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Synchronizing the local oscillators in multibeam satellites with the objective of coherent communications is still an open challenge. It has to be addressed to implement full-frequency reuse approaches, such as precoding techniques using the already deployed multibeam satellites. This article addresses the required phase synchronization to enable precoding techniques in multibeam satellite systems. It contains the detailed design of a frequency and phase compensation loop based on the proportional-integral controller, which deals with the phase drift introduced by the hardware components. Specifically, the phase noise of the local oscillators used for up and down conversion at each system element (gateway, satellite, and user terminals). The implementation of the two-state phase noise model used to emulate this phase drift is included in the article. Besides, a comparative analysis of several methods to combine the frequency and phase measurements obtained from the user terminals is also included. Finally, the performance of the proposed closed-loop synchronization method is validated through simulations using our in-house developed MIMO end-to-end satellite emulator based on SDR platforms., This research was funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) under the CORE project COHESAT: Cognitive Cohesive Networks of Distributed Units for Active and Passive Space Applications, grant reference [FNR11689919] and the project DISBuS: Dynamic Beam Forming and In-band Signalling for Next Generation Satellite Systems, grant reference [FNR13778945]. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CCBY4.0) license to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. Additionally, this work has been supported by the European Space Agency under project number 4000122451/18/NL/NR ”Live Satellite Precoding Demonstration - CCN: MEO case (LiveSatPreDem).”, Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

This article presents a closed-loop differential phase compensation system for a precoding-enabled multibeam satellite forward link and its validation by live experiments on a GEO satellite scenario. The precoding operation avoids inter-beam interference and maximizes the spectrum efficiency by full frequency reuse as an alternative to the traditional two-color or four-color reuse methods proposed in the DVB-S2 standard. However, the satellite payload introduces differential phase and frequency impairments, which can degrade the precoding performance. This work describes the implementation of the differential phase and frequency tracking and compensation loop in an end-to-end testbed over a multibeam satellite system with independent local oscillators. The developed system performs end-to-end real-time communication over the satellite link, including channel measurements and precompensation. Results are validated by an over-the-air demonstration using two beams of the SES-14 multibeam satellite. Each beam is transmitted by independent transponders, which results in differential frequency and phase offsets due to the transponder undisciplined local oscillators. This phase offset makes it impossible to use precoding without the phase compensation loop. We prove that the implemented system can successfully track and compensate the differential phase and frequency to improve precoding performance.

Cohesive Distributed Satellite Systems (CDSSs) is a key enabling technology for the future of remote sensing and communication missions. However, they have to meet strict synchronization requirements before their use is generalized. When clock or local oscillator signals are generated locally at each of the distributed nodes, achieving exact synchronization in absolute phase, frequency, and time is a complex problem. In addition, satellite systems have significant resource constraints, especially for small satellites, which are envisioned to be part of the future CDSSs. Thus, the development of precise, robust, and resource-efficient synchronization techniques is essential for the advancement of future CDSSs. In this context, this survey aims to summarize and categorize the most relevant results on synchronization techniques for Distributed Satellite Systems (DSSs). First, some important architecture and system concepts are defined. Then, the synchronization methods reported in the literature are reviewed and categorized. This article also provides an extensive list of applications and examples of synchronization techniques for DSSs in addition to the most significant advances in other operations closely related to synchronization, such as inter-satellite ranging and relative position. The survey also provides a discussion on emerging data-driven synchronization techniques based on Machine Learning (ML). Finally, a compilation of current research activities and potential research topics is proposed, identifying problems and open challenges that can be useful for researchers in the field.

