. These systems are either Sensor to Satellite or Sensor to Gateway to Satellite. There are no existing or proposed IoT systems which do both.

Satellite IoT sensor data can either be transmitted directly from sensor to satellite or can be sent to a gateway, which collects data from many sensors and then uplinks to the satellite. Using a gateway is far more efficient than direct sensor to satellite when there is a high density of sensors in range of the gateway. A single gateway can connect 100s of sensors and backhaul via a single satellite uplink which reduces the overheads compared to those same 100s of sensors each competing for the satellite uplink. When there is a low density of sensors or only a single sensor, then efficiency gains of using a gateway disappear and it is more efficient to go directly from sensor to satellite.

This project will investigate the feasibility of existing standards for IoT and their applicability/ constraints to a Hybrid Sensor to Satellite Network. Outcomes of this project will inform a potential future project that will address issues identified and lead to implementation in Fleet’s Satellite Constellation.