Abstract: In a system that includes a constellation of satellite communication nodes, information packets are routed through the constellation using routing tables stored in each communication node. When a packet is received at a node, the packet's destination and routing table ID are read. One of several routing tables are selected using a mapping table. Each of the several routing tables has a different routing instruction set. The packet is routed away from the node using the selected routing table. When system traffic is heavy, or some of the communication links are overloaded or have failed, routing table control bits are sent to the nodes updating the mapping table. Packets are subsequently routed using different sets of routing tables, such as ones having greater hop counts.

Abstract: In a system that includes a constellation of satellite communication nodes, information packets are routed through the constellation using routing tables stored in each communication node. The routing tables are generated and updated regularly to reflect anticipated traffic loading and physical changes in node connectivity within the constellation which occur as a result of satellite motion and link failures. The table generating process performs a routing simulation using historical traffic data. Forward and reverse link usage for data packets headed for the same destination are identified and canceled. New routes are then generated. Popularity ratios are formed at each exit link for each destination node based on the new routes. Several routing tables are generated for each node based on selected packet splitting numbers and the popularity ratios. The routing tables are sent to each communication node for use during the next twenty-four hour period.