Special issue on satellite communication systems and networking

Satellite Communications (SatCom) will have a crucial role in Next Generation Networks and in shaping the Future Internet. This is mainly due to the inherent features of SatCom Networks such as global coverage, cost effectiveness for broadcasting and multicasting connectivity, capability for providing broadband interactive services in remote areas, and emergency services. SatCom networks provide the foundations of European and worldwide digital information networks, and are already playing important roles in the current Internet such as: (a) providing broadband services to citizens in rural areas, to passengers on board of vessels, trains, or aircrafts; (b) delivering content to network head; (c) distributing data to the banking, business, health, governmental sectors; (d) providing connectivity in the Internet backbone; (e) backhauling of other access technology; and (f ) providing quick Internet access in emergency scenarios. In general, the SatCom operators and agencies are trying to follow the progress in technology of the terrestrial communication networks and benefit from their significant research achievements. On the other hand, the satellite systems, compared to terrestrial systems, have some particular characteristics such as service coverage, link geometry, propagation delay, channel impairments, interference scenarios, and physical layer interface. Additionally, we can distinguish between different SatCom systems variants depending on: the orbit, the users’ mobility, the operating frequency bands, group size of intended users, multiplexing scheme, type of application, and availability of FMTs. The well-accepted satellite standards that have been developed by ETSI are DVB-S2 and DVB/SH for fixed/mobile satellite broadcasting applications. Moreover, Broadband SatCom systems, with their global access and broadcasting capabilities, are well suited to answer to the requirements of the