CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 52Satellite Communication SystemsSpacecraft Design and TechnologyTelecommunications and Broadcasting Technologies

Rapidly Deployable Satellite-Based Emergency Communications Infrastructure

Open access
Kagai, Francis, Branch, Philip, But, Jason, Allen, Rebecca, Rice, Mark·2024·IEEE Access
DOI 10.1109/access.2024.3465512
Open this paper in CoChat — free account

Abstract

Communication infrastructure is crucial during emergencies because it ensures reliable coordination and information dissemination for effective search and rescue missions. However, these systems rely on physical structures, making them vulnerable to failures caused by disasters like fires and flooding. To enhance resilience, redundant infrastructure is commonly practiced. For instance, redundant systems ensure continuous operation in space missions where repairs are not feasible. A major gap exists, however, as redundancy is not a viable solution for remote areas without existing communication infrastructure. Additionally, victims may need to evacuate to safety zones not covered by mainstream communication systems. In such cases, alternative infrastructure that is easy to deploy is required to address emergency communication challenges fully. This paper presents a framework to analyze the deployability of current satellite communication infrastructure for this purpose. The analysis focuses on deployability dynamics, elements, and applications. We start by discussing the evolution of satellite ground stations into mobile and software-defined systems. In the analysis, we find that, despite these advancements, current infrastructure fails to provide a single device that meets low power and low-cost rapid deployment requirements based on our deployability framework. The product that almost fulfils this is the satellite phone. However, satellite phones are prohibitively expensive for large-scale deployments, with a single device costing over 600 United States Dollars (USD), more than ten times the cost of Internet of Things (IoT) devices supporting similar technologies. Additionally, they are not power efficient. The high cost of satellite applications is associated with spectrum licensing and satellite infrastructural costs. We have analyzed satellite communication frequency bands and architectural design, such as antenna designs, communication protocols and standards, modulation techniques, and signal processing methods, to understand the important factors toward full deployability. Our comprehensive analysis reveals a gap in addressing interoperability issues caused by disparate communication standards, processing power and energy requirements. Further analysis reveals promising open-source initiatives that offer potential solutions, such as low-data rate modulation schemes, low-bitrate voice codecs, and low-power encryption techniques. Additionally, advancements in Artificial Intelligence(AI) and robust cybersecurity techniques provide a solid foundation for future developments of rapidly deployable satellite-based emergency communication infrastructure. Consequently, we have identified opportunities for developing low-power, frequency-agile architectures that integrate satellite and terrestrial network infrastructure. Specifically, the next-generation Cospas-Sarsat Search and Rescue system provides a pathway for eliminating spectrum licensing costs, making deployable systems affordable for mass adoption. Future work should leverage advancements in low-bitrate technologies to enhance emergency systems, ensuring secure and resilient two-way voice, messaging, and distress signalling capabilities for critical communications.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1109/access.2024.3465512

Cites

133 of 133 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

We couldn’t retrieve this paper’s full text, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • PQC integration is feasible within existing communication stacks; experiments embedding CRYSTALS-Kyber and Dilithium into TLS and VPN frameworks report manageable overheads and acceptable handshake latency, though larger key sizes remain a challenge for IoT and embedded systems.

    “Early performance evaluations confirm that PQC integration is feasible within existing communication stacks. Experiments embedding CRYSTALS-Kyber and Dilithium into TLS and VPN frameworks report manageable overheads and acceptable handshake latency, though larger key sizes remain a challenge for IoT and embedded systems [17,19,30].”

    From Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later: A Temporal Cybersecurity Risk in the Quantum Transition (2025) · cites this paper as [30]

  • State intelligence holdings and satellite communications amplify national-security stakes due to strategic persistence and cross-border exposure.

    “State intelligence holdings and satellite communications amplify national-security stakes due to strategic persistence and cross-border exposure [16,27,30].”

    From Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later: A Temporal Cybersecurity Risk in the Quantum Transition (2025) · cites this paper as [30]

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

1 of the 134 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Kagai, F., Branch, P., But, J., Allen, R., & Rice, M.
Affiliations
  • Swinburne University of Technology (AU)
  • Safety from Space, Adelaide, Australia
ORCID
Venue
IEEE Access
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Published
2024
Volume
12
Pages
139368-139410
ISSN
2169-3536 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1109/access.2024.3465512
OpenAlex
W4402742528
Cited by
49
References
134
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 1
FWCI
8.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • IEEE Access (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
SmartSat Cooperative Research Center (CRC), whose activities are funded by Australian Government’s CRC Program
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Satellite Communication Systems
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Spacecraft Design and Technology
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Media Technology › Telecommunications and Broadcasting Technologies
Keywords
satellite phones, interoperability, COSPAS-SARSAT, search and rescue, satellite-terrestrial integration, disaster resilience

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review