A System-Level Entity-in-the-Loop Simulation Platform for Space-Terrestrial Integrated Network

As terrestrial mobile networks continue to converge with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems to augment connectivity and facilitate low-latency services, the imperative for exhaustive validation mechanisms grows increasingly salient. This paper introduces a flexible space-terrestrial integrated testbed designed to address this gap. The testbed enables the flexible validation of diverse network architectures, focusing on systemic challenges in satellite networks. The paper further analyzes the exacerbating impact of high mobility and handovers on long-haul signaling procedures in space-terrestrial integrated networks. Utilizing systemic simulation and a satellite-based edge core network deployment strategy facilitated by the testbed, we achieve improvements in access robustness. Lastly, the testbed’s adaptability and potential as a tool for future network design and optimization are also highlighted.