RP-ER: Relative Position based Efficient Routing Mechanism for LEO Satellite Network

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks are gaining more interest as a crucial component of future space-air-ground integrated networks. However, the traditional IP-based communication mode is not well-suited for supporting low-cost and highly reliable routing in inter-satellite packet transmission. On one hand, the centralized IP address allocation model increases server resource consumption and also leads to excessive communication between satellites. On the other hand, the single-path routing feature of IP cannot guarantee timely recovery of the path in the event of a satellite node failure. Therefore, this paper proposes a mechanism called Relative Position-based Efficient Routing (RP-ER) for LEO satellite networks. RP-ER can achieve distributed address allocation at a low cost and enable redundant routing in the event of a path failure. In particular, RP-ER first establishes the relative position model based on the laws of satellite motion. Then, the central satellite broadcasts the address allocation instructions, and each satellite reacts and disperses packets. Finally, these satellites allocate independent addresses and generate primary and backup routes simultaneously. Compared to other routing mechanisms, RP-ER utilizes fewer satellite resources during the network addressing phase. Additionally, it can establish redundant high-quality paths during the communication phase with a concise routing table.