Call for Papers

With the growing demand of real-time communications in anywhere for anyone, satellite communications are widely expended using different platforms on geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites and medium/low earth orbit (M/LEO) satellites. However, suffering from scarce frequency/orbit resources and limitation of satellite platform capacity, there is a demand for the development of new space network infrastructures to supplement and extend the satellite communication systems. The space information networks are integrated networks based on various space platforms including GEO, M/LEO satellites, and airships on high altitude platform stations (HAPS) to support real-time communications, massive data transmission and processing, and systematized information services. In last decade, many Internet giants have proposed various space information networks development projects to aim at providing Internet access in anywhere, any place for everyone globally. Comparing to the terrestrial networks, space information networks have broader application area and wider coverage, which may expand human activities to space, high seas, and even outer space. Due to the unique features (i.e., high attitude, wide coverage, and line-of-sight transmission) of space information networks, they are expected to play a key role in the applications of communications, remote sensing, air traffic control, aviation/maritime communications, Internet of Things (IoT), and aerospace measurement. Particularly, the space information networks become more significant and indispensable to construct Internet infrastructures in remote areas of the globe and provide emergency communication services in case of natural disasters (e.g., hurricane, earthquake, floods, etc.). However, the extension of space-time coverage leads to numerous theoretical and technical challenges with respect to the development of space information networks by considering the restricted spectrum, energy, and orbits resources. In order to thoroughly discover the fundamental issues of space information networks and their applications, the basic theories and key technologies for space information networks need to be explored. 

This Special Issue (SI) seeks theoretical foundations and original technical contributions on space information networks. 

Potential topics include, but are not limited to: 

• Architecture and key techniques of space information networks;
• Satellite communications and networks; 
• High altitude platform stations (HAPS) communications; 
• Air traffic control and communications; 
• Space millimeter wave communications and networks; 
• Space optical wireless communications;   
• Innovative services in space information networks, in particular for Internet of Things, remote sensing and telemetry applications 

Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts should conform to the standard format as indicated in the Information for Authors section of the Paper Submission Guidelines.

All manuscripts to be considered for publication must be submitted by the deadline through Manuscript Central. Select the “April 2019: Space Information Networks” topic from the drop-down menu of Topic/Series titles.

Important Dates

Manuscript Submission Deadline June 15, 2018
Initial Decision: August 1, 2018
Revised Manuscript Due: October 1, 2018
Decision Notification: December 1, 2018
Final Manuscript Due: January 10, 2019
Publication Date: April 2019

Guest Editors

Lin Bai (Lead)
Beihang University, China

Tomaso De Cola 
German Aerospace Centre, Germany

Quan Yu
Institute of China Electronic System Engineering Corporation, China

Wei Zhang
The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia