SAGSIN

KAUST researchers model space–air–ground–sea networks to bring reliable connectivity from the coast to the deep ocean

3 min read · Fri, Oct 23 2026

SAGSIN High-Altitude Platform Stations haps LEO Satellites UAVs Stochastic Geometry

Ships, offshore platforms, and rescue teams need more than a voice channel. Transoceanic freighters rely on data links for navigation, fleet management, and cargo monitoring. Offshore oil and gas platforms send sensor telemetry, video surveillance, and emergency alerts. Yet most of today’s maritime systems, such as GMDSS, NAVTEX, AIS, and VDES, support only text or voice. Shore-based coverage ends about 100 km from the coast, and satellite services bring high latency and limited spectrum. Researchers from the KAUST Communication Theory Lab (CTL) and Heriot-Watt University present an analytical