Satellite Scenario Basics

R2026b

You can build a complete satellite scenario simulation by using the Satellite Communications Toolbox functions and objects. The workflow for satellite scenario simulation consists of these five main components:

• The satelliteScenario object represents a 3-D arena consisting of satellites, ground stations, and the interactions between them. Use this object to model satellite constellations, model ground station networks, perform access analysis between the satellites and ground stations, and visualize the results.

• The satellite function adds satellites to the scenario using two line element (TLE) files or orbital elements. For more details on orbital elements and TLE files, see Two Line Element (TLE) Files.

• The platform function adds platforms to the scenario using trajectory data or position or velocity data.

• The groundStation function adds ground stations to the scenario using default parameters or the specified latitude and longitude.

• The satelliteScenarioViewer function creates a 3D viewer for the scenario.

• The addCustomBasemap function adds custom basemaps to the 3D viewer for the scenario. Use the removeCustomBasemap function to remove the custom basemap.

• The play function simulates the satellite scenario and plays the results in the visualization window specified by satelliteScenarioViewer.

This diagram shows the architecture of satellite scenario simulation. Some of the objects in the simulation share object functions.

• The Satellite, GroundStation, and ConicalSensor objects share the access object function.

• The Satellite, GroundStation, GroundTrack, and Access objects share the show and hide object functions.

• The Satellite, GroundStation, and Gimbal objects share the conicalSensor object function.

• The Satellite and GroundStation objects share the transmitter and receiver object functions.

• The Transmitter and Receiver objects share the link object function.

In the above architecture, you can replace the Satellite object with Platform object. In this case, the path object function replaces the orbit object function.

Lunar Link Analysis

When you add a Moon central body to the scenario, link analysis automatically accounts for Moon line-of-sight (LOS) obstruction. The Moon acts as an obstructing body for communication links between assets on different sides of the Moon.

Key lunar link analysis behaviors:

• Moon LOS obstruction — When the Moon is present in the scenario, the link, latency, and dopplerShift functions automatically include Moon obstruction in their calculations. You can also specify the ObstructingBodies property on the Link object.

• Cross-body communication — You can create links between Earth-orbiting and Moon-orbiting assets, or between Earth ground stations and lunar ground stations, for cislunar communication analysis.

• Access with Moon obstruction — The access function accounts for Moon obstruction when computing line-of-sight intervals between any two assets in the scenario.