Telecommunications Satellite Connections for Train Control Systems in Finland
Ahmadian, Rahele (2024)
2024
Sähkötekniikan DI-ohjelma - Master's Programme in Electrical Engineering
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2024-12-12
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2024120910861
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-2024120910861
Tiivistelmä
This thesis aims to design a roadmap for using satellite communications for railway systems in Finland as part of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) implementation. FRMCS, as the next generation communication standard for railway systems, is planned to incorporate satellite communications alongside terrestrial networks. The research begins with an investigation into the FRMCS system definition, objectives, different features and key attributes for the latency and reliability of communications. Subsequently, various satellite systems are studied and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems were selected as the most suitable option for train control applications due to their low latency, global coverage and smaller size of antennas.
A detailed evaluation of LEO satellite providers identifies Starlink and OneWeb as optimal choices for the near future, from 2025, while IRIS² is considered a promising option for long-term deployment, from 2030. To validate these findings, interviews were done with experts who conducted latency and reliability measurements of LEO systems in various urban and rural locations in Finland. In addition to obtained measurement data, simulation results for assessing the latency and reliability of the Starlink satellite system for different locations across Finland railway system are presented in this thesis. The results confirm that the selected LEO systems, Starlink and OneWeb, meet the stringent latency and reliability requirements of the FRMCS framework.
Based on these insights, a step-by-step roadmap is proposed to integrate satellite communications into Finland's railway system. The roadmap includes the following stages: Evaluation of Technologies for Optimal Selection, Data Collection and System Specification Finalization, Pilot Tests, Antenna Tests, and Full Deployment and Operation. This roadmap provides a practical guide for leveraging satellite technology to enhance the robustness and efficiency of railway communication systems in Finland.
A detailed evaluation of LEO satellite providers identifies Starlink and OneWeb as optimal choices for the near future, from 2025, while IRIS² is considered a promising option for long-term deployment, from 2030. To validate these findings, interviews were done with experts who conducted latency and reliability measurements of LEO systems in various urban and rural locations in Finland. In addition to obtained measurement data, simulation results for assessing the latency and reliability of the Starlink satellite system for different locations across Finland railway system are presented in this thesis. The results confirm that the selected LEO systems, Starlink and OneWeb, meet the stringent latency and reliability requirements of the FRMCS framework.
Based on these insights, a step-by-step roadmap is proposed to integrate satellite communications into Finland's railway system. The roadmap includes the following stages: Evaluation of Technologies for Optimal Selection, Data Collection and System Specification Finalization, Pilot Tests, Antenna Tests, and Full Deployment and Operation. This roadmap provides a practical guide for leveraging satellite technology to enhance the robustness and efficiency of railway communication systems in Finland.