Cohesive Distributed Satellite Systems (CDSSs) is a key enabling technology for the future of remote sensing and communication missions. However, they have to meet strict synchronization requirements before their use is generalized. When clock or local oscillator signals are generated locally at each of the distributed nodes, achieving exact synchronization in absolute phase, frequency, and time is a complex problem. In addition, satellite systems have significant resource constraints, especially for small satellites, which are envisioned to be part of the future CDSSs. Thus, the development of precise, robust, and resource-efficient synchronization techniques is essential for the advancement of future CDSSs. In this context, this survey aims to summarize and categorize the most relevant results on synchronization techniques for Distributed Satellite Systems (DSSs). First, some important architecture and system concepts are defined. Then, the synchronization methods reported in the literature are reviewed and categorized. This article also provides an extensive list of applications and examples of synchronization techniques for DSSs in addition to the most significant advances in other operations closely related to synchronization, such as inter-satellite ranging and relative position. The survey also provides a discussion on emerging data-driven synchronization techniques based on Machine Learning (ML). Finally, a compilation of current research activities and potential research topics is proposed, identifying problems and open challenges that can be useful for researchers in the field., This work was supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), through the CORE Project COHEsive SATellite (COHESAT): Cognitive Cohesive Networks of Distributed Units for Active and Passive Space Applications, under Grant FNR11689919., Award-winning, Postprint (published version)

The new phase of space exploration involves a growing number of human and robotic missions with varying communication and service requirements. Continuous, maximum coverage of areas where activities are concentrated and orbiting missions (single spacecraft or constellations) around the Earth, Moon or Mars will be particularly challenging. The standardization of the 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) has already begun [1], and nothing prevents 5G from becoming a common communications standard supporting space resource missions [2]. The 5G Space Communications Lab (5G-SpaceLab) is an interdisciplinary experimental platform, funded by the Luxembourg Space Agency and is part of the Space Research Program of SnT. The lab allows users to design and emulate realistic space communications and control scenarios for the next-generation of space applications. The capabilities of the 5G-SpaceLab testbed combine the experience of different disciplines including space communications, space and satellite mission design, and space robotics. The most relevant include the demonstration of SDR 5G NTN terminals including NB-IoT, emulation of space communications channel scenarios (e.g. link budget, delay, Doppler…), small satellite platform and payload design and testing, satellite swarm flight formation, lunar rover and robotic arm control and AI-powered telerobotics. Earth-Moon communications is one of the scenarios demonstrated in the 5G-SpaceLab. Bidirectional communication for the teleoperation of lunar rovers for near real-time operations including data collection and sensors feedback will be tested. AI-based approaches for perception and control will be developed to overcome communication delays and to provide safer, trustworthy, and efficient remote control of the rovers. [1] 3GPP Release 17 Timeline. [Online]. Available: https://www.3gpp.org/release-17 [2] Nokia, Nokia selected by NASA to build first ever cellular network on the Moon. [Online]. Available: https://www.nokia.com

Distributed antenna arrays, fractionated payloads and cooperative platforms can provide unprecedented performance in the next generation of spaceborne communications and remote sensing systems. Remote phase synchronization of physically separated oscillators is the first step towards a coherent operation of distributed systems. This work shows the preliminary results of a TDD remote phase synchronization algorithm with a master-follower architecture. Herein, we describe the implementation and validation of the proposed algorithm. The implementation has been conducted in a Cubesat-ready software defined radio and validated at the end-to-end satellite communications testbed available at the University of Luxembourg.

This paper proposes and validates a low-complexity FPGA design for symbol-level precoding (SLP) in multiuser multiple-input single-output (MISO) downlink communication systems. In the optimal case, the symbol-level precoded transmit signal is obtained as the solution to an optimization problem tailored for a given set of users’ data symbols. This symbol-by-symbol design, however, imposes excessive computational complexity on the system. To alleviate this issue, we aim to reduce the per-symbol complexity of the SLP scheme by developing an approximate yet computationally-efficient closed-form solution. The proposed solution allows us to achieve a high symbol throughput in real-time implementations. To develop the FPGA design, we express the proposed solution in an algorithmic way and translate it to hardware description language (HDL). We then optimize the processing to accelerate the performance and generate the corresponding intellectual property (IP) core. We provide the synthesis report for the generated IP core, including performance and resource utilization estimates and interface descriptions. To validate our design, we simulate an uncoded transmission over a downlink multiuser channel using the LabVIEW software, where the SLP IP core is implemented as a clock-driven logic (CDL) unit. Our simulation results show that a throughput of 100 Mega symbols per second per user can be achieved via the proposed SLP design. We further use the MATLAB software to produce numerical results for the conventional zero-forcing (ZF) and the optimal SLP techniques as benchmarks for comparison. Thereby, it is shown that the proposed FPGA implementation of SLP offers an improvement of up to 50 percent in power efficiency compared to the ZF precoding. Remarkably, it enjoys the same per-symbol complexity order as that of the ZF technique. We also evaluate the loss of the real-time SLP design, introduced by the algebraic approximations and arithmetic inaccuracies, with respect to the o

