C-DReAM: Satellite Constellation Simulator

Satellite Simulator and System-Level Digital Twins for NGSO & GSO

C-DReAM is a system-level simulator with the capability to simulate various sized LEO, MEO and GEO satellite constellations. It’s a link budget / capacity level simulator that operates on a configurable time resolution.

With C-DReAM, you can evaluate satellite system capacity, optimize constellation parameters, analyze the coexistence of satellite and terrestrial systems – and more.

C-DReAM is highly configurable, with support for customer and project specific modifications.

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Design NGSO & GSO constellations

Simulate small to mega-sized constellations of satellites with flexible payloads at the capacity level.

Perform geospatial and coverage analysis

Visualize and analyze satellite coverage and performance over specific areas.

Analyze satellite & terrestrial system coexistence

Assess interference and coexistence scenarios to ensure best system performance.

From Satellite Orbit Design to TN/NTN Coexistence Analysis

USE CASES

Design LEO, MEO and GEO satellite constellations
- Optimize the constellation and parameters, e.g. number of satellites, satellite orbits, inclination, altitude
- Link budget analysis e.g., with different power, frequency range/band and antenna/beam assumptions
- Satellite system capacity evaluation with different design assumptions, e.g. the number of satellites and terminal deployment/traffic demand
- Resource allocation algorithm design, optimization, and testing
- Radio resource management algorithm development and testing

Perform coverage and geospatial analysis
- Hyperspectral camera and SAR satellite constellations
- Thermal, radiation and energy analyses assisted with orbit simulations
- Calculate spatial relationships between non-terrestrial and terrestrial objects

Analyze interference and coexistence
- For example, between satellite systems or between satellite and terrestrial systems
- Evaluate 5G NR-NTN usability for NGSO satellite constellation systems

Simulated visualization of the Starlink satellite constellation, showing numerous satellites orbiting above Europe

Simulation of six satellites orbiting above Europe, demonstrating their coverage areas over the region

Satellites simulated with white and red beams

See How C-DReAM is Driving Innovation in SatCom

Exploring SatCom systems for UAV terminals

UAV flying over fields with the sea close in the background

UAV-3S: Exploring possibilities of using SatCom systems for UAV terminals

The objective of the UAV-3S project is to develop and test an end-to-end system simulator that provides performance indicators for the development of UAV satellite terminals.

Magister is using the C-DReAM simulator as a baseline for UAV-3S, further enhancing it towards the UAV SatCom use case.

The simulator will implement UAV logistics use cases, such as realistic UAV path and attitude traces and channel models.

Comparing DVB-S2X/RCS2 and 5G NR-NTN

Forsway: Comparison project of DVB-S2X/RCS2 and 5G NR-NTN technologies

Magister executed a DVB-S2X/RCS2 and 5G NR-NTN comparison project for Forsway in a geostationary satellite broadband scenario.

During the project, we conducted theoretical comparisons and utilized C-DReAM for link level evaluations and capacity-level system simulations.

The project provided Forsway with valuable insights into the performance differences of 5G NR and traditional DVB for SatCom.

Researching 5G-Advanced and 6G NTN technologies

Profile of a child with a digital illustration of a brain

EAGER: Researching future 5G-Advanced and 6G NTN technologies

The ESA-funded EAGER project explored future 5G-Advanced and 6G NTN technologies to pave the way for new use cases and support 3GPP standardization.

Magister led the simulative analysis, enhancing the C-DReAM and ALIX simulators to evaluate future NTN technologies.

“We researched various potential technologies in this project and tested them through simulations. These techniques may very well be the basis for future 5G-Advanced and 6G standards.”

“C-DReAM is an enhanced software tool that is meant to evaluate NGSO satellites’ direct access to 5G. It then displays these results on a specially designed Graphical User Interface.”

Stefano CioniTelecommunications Systems Engineer, European Space Agency (Technical Officer / DASCE Project)

We developed C-DReAM as part of the C-DReAM project with the European Space Agency. Development continued through DASCE, where we advanced the simulator toward supporting 5G NTN direct access.

C-DReAM continues to evolve, as we refine and expand its capabilities to meet the demands of next-generation SatCom systems even better.