TCP-QUIC-Based Data Transmission Approach for High Orbit Satellites

In the last decade, the requirements of data volume in satellite communication increased significantly. End-to-end data transmission between high-orbit satellites and ground segments is constrained by bottlenecks such as limited frequency resources and low transmission rates, making it imperative to optimize TCP implementation. In this article, five mainstream data transmission schemes were evaluated: double-side TCP lightweight parameter optimization scheme, double-side TCP heavyweight core optimization scheme, ground-side single-side TCP heavyweight core optimization scheme, heavyweight tunnel optimization scheme and lightweight TCP-QUIC proxy optimization scheme. Through in-depth analysis, the lightweight TCP-QUIC proxy outperformed other schemes in reducing the delay of connection establishment, improving the efficiency of congestion control and flow control, and supporting multi-channel multiplexing and connection migration. Validated using a prototype system developed by the Beijing Institute of Computer Technology and Application, hardware-in-the-loop simulations show that the optimized scheme achieves significant performance gains: the 150 Mbps downlink transmission rate is improved by 100 times, while the 10 Mbps uplink transmission rate is enhanced by 7 times. These optimized rates fully satisfy user requirements. This study demonstrates that the proposed lightweight TCP-QUIC proxy-based scheme is a strong candidate for standardizing data transmission protocols in China’s future high-orbit satellite missions.