A Cognitive Communications Protocols Suite for Networked Space Platforms for Autonomous Dynamic Spectrum Co-existence with User-Initiated Service Support

The STTR topic T5.01 envisions Autonomous Communications Systems (ACS) that can be aware of RF environment and the network status and learn from experience to enhance adaptability to nominal/anomalous conditions, self-reconfigure network connections, dynamically maximize performance in response to sensed conditions and mitigate system-level effects of outages and interference. In Phase II, Bluecom demonstrated (on the SCaN testbed), its Wideband Autonomous Cognitive Radio technology can provide autonomous, spectrum-aware and spectrum-agile functionalities needed to achieve such ACS. In this Phase II-S, Bluecom proposes to extend the Phase II cognition demonstrated on a single link to handle spectrum coexistence and user-initiated service (UIS) in space networks to meet NASA’s technology infusion goal of enabling system-wide intelligence. Phase II-S innovation builds on Phase II to deliver a portable and standards-compliant Cognitive Communications Protocol Suite ready for rapid, easy and flexible infusion in to NASA’s existing and future communications systems to achieve autonomous performance management, dynamic spectrum coexistence and UIS. Key attributes of this innovation include: Ability to learn not just the RF environment through spectrum sensing but also network status through node cooperation. Ability to learn interference-avoidance and comm. mode adaption using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) in response to sensed RF and network conditions. Ability to exploit polarization reconfigurability and beamforming to mitigate interference in cubesat networks with antenna designs meeting SWaP-C. Ability to leverage node cooperation, send RF spectrum and network status to support UIS. As orbits become crowded, Bluecom’s interference-avoiding protocols enabled by DRL will allow NASA space assets to be spectrally-agile while UIS-supporting protocols that leverage node cooperation and communication mode adaptability will enhance their responsiveness and availability.

The targeted infusion application of the Proposed Cognitive Communications Protocol Suite is for NASA’s planned cubesat networks. Specifically, it will be tested for the planned 3-node cubesat cluster to be deployed by 2023. The protocol suite will also be suitable for infusion in to surface-to-orbit communications systems planned for future lunar missions. The SWaP-C satisfying polarization reconfigurable antennas and beamforming arrays will be applicable for both existing and future S and Ka band microsatellite (e.g. cubesat) deployments

Cognitive interference-avoiding spectrum coexistence and network performance enhancement via node cooperation and communication mode adaptation are of interest to military, homeland-security and autonomous vehicular networks. Bluecom has already secured capital commitments from two AFRL programs to adapt this technology to DoD missions such as cognitive anti-jamming in military satellite systems.

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