5G NTN System Simulation and Emulation Platforms in Modeling, Design, and Performance Evaluation

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This chapter highlights the importance of modeling, simulation, and emulation platforms for analyzing the complex behavior of terrestrial network–non-terrestrial network (NTN) systems. Due to the heterogeneity in propagation, mobility, and protocol timing across domains, purely analytical methods are insufficient. Instead, multi-layer and multi-timescale evaluation frameworks are required to accurately capture interactions among radio links, network protocols, and orbital dynamics. System-level simulations support scalable evaluation of design choices such as traffic steering, multi-connectivity, and mobility management, while link-level modeling accurately captures NTN-specific physical-layer impairments. Network emulation complements these methods by revealing real protocol behavior and interoperability, bridging the gap between theoretical analysis and practical deployment. Together, these approaches highlight key trade-offs among latency, throughput, availability, and resource efficiency, emphasizing the need for intelligent coordination between terrestrial and non-terrestrial segments to support efficient network design, protocol optimization, and reliable service delivery. In the first part of this chapter, a simulation framework and tools are presented for modeling integrated NTNs and conducting performance analyses to understand their behavior, quantify benefits, and guide system design. In the second part, a 5G NTN system design framework and feasibility are presented based on a techno-economic analysis of LEO broadband and D2D services in global LEO NTNs.

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