Low Earth Orbit (LEO) optical satellite communication systems face performance challenges due to atmospheric effects such as scintillation, turbulence, wavefront distortion, beam spread, and jitter. This paper presents a comprehensive mathematical model to characterize these effects and their impact on signal propagation. We develop a methodology for dynamically calculating link budgets at any location and time by integrating these models into a probabilistic framework. The approach accounts for spatial and temporal variations in atmospheric conditions, enabling accurate estimation of link loss probabilities. Simulations validate the model's accuracy and applicability to real-world LEO satellite systems. This work offers a robust tool for optimizing link performance and enhancing the reliability of satellite networks, providing valuable insights for system designers and operators.
@article{arxiv.2507.20908,
title = {Probabilistic Link Budget Analysis for Low Earth Orbit Satellites in the Optical Regime},
author = {Dhruv Shivkant and Shreyaans Jain and Rohit K Ramakrishnan},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.20908},
year = {2025}
}