Welcome to SNS3

Satellite Network Simulator 3 (SNS3) is a satellite network extension to Network Simulator 3 (ns-3) platform. ns-3 is a discrete event simulator for networking research licensed under General Public License v2 (GPLv2). SNS3 models a full interactive multi-spot beam satellite network with a geostationary satellite and transparent star (bent-pipe) payload. The reference satellite system consists of 72 spot-beams with an European coverage, 5 gateways and Ka-band frequencies. It implements the DVB-RCS2 - DVB-S2 standards.


This platform has been initially developed by Magister Solutions Ltd in the frame of ESA ARTES european projects (AO6947, AO7476).

It is now also promoted by CNES (French Space Agency) as a reference open-source software tool within its research and development studies and activities in the domain of satellite communication systems and networks.

SNS3 overview


SNS3 implements a wide range of DVB-S2/RCS2 mechanisms:

  • Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM)
  • Return and forward link scheduling
  • Demand Assignment Multiple Access (DAMA): Constant Rate Allocation (CRA), Rate-Based Dynamic Capacity (RBDC), Volume-Based Dynamic Capacity (VBDC), Free Capacity Allocation (FCA)
  • Random Access (RA): Slotted ALOHA and Contention Resolution Diversity Slotted ALOHA (CRDSA)
  • Generic Stream Encapsulation (GSE)
  • Return Link Encapsulation (RLE)
  • Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) through LLC bidirectionnal convergence layer
  • Multi-beam satellite antenna gain patterns
  • Packet-by-packet SNIR computation
  • Packet-by-packet co-channel and intra-beam interference tracking
  • Weather traces, Land-Mobile Satellite (LMS) channel
  • Error models based on BER curves

SNS3 Architecture


Built on the general-purpose NetDevice model of ns3, SNS3 proposes a realistic scenario corresponding to a High-Throughtput-Satellite (HTS) system, consisting in 72 spotbeams and 5 gateways.


Contributors