In this paper we demonstrate end-to-end precoded multi-user multiple-input singleoutput (MU-MISO) communications over a live GEO satellite link. Precoded communications enable full frequency reuse (FFR) schemes in satellite communications (SATCOM) to achieve broader service availability and higher spectrum efficiency than with the conventional four-color (4CR) and twocolor (2CR) reuse approaches. In this scope, we develop an over-the-air test-bed for end-to-end precoding validations.We use an actual multi-beam satellite to transmit and receive precoded signals using the DVB-S2X standard based gateway and user terminals. The developed system is capable of end-to-end real-time communications over the satellite link including channel measurements and precompensation. It is shown, that by successfully canceling inter-user interference in the actual satellite FFR link precoding brings gains in terms of enhanced SINR and increased system goodput.

Distributed antenna arrays, fractionated payloads and cooperative platforms can provide unprecedented performance in the next generation of spaceborne communications and remote sensing systems. Remote phase synchronization of physically separated oscillators is the first step towards a coherent operation of distributed systems. This work shows the preliminary results of a TDD remote phase synchronization algorithm with a master-follower architecture. Herein, we describe the implementation and validation of the proposed algorithm. The implementation has been conducted in a Cubesat-ready software defined radio and validated at the end-to-end satellite communications testbed available at the University of Luxembourg., This work was supported by the Fond National de la Recherche Luxembourg, under the CORE project COHESAT: Cognitive Cohesive Networks of Distributed Units for Active and Passive Space Applications., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

The benefits of full frequency reuse in satellite communications consist of increased spectral efficiency, physical layer security, enhanced coverage, and improved Quality of Service. This is possible due to novel digital signal processing techniques for interference mitigation as well as signal predistortion in non-linear high-performance amplifiers. Advanced linear precoding and symbol-level precoding can jointly address the signal processing demands in the next-generation satellite communications. The real-time signal precoding increases the computational complexity handled at the gateway, thus requiring low-complexity high-performance algorithms to be developed. Additionally, extensive in-lab and field tests are required to increase the technology readiness level and industrial adaption rate. In this thesis, we focus on low-complexity precoding design and in-lab validations. We study the state-of-the-art linear and symbol-level precoding techniques and multi-user MIMO test-beds available in the literature. First, we present a novel low-complexity algorithm for sum power minimization precoding design. This technique allows to reduce transmitted power in a multi-beam satellite system and improves the quality of the received signal at user terminals. Next, we demonstrate an FPGA accelerated high-throughput precoding design. The FPGA precoding design is scalable for a different number of beams in the systems and operates in a real-time processing regime using a commercially available software defined radio platform. One of the highlights of this research is the creation of a real-time in-lab precoding test-bed. The test-bed consists of a DVB-S2X precoding enabled gateway prototype, a MIMO channel emulator, and user terminals. By using the radio frequency for transmitting and receiving the precoded signals, we can test the performance of different precoding techniques in realistic scenarios and channel impairments. We demonstrate an end-to-end symbol-level precoded r

