Space-Terrestrial Integrated Time-Sensitive Networks: Architecture, Challenges, and Open Issues

Space-terrestrial integrated network (STIN) has been recognized as a novel network paradigm to offer global seamless coverage and enhanced service capacity in emerging 6G networks. Being a promising technology, time-sensitive networking (TSN) has been deemed essential for supporting delay sensitivity and driving service perception in STIN. However, most of the existing works in TSN-enabled STIN focus on migrating terrestrial TSN mechanisms to satellite networks, with little attention given to the feasibility of delay-oriented task processing across earth-space domains. Furthermore, the problem of hierarchical TSN platform integration architecture design and heterogeneous time-sensitive clusters cooperative communication, have not been fully considered. Thus, different from previous studies, this article presents a novel network architecture named space-terrestrial time-sensitive network (STTSN), which integrates space, aerial, and terrestrial TSN clusters to provide ubiquitous coverage, predictable low-latency connectivity, and quality of experience (QoE)-driven service continuity. The key functional modules of the STTSN are detailed, and we propose the promising technical challenges, including Internet of Things (IoT) service slicing, multi-domain cooperative communication, mobility management, and dynamic configuration. Finally, some potential research issues for future research are discussed.