Doctoral student in Sustainable Satellite Networks

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Information and Communication Technology

Global connectivity relies heavily on terrestrial fiber-optic cables, but their physical vulnerabilities, high installation costs, and sustainability concerns demand a fresh approach. Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks (SAGIN) offer a solution by fusing space, air, and ground nodes for seamless, ubiquitous coverage. Because light travels roughly 1.5 times faster in space than through fiber cables, modern low-Earth-orbit (LEO) mega-constellations can deliver low-latency, secure, and high-capacity redundancy that rivals traditional ground networks.

In this doctoral project, you will contribute to the evolution of SAGIN, focusing specifically on dual-tier space-ground integrated networks. The goal is to develop the architectural concepts and AI frameworks needed to deliver reliable, low-latency communications across satellite mesh networks. A core hypothesis of this project is that introducing automation and network-aware coordination can overcome the vulnerabilities of manual operations, mitigating the severe impacts of orbital dynamics, space weather, and altitude densification. Methods from satellite communication theory, network optimization, and machine learning will play a vital role. The research will be highly theoretical and algorithmic, focused on the optimization of thousands of dynamic communication nodes.

You will work at the Department of Communication Systems at the EECS school. The research is connected to the SMART 6GSAT research center (financed by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research).

Supervision:  Irem Bor-Yaliniz, Cicek Cavdar, Emil Björnson is proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or

• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or

• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work,

• collaborate with others,

• have a professional approach,

• analyze and work with complex issues,

• and communicate effectively in English, for the daily work.

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal skills.