Introduction

Complex technical theses often obscure the “big picture” impact of innovation. Based on the project documentation accompanying the RRM research, we summarize the core value proposition of On-Board Radio Resource Management (RRM) for the Exocortex Constellation.

The Core Problem

Satellites today operate like old-fashioned radios: they broadcast at fixed power levels regardless of whether the receiver is close or far, or if it is raining or sunny. This wastes massive amounts of energy.

The RRM Solution

Implementing intelligent RRM on the satellite delivers three tangible benefits:

1. Battery Life Extension

By dialing down transmit power when conditions are clear, the satellite can save up to 30% of its energy budget. This energy can be redirected to the neuromorphic payload for computing tasks.

2. Capacity Increase

Instead of serving one user with full power, the satellite can “beam form” to serve multiple users simultaneously with just enough power for each. This multiplies the effective bandwidth of the constellation.

3. Autonomy

The satellite no longer waits for instructions. It adapts to interference or demand spikes instantly. This is crucial for military or emergency response applications where ground links may be compromised.

Summary of Findings

The shift to on-board processing is not just an upgrade; it is a requirement for scaling mega-constellations. Without automated resource management, the control overhead for thousands of satellites becomes unmanageable.

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Official Sources

1. Source Material: Project Summary / Flyer (associated with Visweswaran, 2021).
2. Deep Dive: Visweswaran, (2021). “Energy-Efficient On-Board Radio Resource Management for Satellite Communications.” TU Eindhoven.
3. ArkSpace Vision: arkspace-core/docs/architecture/exocortex-constellation.md