A handover strategy in the LEO satellite constellation networks with ISLs

This paper proposes a new handover strategy named Minimal-Hops Handover (MHH) strategy for the LEO satellite-based constellation networks equipped with Inter-Satellites Links (ISL). MHH strategy, which is based on the hops of the end-to-end connection paths and makes good use of the regularity of the constellation network topology, can appropriately combine the handover procedure with routing and efficiently solve the inter-satellites handover issue. Moreover, MHH strategy can provide QoS guarantees to some extent. The system performances of the MHH strategy, such as time propagation delay and handover frequency, are evaluated and also are compared with that of other previous strategies. The simulation results show that MHH strategy performs better than them.