Level 23

Satellite & NTN Operations

Master satellite and NTN operations — LEO mega-constellations (Starlink, OneWeb, Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile), satellite architecture, orbit mechanics, inter-satellite links, direct-to-device, 3GPP NTN protocols, NTN link budgets, handover, Doppler management, KPIs, and commercial NTN deployments for maritime, aviation, and IoT.

14 interactive6 simulation5 labs4 quizzes

0/29 lessons

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LEO Constellation Architecture

0/7

LEO mega-constellations, satellite payload types, ground segment architecture, orbit mechanics, and inter-satellite links.

LEO mega-constellations: Starlink, OneWeb, Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile

Comparing LEO constellations by orbit altitude, satellite count, capacity, and coverage.

interactive3 min

Satellite architecture: bent-pipe vs regenerative payload, ISL, gateway

Satellite payload types and the processing pipeline from uplink to downlink.

interactive3 min

Ground segment: gateways, PoPs, interconnection to 5GC

Ground infrastructure connecting satellite constellations to the 5G core network.

interactive3 min

Orbit mechanics: orbital period, footprint, visibility window

Interactive altitude slider showing footprint size and satellite pass duration.

simulation3 min

Inter-satellite links: optical vs RF, routing in space

ISL mesh routing across constellations with optical vs RF link trade-offs.

interactive3 min

Lab: Calculate LEO visibility window and handover frequency

Orbital mechanics calculator for satellite visibility and handover rate at ground location.

lab5 min

Quiz: LEO Constellation Architecture

Test your understanding of LEO constellations and satellite architecture.

quiz5 min

Direct-to-Device & Terrestrial Integration

0/8

Direct-to-device satellite connectivity, T-Mobile/SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile architectures, 3GPP NTN protocols, spectrum sharing, and NTN roaming.

Direct-to-device: standard smartphone to satellite connection

D2D architecture from UE through LEO satellite to gateway and 5G core.

interactive3 min

T-Mobile + SpaceX Starlink D2D: architecture and spectrum sharing

T-Mobile/SpaceX D2D deployment roadmap, architecture, and spectrum sharing approach.

interactive3 min

AST SpaceMobile BlueBird: broadband from space

AST SpaceMobile massive antenna arrays and broadband satellite service technology.

interactive3 min

3GPP NTN for D2D: NR-NTN UE requirements, timing, HARQ

Protocol adaptations for satellite delay — timing advance, HARQ, and UE requirements.

simulation3 min

Satellite-terrestrial spectrum sharing and interference

Spectrum sharing frameworks for satellite-terrestrial co-existence and interference control.

interactive3 min

NTN roaming: satellite as visited PLMN, SLA management

Roaming architecture for NTN with satellite operator as visited network.

interactive3 min

Lab: Design D2D coverage plan for terrestrial gap-fill

Coverage gap analysis exercise identifying where satellite fills terrestrial gaps.

lab5 min

Quiz: Direct-to-Device & Integration

Test your knowledge of D2D satellite architectures and integration.

quiz5 min

NTN Operations & Performance

0/7

NTN link budgets, satellite handover, latency management, Doppler compensation, NTN KPIs, and handover optimization.

NTN link budget: satellite EIRP, G/T, atmospheric losses, rain fade

Advanced NTN link budget calculator with atmospheric and rain fade parameters.

lab4 min

NTN handover: satellite-to-satellite, satellite-to-terrestrial

Handover types with timing diagrams for satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground.

interactive3 min

NTN latency: delay-tolerant protocols, TCP optimization, buffering

Latency waterfall comparing LEO, MEO, and GEO with optimization techniques.

simulation3 min

NTN Doppler management: pre-compensation, frequency tracking

Doppler shift calculation and pre-compensation techniques for LEO satellites.

interactive3 min

NTN KPIs: link availability, throughput per beam, handover success

NTN-specific KPI dashboard with link availability and beam performance metrics.

simulation3 min

Lab: Optimize beam handover for moving ground terminal

Handover optimization exercise for a moving terminal under a LEO constellation.

lab5 min

Quiz: NTN Operations & Performance

Test your understanding of NTN link budgets, handover, and performance.

quiz5 min

Commercial NTN Deployments & Business

0/7

NTN for maritime, aviation, and IoT verticals, NTN economics, real-world commercial deployments, and business case analysis.

NTN for maritime: cruise ships, cargo, offshore platforms

Maritime NTN deployment architecture for ships and offshore installations.

interactive3 min

NTN for aviation: in-flight connectivity, ATG vs satellite

Aviation connectivity comparing air-to-ground vs LEO satellite approaches.

interactive3 min

NTN for IoT: asset tracking, agriculture, environmental monitoring

IoT-NTN use case comparison across asset tracking, agriculture, and environment.

simulation3 min

NTN economics: ARPU, capacity cost, spectrum licensing, launch costs

Business model comparison for NTN services with cost and revenue analysis.

simulation3 min

Real-world: Starlink, Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile — 2026 status

Commercial NTN deployment tracker with subscriber and coverage data.

interactive3 min

Lab: Build NTN business case — coverage, capacity, TCO, revenue

Business case exercise with coverage, capacity, TCO, and revenue modeling.

lab5 min

Quiz: Commercial NTN — Level Gate

Level gate quiz covering NTN verticals, economics, and commercial deployments.

quiz5 min

Satellite & NTN Operations

14 interactive6 simulation5 labs4 quizzes