Strategies for handover control in low Earth orbit satellite systems

Currently, many efforts are undertaken to develop and install world-wide communications networks based on low Earth orbit (LEO) or intermediate circular orbit (ICO) satellites. However, many problems are still to be solved. One of these problems, namely the design of strategies for handover between satellites is addressed. Strategies that intend to maximize the instantaneous elevation angle or to minimize the handover rate are compared. The authors also consider not performing handovers at all. The main result is that sufficient call duration can be guaranteed without performing handovers when an intermediate orbit altitude (at about 6000 km) is chosen