Abstract—As humanity advances toward a sustained presence on Mars, reliable and high-capacity communication networks are essential for supporting surface and subsurface operations. This paper presents a self-adaptive 6G-enabled communication framework that integrates quantumenhanced links to ensure secure and seamless connectivity across Martian environments. The proposed hybrid architecture connects subsurface sensors and rovers, aerial UAV relays, and orbital CubeSats through a combination of quantum entanglement-based channels and classical 6G protocols. To address challenges such as dust storms, terrain variability, and limited power, the network employs machine learning driven adaptation for real-time topology optimization and resource allocation. A hybrid evaluation combining Python-based modeling and ns-3 simulations assesses performance under varying environmental conditions. Results indicate latency below 50 ms, packet loss under 1%, and quantum entanglement fidelity exceeding 85%, while achieving a 42% reduction in energy consumption through ML-based optimization. The study introduces a scalable and resilient framework for extraterrestrial communications, bridging terrestrial 6G advancements with the unique constraints of deep-space exploration and providing a foundation for future robotic and human missions on Mars.
 

Keywords—6G, quantum communication, 3D networks, Martian subsurface, self-adaptive networks, space exploration.

Cite: Aziz Alshehri, “Design and Evaluation of Self-Adaptive 6G Quantum-Enhanced 3D Networks for Surface and Subsurface Connectivity on Mars," Journal of Communications, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 101-114, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).