Abstract—In this paper we study a constraint-based routing strategy using label switching in a multi-layered hierarchical satellite constellation such as Transformational Communications Architecture. Both quality (Bit Error Rate on free space optical and radio inter-satellite links) and bandwidth availability on a satellite link are taken into account when setting up routes for high priority real-time traffic such as VoIP, which is sensitive to delay and jitter. To protect the real-time traffic from being swamped by bursty best-effort traffic we propose to have a separate queue for high priority traffic. Packets from several realtime flows are aggregated onto the same LSP (Label Switched Path) based on destination and priority, and are shielded from each other by a proportional dropping policy, where packets from flows exceeding their Committed Information Rate (CIR) have high dropping probability during congestion. The performance of the prioritized load balancing routing algorithm on a multi-layered satellite network is simulated and analyzed.

Complete paper in Adobe Acrobat format.