TY - GEN
T1 - Decentralised Asynchronous Resilient Time Synchronisation for Satellite Networks
AU - Bouis, Agathe
AU - Gribben, Joshua
AU - Clark, Ruaridh A.
AU - Macdonald, Malcolm
AU - Steinmann, Emma
AU - Reiss, Philipp
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 by Agathe Bouis, Emma Steinmann, Joshua Gribben, Ruaridh A. Clark, Philipp Reiss, Malcolm Macdonald. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Time synchronisation is a key requirement for space-based networks and their services. Currently, in Low Earth Orbit the primary source of time and position data comes from Global Navigation Satellite Systems along with satellites’ on-board clocks. This centralised architecture leaves satellite networks vulnerable to single points of failures and error cascades. To address these vulnerabilities, the Decentralised, Asynchronous, and Resilient Time Synchronisation, or DARTS framework is presented, enabling sparse satellite systems to time synchronise even in the presence of up to 10% of disruptive actors within the network. This approach requires neither an external terrestrial reference source, any knowledge of the satellite network topology, nor knowledge of the number of disruptive nodes present in the system. DARTS is tested on sparse terrestrial and lunar networks of satellites, and its ability to ensure effective convergence is confirmed with and without disruptor nodes.
AB - Time synchronisation is a key requirement for space-based networks and their services. Currently, in Low Earth Orbit the primary source of time and position data comes from Global Navigation Satellite Systems along with satellites’ on-board clocks. This centralised architecture leaves satellite networks vulnerable to single points of failures and error cascades. To address these vulnerabilities, the Decentralised, Asynchronous, and Resilient Time Synchronisation, or DARTS framework is presented, enabling sparse satellite systems to time synchronise even in the presence of up to 10% of disruptive actors within the network. This approach requires neither an external terrestrial reference source, any knowledge of the satellite network topology, nor knowledge of the number of disruptive nodes present in the system. DARTS is tested on sparse terrestrial and lunar networks of satellites, and its ability to ensure effective convergence is confirmed with and without disruptor nodes.
KW - Air Traffic Control
KW - Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast
KW - Automatic Identification System
KW - Constellations
KW - Earth
KW - Global Navigation Satellite System
KW - Monte Carlo Simulation
KW - Satellite Constellations
KW - Satellite Networks
KW - Time Division Multiple Access
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105017973183
U2 - 10.2514/6.2025-4091
DO - 10.2514/6.2025-4091
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:105017973183
SN - 9781624107382
T3 - AIAA Aviation Forum and ASCEND, 2025
BT - AIAA AVIATION FORUM AND ASCEND, 2025
PB - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
T2 - AIAA AVIATION FORUM AND ASCEND, 2025
Y2 - 21 July 2025 through 25 July 2025
ER -