Minimum Delay Routing in Multisatellite Networks†

We consider the problem of traveling with least expected delay in networks whose link delays change probabilistically according to Markov chains. This is a typical routing problem in dynamic multisatellite networks. We formulate several optimization problems, posed on infinite and finite horizons, and consider them with and without using memory in the decision making process. We prove that all these problems are, in general, intractable. However, for networks with nodal stochastic delays, a simple polynomial optimal solution is presented. This is typical of networks in which the dominant delays are incurred by the nodes. For more general networks, a tractable ε-optimal solution is presented. ____________________________________ † This work was supported in part by the Technion V.P.R. fund and the fund for the promotion of research at the Technion.