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Performance Evaluation of IoT LoRa Networks on Mars Through ns-3 Simulations

Manuele Favero, Alessandro Canova, Marco Giordani, Michele Zorzi

TL;DR

This work evaluates the feasibility of deploying LoRaWAN-based IoT networks on the Martian surface using ns-3 simulations that incorporate a Martian channel model with Free-space path loss and dust-storm attenuation. The authors extend the existing LoRaWAN ns-3 module with a MarsPropagationLossModel and assess performance against Earth under varying distance, packet size, and traffic, using Slotted-ALOHA and a minimum throughput constraint of $S_m = 300$ bit/s. Key findings show that Mars achieves throughput about $15\%$ lower than Earth and requires roughly one-third the distance to reach the same throughput, with dust storms having negligible impact at 868 MHz but potentially greater effects at higher frequencies. The results provide deployment guidelines for Martian IoT, highlighting the need to manage distance and offered traffic, and point to future work incorporating additional channel effects such as multipath delays.

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant surge of interest in Mars exploration, driven by the planet's potential for human settlement and its proximity to Earth. In this paper, we explore the performance of the LoRaWAN technology on Mars, to study whether commercial off-the-shelf IoT products, designed and developed on Earth, can be deployed on the Martian surface. We use the ns-3 simulator to model various environmental conditions, primarily focusing on the Free Space Path Loss (FSPL) and the impact of Martian dust storms. Simulation results are given with respect to Earth, as a function of the distance, packet size, offered traffic, and the impact of Mars' atmospheric perturbations. We show that LoRaWAN can be a viable communication solution on Mars, although the performance is heavily affected by the extreme Martian environment over long distances.

Performance Evaluation of IoT LoRa Networks on Mars Through ns-3 Simulations

TL;DR

This work evaluates the feasibility of deploying LoRaWAN-based IoT networks on the Martian surface using ns-3 simulations that incorporate a Martian channel model with Free-space path loss and dust-storm attenuation. The authors extend the existing LoRaWAN ns-3 module with a MarsPropagationLossModel and assess performance against Earth under varying distance, packet size, and traffic, using Slotted-ALOHA and a minimum throughput constraint of bit/s. Key findings show that Mars achieves throughput about lower than Earth and requires roughly one-third the distance to reach the same throughput, with dust storms having negligible impact at 868 MHz but potentially greater effects at higher frequencies. The results provide deployment guidelines for Martian IoT, highlighting the need to manage distance and offered traffic, and point to future work incorporating additional channel effects such as multipath delays.

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant surge of interest in Mars exploration, driven by the planet's potential for human settlement and its proximity to Earth. In this paper, we explore the performance of the LoRaWAN technology on Mars, to study whether commercial off-the-shelf IoT products, designed and developed on Earth, can be deployed on the Martian surface. We use the ns-3 simulator to model various environmental conditions, primarily focusing on the Free Space Path Loss (FSPL) and the impact of Martian dust storms. Simulation results are given with respect to Earth, as a function of the distance, packet size, offered traffic, and the impact of Mars' atmospheric perturbations. We show that LoRaWAN can be a viable communication solution on Mars, although the performance is heavily affected by the extreme Martian environment over long distances.
Paper Structure (14 sections, 3 equations, 9 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 14 sections, 3 equations, 9 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Description of the Martian Channel
  3. Mars Atmosphere
  4. Channel Model
  5. Free-space path loss
  6. Attenuation due to dust storms
  7. Description of LoRa and Ns-3 Simulations
  8. LoRa and LoRaWAN
  9. An Ns-3 Module for LoRa Networks on Mars
  10. Performance Evaluation
  11. Results: Earth vs. Mars
  12. Results: Different Martian Scenarios
  13. Results: Impact of Dust Storms
  14. Conclusions

Figures (9)

  • Figure 1: An illustration of a futuristic telecommunication scenario on Mars with IoT devices communicating through LoRa.
  • Figure 2: Earth scenario.
  • Figure 3: Mars scenario.
  • Figure 5: SF distribution on Earth vs. Mars for different values of the radius of the deployment area, from $R=1000$ m (top-left corner) to $R=4000$ m (bottom-right corner), and for $d=1000$ m.
  • Figure 6: Throughput on Mars and on Earth vs. $d$ and the packet size.
  • ...and 4 more figures