In this paper, we investigate a simultaneous wireless information and power transmission (SWIPT) system, wherein a single multi-antenna transmitter serves multiple single-antenna users which employ the power-splitting (PS) receiver architecture. We formulate a Symbol-Level Precoding (SLP) based transmit power minimization problem dependent on the minimum signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and energy harvesting (EH) thresholds. We solve the corresponding non-negative convex quadratic optimization problem per time frame of transmitted symbols and study the benefits of proposed design under Zero-Forcing (ZF) Precoding, Direct Demand SLP (DD-SLP), and Squared-Root Demand SLP (RD-SLP) techniques. A static PS-ratio is fixed according to the SINR and EH demands to enable the segregation of intended received signals for information decoding (ID) and EH, respectively. Numerical results show the property conservation of SINR-enhancement via SLP at the ID unit while increasing the harvested energy at each of the end-users.

Interference is traditionally viewed as a performance limiting factor in wireless communication systems, which is to be minimized or mitigated. Nevertheless, a recent line of work has shown that by manipulating the interfering signals such that they add up constructively at the receiver side, known interference can be made beneficial and further improve the system performance in a variety of wireless scenarios, achieved by symbol-level precoding (SLP). This paper aims to provide a tutorial on interference exploitation techniques from the perspective of precoding design in a multi-antenna wireless communication system, by beginning with the classification of constructive interference (CI) and destructive interference (DI). The definition for CI is presented and the corresponding mathematical characterization is formulated for popular modulation types, based on which optimization-based precoding techniques are discussed. In addition, the extension of CI precoding to other application scenarios as well as for hardware efficiency is also described. Proof-of-concept testbeds are demonstrated for the potential practical implementation of CI precoding, and finally a list of open problems and practical challenges are presented to inspire and motivate further research directions in this area.

Remote Sensing from distributed platforms has become attractive for the community in the last years. Phase, frequency, and time synchronization are a crucial requirement for many such applications as multi-static remote sensing and also for distributed beamforming for communications. The literature on the field is extensive, and in some cases, the requirements an complexity of the proposed synchronization solution may surpass the ones set by the application itself. Moreover, the synchronization solution becomes even more challenging when the nodes are flying or hovering on aerial or space platforms. In this work, we discuss the synchronization considerations for the implementation of distributed remote sensing applications. The general framework considered is based on a distributed collection of autonomous nodes that synchronize their clocks with a common reference using inter-satellite links. For this purpose, we implement a synchronization link between two nodes operating in a full-duplex fashion. The experimental testbed uses commercially available SDR platforms to emulate two satellites, two targets, and the communication channel. The proposal is evaluated considering phase and frequency errors for different system parameters.

Remote Sensing from distributed platforms has become attractive for the community in the last years. Phase, frequency, and time synchronization are a crucial requirement for many such applications as multi-static remote sensing and also for distributed beamforming for communications. The literature on the field is extensive, and in some cases, the requirements an complexity of the proposed synchronization solution may surpass the ones set by the application itself. Moreover, the synchronization solution becomes even more challenging when the nodes are flying or hovering on aerial or space platforms. In this work, we discuss the synchronization considerations for the implementation of distributed remote sensing applications. The general framework considered is based on a distributed collection of autonomous nodes that synchronize their clocks with a common reference using inter-satellite links. For this purpose, we implement a synchronization link between two nodes operating in a full-duplex fashion. The experimental testbed uses commercially available SDR platforms to emulate two satellites, two targets, and the communication channel. The proposal is evaluated considering phase and frequency errors for different system parameters., This work was supported by the Fond National de la Recherche Luxembourg, under the CORE project COHESAT: Cognitive Cohesive Networks of Distributed Units for Active and Passive Space Applications., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

