Reliable Aerial and satellIte Networks: joint Communication, Computation, Caching for Critical scenarios

Guaranteeing network services in critical scenarios such as post-disaster or rural environments is challenging yet crucial to ensure operations reliability. In these scenarios, Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks (SAGINs) composed of satellite systems, aerial networks, and terrestrial communication are envisioned to play a key role in the upcoming sixth-generation (6G) wireless ecosystem. Indeed, in SAGINs, satellite networks can ensure ubiquitous coverage around the globe. However, the large transmission latencies are not in line with the 6G requests. Unmanned Aerial Systems have gained considerable interest due to their potential to enhance coverage, capacity, and reliability in harsh environments. In this project, we plan to investigate next-generation wireless systems for critical scenarios to mitigate the impact of deleterious masking effect in satellite links and to meet the quality requirements of ground users. This approach further pushes the deployment of SAGIN systems to a higher level of complexity compared to the existing literature, since innovative models and paradigms are required for resource orchestration in presence of uninterrupted backhaul and coordination issues. To address these challenges, we propose RAIN4C, a multi-layer framework for critical scenarios composed of satellite, aerial, and ground segments. Three main functionalities are proposed: - reliable connectivity: ensuring broad connectivity in critical scenarios is challenging due to the lack of ground infrastructure. The project will analyze the key SAGIN challenges such as 3D deployment, channel modeling, and energy efficiency. To support higher datarate we will analyze multiple-antenna technologies, cell-free massive MIMO, and the mmWave and sub-THz frequencies. - energy-efficient computation: high computation tasks can be requested in critical scenarios that may be too intensive for constrained devices. The project proposes to distribute the computation workload in a seamless edge-to-satellite continuum paradigm, which involves ground users, the aerial layer of drones (acting as edge nodes), and the satellite network (acting as cloud servers) - effective caching: data exchanging within SAGINs poses multiple challenges and limitations due to high communication delay and fast-moving network topologies. The project proposes to investigate multi-layer caching systems to intelligently store the resources at the satellites/aerial layers for fast access from ground users. RAIN4C proposes the design of centralized and distributed algorithms that support the joint optimization of the three described functionalities. The solutions will be tested via extensive simulations and through a test-bed where a subset of the RAIN4C functionalities are deployed by exploiting existing satellite networks and real UAVs. The outcome of this project will pose the basis for easy and fast deployable SAGIN systems to provide agile and on-demand services in critical scenarios.