IEEE Wireless Communications is designed for audience working in the wireless communications and networking communities. It covers technical, policy and standard issues relating to wireless communications in all media (and combinations of media), and at all protocol layers. All wireless/mobile communications, networking, computing and services will be covered. Each issue of this interdisciplinary magazine provides tutorial articles of high quality and depth concerning the revolutionary technological advances in wireless/mobile communications, networking and computing.

Special Issue on Multi-Satellite Collaborative Communications and Networking for Future Global Satellite Internet
Submission Date: 2025-08-01

Multi-satellite collaboration can significantly improve the performance of communication coverage, positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), and remote sensing accuracy. With the development of inter-satellite connectivity technologies, collaboration between satellites of various service types facilitates multi-functional integration, enhancing resource efficiency, generating mutual advantages, and ensuring the robustness of satellite services in all-weather environments. 

Nowadays, the advantages of integrating with sophisticated technologies, including retrievable launch vehicles, distributed data storage, point-to-point transmission, laser communications, Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), and AI-driven multi-source data processing, have led to the emergence of multi-satellite collaboration as a promising field of research in both academic and industrial contexts. Nevertheless, the current state of multi-satellite collaborative technology is still beset with significant challenges, including the threat of malicious behavior, a lack of standardization and limited interoperability. These factors collectively impede the large-scale deployment of multi-satellite collaborative applications. To develop new multi-satellite collaborative technologies for future global satellite internet, it is essential to address the limitations of current multi-satellite collaboration, including complex topology, large latency, poor self-organization and scalability, multi-source interference, and inter-satellite link security issues. Fortunately, recent advances in AI technologies have created new opportunities for overcoming the challenges of multi-satellite collaborative development and providing innovative solutions to many emerging research issues in future global satellite internet. To enhance future space communications and networking, this Special Issue (SI) uniquely calls for the study of multi-satellite collaboration necessitates novel concepts, theories, designs, mechanisms, frameworks, and technologies. Consequently, the topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

    Multi-Satellite Collaboration-enabled Signal Processing and Applications over Future Communications and Networking.
    Fundamental Information-Theoretic Limits for Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Design and Analysis of New Architectures for Scalable, Secure and Intelligent Multi-Satellite Collaborative Network.
    Massive Access Technologies in Multi-Satellite Cooperative Networks.
    Tasks Scheduling Algorithm Based on Asynchronous and Synchronous in Multi-Satellite Collaborative Systems.
    Multi-Satellite Collaboration assisted Multi-Objective Design and Optimization.
    Heterogeneous Multi-Layer Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Mobility and Handover Management in Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Multi-Satellite Collaborative Network-based Distributed Computing, Sensing and Sharing.
    AI-Enhanced Methods for Novel Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Optimization of Resource Allocation and Management for Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Security Situational Awareness and Secure Communications in Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    High-Frequency Band and Cross-Band Technologies for Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Green Communication Based on Multi-Satellite Collaboration.
    Enhancement of Anti-Jamming and Anti-Interception Capabilities for Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Key Technologies for Inter-Satellite Routing in Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Design of Dynamic Clustering Planning Algorithm for Co-Orbital or Hetero-Orbital Satellites in Multi-Satellite Collaborative Networks.
    Integrated Sensing and Communication via Satellite Technologies.
    Spectrum Sharing via Multi-Satellite Communications for Space-Air-Ground-Underwater Integrated Networks.
    Industrial and Standardization of Multi-Satellite Collaborations.

Submission Guidelines

Prospective authors should prepare their submissions in accordance with the rules specified in the "Information for Authors" of the IEEE Wireless Communications Author Guidelines. Authors should submit a PDF version of their complete manuscript to Author Portal. The timetable is as follows:

Important Dates

Manuscript Submission Deadline: 1 August 2025
Initial Decision Date: 1 October 2025
Revised Manuscript Due: 1 November 2025
Final Decision Date: 1 December 2025
Final Manuscript Due: 1 February 2026
Publication Date: April 2026

Guest Editors

Shuai Wang
Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), Beijing, China

Merouane Debbah
Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE

John S. Thompson
The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

Lei Lei
The University of Guelph, Canada

Chunting Wang
China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd, China