In this paper, we demonstrate an FPGA accelerated design of the computationally efficient Symbol-Level Precoding (SLP) for high-throughput communication systems. The SLP technique recalculates optimal beam-forming vectors by solving a non-negative least squares (NNLS) problem per every set of transmitted symbols. It exploits the advantages of constructive inter-user interference to minimize the total transmitted power and increase service availability. The benefits of using SLP come with a substantially increased computational load at a gateway. The FPGA design enables the SLP technique to perform in realtime operation mode and provide a high symbol throughput for multiple receive terminals. We define the SLP technique in a closed-form algorithmic expression and translate it to Hardware Description Language (HDL) and build an optimized HDL core for an FPGA. We evaluate the FPGA resource occupation, which is required for high throughput multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems with sizeable dimensions. We describe the algorithmic code, the I/O ports mapping and the functional behavior of the HDL core. We deploy the IP core to an actual FPGA unit and benchmark the energy efficiency performance of SLP. The synthetic tests demonstrate a fair energy efficiency improvement of the proposed closed-form algorithm, also compared to the best results obtained through MATLAB numerical simulations.

In this paper, we derive a closed-form algorithm of the computationally efficient Symbol-Level Precoding (SLP) for power efficient communications when using M-QAM modulated waveforms. The channel state information (CSI) based and data-aided SLP technique optimizes power efficiency by solving a non-negative convex quadratic optimization problem per time frame of transmitted symbols. The optimization combines constructive inter-user interference to minimize the sum power of precoded symbols at the transmitter side under constraints for minimum SNR at the receiver side. The SLP implementation incurs extra computational complexity of the transmitter. We propose a convex quadratic optimization problem for M-QAM constellations and derive a closed-form algorithm with a fixed number of iterations to solve the problem.

In this paper, we present a new hardware test-bed to demonstrate closed-loop precoded communications for interference mitigation in multi-beam ultra high throughput satellite systems under realistic payload and channel impairments. We build the test-bed to demonstrate a real-time channel aided precoded transmission under realistic conditions such as the power constraints and satellite-payload non-linearities. We develop a scalable architecture of an SDR platform with the DVB-S2X piloting. The SDR platform consists of two parts: analog-to-digital (ADC) and digital-to-analog (DAC) converters preceded by radio frequency (RF) front-end and Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) backend. The former introduces realistic impairments in the transmission chain such as carrier frequency and phase misalignments, quantization noise of multichannel ADC and DAC and non-linearities of RF components. It allows evaluating the performance of the precoded transmission in a more realistic environment rather than using only numerical simulations. We benchmark the performance of the communication standard in realistic channel scenarios, evaluate received signal SNR, and measure the actual channel throughput using LDPC codes.

We present a convex optimization based Symbol-Level Precoding (SLP) for sum power minimization and propose the low-latency closed-form algorithm to find a heuristic solution to the optimization problem. The technique exploits constructive interference at the multi-user MIMO systems and minimizes the sum power of the transmitted precoded signal per each symbol slot. As a result, the received signals gain extra Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), which leads to the improved data rate and energy efficiency. We benchmark the low-complexity algorithm for solving the optimization technique against the conventional Fast Non-Negative Least Squares algorithm (NNLS). The demonstrated design of the SLP technique combined with the proposed closed-form algorithm has low computational complexity and fast processing time, which is applicable in low-latency high-throughput satellite communication systems.

Interference greatly affects the quality of service of wireless and satellite communications, having also a financial impact for the telecommunication operators. Therefore, as the interfering events increase due to the deployment of new services, there is an increasing demand for the detection and mitigation of interference. There are several interference detectors in the literature, evaluated by using extensive simulations. However, this paper goes one step further, designing, implementing and evaluating the performance of the developed interference detection algorithms experimentally using a software defined radio, and particularly the universal software radio peripheral platform. A realistic communication system is implemented, consisting of a transmitter, a channel emulator and a receiver. Based on this system, we implement all the appropriate communications features such as pulse shaping, synchronization and demodulation. The real-time system implementation is validated and evaluated through signal and interference detection. We observe that the interference detection threshold is critical to the functioning of the system. Several existing interference detection techniques fail in practice due to this fact. In this paper, we propose a robust and practically implementable method the selection of threshold. Finally, we present real-time experimental results for the probabilities of false alarm and detection in order to verify the accuracy of our study and reinforce our theoretical analysis.