Crosslink transmission scheduling in multiple satellite systems with pseudo-random potential receive times

Transmission scheduling strategies are considered for a packet-switched, low-altitude, multiple-satellite system. Each satellite directs its receive antenna at particular neighboring satellites at times governed by a pseudorandom sequence, agreed upon in advance between each receive/transmit pair. During periods when a satellite is not in receive mode it must schedule its transmissions to neighboring satellites. Each packet must be sent at such a time that at time of arrival the intended receiver antenna is directed at the source satellite. The performance of a simple nonpreemptive scheduling strategy is assessed. Scheduling strategies yielding the maximum weighted throughput are then identified and compared to the simple scheduling strategy. An adaptive control policy is introduced. In the special case that there are only two neighboring satellites, the adaptive strategy provides stability at all data rates for which stability is possible under any nonlookahead strategy