The Role of Non-terrestrial Networks: Features and Physical-Layer Security Concerns

The advancement toward 6G networks places a significant emphasis on non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) to provide ubiquitous, high-capacity wireless connectivity through aerial and space nodes, especially satellites. In this chapter, we describe the role of NTN for 6G and the main use cases and applications and discuss enabling technologies and open research challenges related to spectrum usage, medium access control, coverage, mobility management, and network security. Furthermore, the chapter examines the critical issues related to physical layer security in NTN, focusing on secrecy, authentication, and position integrity.