High-data-rate space-to-ground optical links are anticipated to be an alternative to radio-frequency spectrum congestion for the next generation of highthroughput geostationary satellites. An affordable site diversity system based on several optical ground stations (OGSs) and an optical fiber network is necessary to overcome cloud obstruction of the feeder link. In this paper, we report three promising sets of OGSs in the vicinity of existing ingress and egress points of a selected pan-European optical fiber network. These OGS networks are optimized for reaching at least 99.9% feeder link availability while minimizing the overall cost of the system. For the first time, the optical fiber network between OGSs is optimized using existing high-data-rate fiber links to limit its expense. The resulting cost estimates for each OGS network highlight the need to define a new cost model considering optical feeder link specificity. In addition, the link availability is simulated using a 2 year cloud mask data bank, taking into consideration practical cloud blockage forecasting duration and assuming optical transmission through thin ice clouds.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) prevails as the next 4 th generation of mobile communications. Hybrid satellite and terrestrial LTE network takes advantages from the large satellite coverage for several emergency applications, such as providing civil security communications. In this paper we propose a LTE architecture partly composed of an integrated component with satellite backhaul on the LTE-S1 interface. Since ensuring seamless communications is essential in LTE, we describe an optimization of the handover mechanism adapted to this specific architecture. This paper focuses on the handover between an eNB with a satellite S1 interface and an eNB with a standard terrestrial S1 interface.

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are made of a usually large number of nodes deployed over an area of interest in order to monitor specific phenomena. WSNs constitute a promising technology for planetary exploration, since they can be deployed in order to monitor the environmental conditions on a planet's surface, also in view of possible manned missions. This paper deals with the design of node and network architectures in a WSN targeted for planetary exploration, with a particular focus on the challenges, the driving principles and the design solutions adopted at WSN node and network level. Also, the paper introduces the basic architecture supporting data fusion at node and network level, which plays a fundamental role in order to increase overall WSN performances

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Architecture of a 10 Gbauds link between new high complexity optical ground station suitable for feeder link and a geostationary satellite is described. Such link is tested in laboratory environment with emulation of power fluctuations representative of the power budget between the optical ground station and the satellite. The software and hardware developed reach the expected performance and the system performance model is demonstrated to be accurate at 1 dB.