Channel Modeling and Performance Analysis of Airplane-Satellite Terahertz Band Communications

Wireless connectivity in airplanes is becoming more important, demanded, and common. One of the largest bottlenecks with in-flight Internet that airplane far away from both satellites ground base stations during most flight time. Maintaining a reliable high-rate wireless connection over such long-range link thus becomes challenge. Microwave frequencies allow for long distances but lack data rate to serve up several hundreds potential onboard customers. Higher bands millimeter-wave spectrum (30 GHz-300 GHz) have, therefore, been utilized overcome bandwidth limitations. Still, per-user throughput state-of-the-art systems an order magnitude lower than one available terrestrial networks. In this paper, we take step further study channel characteristics terahertz band (THz, 0.3 THz-10 THz) map feasibility aviation. We first propose detailed model aerial THz communications taking into account non-flat Earth geometry main features frequency-selective channel. then apply estimate links different conditions. finally determine altitudes where use airplane-to-satellite preferable airplane-to-ground link. Our results reveal capacity airborne may reach speeds ranging 50-150 Gbps, enabling cellular-equivalent rates passengers staff entire flight.