A paper stemming from 6G-NTN, titled “Performance analysis of satellite HARQ under partial feedback conditions,” has been honored with the Best Paper Award at the 42nd International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC). The paper, co-authored by Estefania Recayte (DLR), Carla Amatetti (UNIBO), and Amira Alloum (Qualcomm), was presented by Recayte at the prestigious event held from September 23-25, 2025, at the UNESCO campus of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Overcoming Challenges in Satellite Communication
The recognition highlights the project’s significant contribution to advancing non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), a crucial area for achieving global, seamless connectivity. With the integration of satellite communication into the 5G ecosystem in 3GPP Release 17, new challenges have emerged, particularly in adapting terrestrial protocols like the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) to the unique constraints of satellite environments. The HARQ protocol, which is critical for ensuring reliable data transmission, faces major hurdles due to the significant round-trip delays inherent in satellite links.
The winning paper tackles this very issue by investigating HARQ performance across three distinct feedback configurations: fully enabled, fully disabled, and a novel partially disabled approach. The authors propose an innovative solution for the partial feedback case, leveraging optimal erasure coding to reduce feedback overhead while still improving transmission efficiency. This method offers a promising middle ground, balancing the need for reliability with the practical limitations of satellite communication.
A Global Forum for Collaboration
The ICSSC conference provided an invaluable platform for the 6G-NTN project team to share their findings. Bringing together researchers, engineers, and experts from academia, industry, space agencies, and regulatory bodies worldwide, the event served as a forum for examining the progress, challenges, and potential solutions in the satellite communications field. The conference’s emphasis on networking and collaboration underscored the importance of partnerships in driving innovation, a core principle of the 6G-NTN project itself.
The Best Paper Award is a testament to the collaborative effort and groundbreaking research being conducted within the 6G-NTN project, reinforcing its position as a leader in shaping the future of global connectivity. The project’s success in developing practical solutions for complex satellite communication challenges demonstrates its commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in next-generation networks.