Toward Intelligent, Integrated, and Resilient Aerial and Space Networks

This Research Topic aims to advance the theories, architectures, algorithms, and experimental systems required for intelligent, integrated, and resilient Space-Air-Ground-Lunar (SAGL) networks, spanning terrestrial, aerial, satellite, lunar surface, and cislunar infrastructures. Particular emphasis is placed on AI/ML-enabled networking, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), autonomous network management, multi-layer coordination, secure and trustworthy communications, and resilient operation across heterogeneous platforms and environments. Key questions include how to design self-healing networks that operate without physical maintenance, how to orchestrate seamless connectivity across satellite, aerial, terrestrial, and lunar systems, and how to support sensing, localization, and communication under extreme propagation and environmental conditions.To gather further insights into SAGL networks, this Research Topic covers the integration of terrestrial, aerial, satellite, lunar, and cislunar infrastructures, while recognising the distinct constraints of lunar environments and deep-space links. We welcome original research, systematic reviews, methods, and perspectives addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Intelligence: AI/ML for resource allocation, autonomous navigation, distributed learning, generative AI for digital twins, and latency-tolerant deep-space control.- Integration: SAGL architectures, inter-platform link optimization, Earth–Moon handovers, and spectrum-sharing frameworks.- Resilience: Security, fault-tolerant routing, anti-jamming, radiation-hardened designs, and rapid disaster recovery.- ISAC technologies: Doppler-resilient waveforms, predictive beamforming leveraging orbital dynamics, near-field techniques for high-resolution sensing, and joint communication-sensing optimization.- Channel modelling: Statistical and deterministic channel models for air-to-ground, satellite-to-ground, lunar-surface, and Earth–Moon links, including applications to ISAC.- Lunar-terrestrial networks (LTNs): Lunar cellular architectures, lunar channel modelling, surface–orbital integration, hardware validation, and deployment strategies.- Target detection and tracking: Communication-based detection, localization, and tracking of rovers, landers, debris, and other objects in space and lunar environments.- Near-field techniques: Near-field beamforming, beamfocusing, and channel modelling for extremely large antenna arrays in space and lunar environments.Submissions featuring experimental results, field trials, or open datasets, particularly those addressing lunar or deep-space use cases, are strongly encouraged. Topic editors: Edwin Chong, Wei Feng, Alaa A. R. Alsaeedy Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85726/toward-intelligent-integrated-and-resilient-aerial-and-space-networks