Future Technologies for Train Communication: The Role of LEO HTS Satellites in the Adaptable Communication System

The railway sector has been characterized by important innovations regarding digital technologies for train-to-ground communications. The actual GSM-R system is considered an obsolescent technology expected to be dismissed by 2030. The future communication systems in the rail sectors, such as Adaptable Communication Systems (ACS) and Future Railway Mobile Communication Systems (FRMCS), can manage different bearers as 4G/5G terrestrial technologies and satellites. In this environment, the new High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations promise very interesting performances from data rate and coverage points of view. The paper analyzes the LEO constellations of Starlink and OneWeb using public data. The Rome–Florence railway line is considered for simulations. The results evidence the LEO satellite can provide interesting performance in terms of visibility, service connectivity, and traffic capacities (up to 1 Gbps). This feature enables the LEO to fully manage a high amount of data, especially in the railway scenarios of the next years when video data applications will be more present.