Communication routing between nodes in a LEO satellite network

A satellite node in a network of satellite nodes comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the satellite node to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a communication directed to an address of a destination satellite;
• determining whether the satellite node is the destination satellite;
• upon determining that the satellite node is the destination satellite, transmitting the communication to a ground station computing device in communication range of the satellite node;
• and
• upon determining that the satellite node is not the destination satellite:
• identifying, via a local routing table, a second satellite node associated with the address for the destination satellite, wherein the local routing table includes multiple rows associated with the destination satellite, with each row associated with a different period of time within which one or more different satellite nodes is predicted to be in range of the satellite node, wherein the second satellite node is identified from the one or more different satellite nodes;
• and
• forwarding the communication to the second satellite node based on a current time of the communication.

A system comprising:

• at least one ground station;
• and
• a network comprising a number of satellite nodes, a first satellite node of the number of satellite nodes configured to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a communication directed to an address of a destination satellite;
• determining whether the satellite node is the destination satellite;
• upon determining that the satellite node is the destination satellite, transmitting the communication to a ground station computing device in communication range of the satellite node;
• and
• upon determining that the satellite node is not the destination satellite:
• identifying, via a local routing table, a second satellite node associated with the address for the destination satellite, wherein the local routing table includes multiple rows associated with the destination satellite, with each row associated with a different period of time within which one or more different satellite nodes is predicted to be in range of the satellite node, wherein the second satellite node is identified from the one or more different satellite nodes;
• and
• forwarding the communication to the second satellite node based on a current time of the communication.