This paper studies the potential of RIS-integrated NTNs to revolutionize the next-generation connectivity. First, it discusses the fundamentals of RIS technology. Secondly, it delves into reporting the recent advances in RIS-enabled NTNs. Subsequently, it presents a novel framework based on the current state-of-the-art for low earth orbit satellites (LEO) communications, wherein the signal received at the user terminal traverses both a direct link and an RIS link, and the RIS is mounted on a high-altitude platform (HAP) situated within the stratosphere. Finally, the paper concludes by highlighting open challenges and future research directions to revolutionize the realm of RIS-integrated NTNs.
@article{arxiv.2309.02859,
title = {Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces for 6G Non-Terrestrial Networks: Assisting Connectivity from the Sky},
author = {Wali Ullah Khan and Asad Mahmood and Chandan Kumar Sheemar and Eva Lagunas and Symeon Chatzinotas and Björn Ottersten},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2309.02859},
year = {2023}
}