As satellite operators accelerate toward multi-orbit architectures, Square Peg Communications’ RLS-2100 Radio Link Simulator is emerging as a vital tool for testing and validating these increasingly complex systems. The RLS-2100 enables hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation of real-world link conditions across geostationary (GEO), medium Earth orbit (MEO), and low Earth orbit (LEO) systems, allowing developers to assess performance, interoperability, and resilience before deployment. By emulating the unique characteristics of each orbit—including latency variations, Doppler shifts, and atmospheric effects – the RLS-2100 ensures that terminals, modems, and ground systems can operate seamlessly in hybrid satellite networks.
The satellite communications (SATCOM) industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Traditionally reliant on single-orbit systems, operators are now embracing multi-orbit connectivity to increase network resilience and coverage. Defense, government, and enterprise sectors are particularly motivated by the growing need for always-on, global connectivity that can withstand outages, congestion, and interference caused by single-orbit networks. By leveraging the strengths of multiple orbital layers, these networks can dynamically manage traffic, close coverage gaps, and provide secure backhaul solutions tailored to mission-critical demands.
Each orbit offers unique benefits. GEO satellites provide stable, wide-area coverage but suffer from higher latency. LEO constellations, on the other hand, offer low-latency and high-bandwidth performance ideal for real-time applications, though they require frequent handovers and complex management to maintain accurate positioning, navigation and timing. MEO systems strike a middle ground, combining broader coverage with lower latency and fewer satellites than LEO. A multi-orbit approach allows operators to blend these strengths, achieving a level of performance and adaptability that no single orbit can provide alone. However, realizing these benefits requires rigorous testing and integration of new technologies like multi-link terminals and adaptive ground systems.
This is precisely where the role of RLS-2100 becomes important in enabling comprehensive testing of handovers, latency variations, and link degradation scenarios that single-orbit systems typically struggle to overcome. By simulating the challenges of operating across multiple orbits, the RLS-2100 equips developers to design multi-orbit systems that are far more robust than traditional single-orbit configurations.
The RLS-2100 has been designed from the ground up to simulate the growing complexity of satellite-based networks. It allows satellite network operators to realistically model networks and to complete rigorous testing of high-bandwidth LEO/MEO applications with full mobility. It allows satellite modem or terminal manufacturers to test complex and dynamic scenarios and ensure compliance under a variety of channel conditions, without additional external devices. And with its native support for ARINC 429 and OpenAMIP, it allows in-flight connectivity providers to ensure gate-to-gate reliability with seamless handovers by recreating complex on-air scenarios before flying.
Square Peg meets the growing demand for advanced testing, resilient infrastructure, and trusted system engineering to deliver excellence and reliability at every stage. With more than 30 years of SATCOM experience, Square Peg provides advanced test and simulation solutions alongside deep engineering expertise, turning ambitious concepts like multi-orbit connectivity into dependable realities.