Over the air computing for satellite networks in 6G

6G and beyond networks will merge communication and computation capabilities in order to adapt to changes. As they will consist of many sensors gathering information from its environment, new schemes for managing these large amounts of data are needed. For this purpose, we review Over the Air (OTA) computing in the context of estimation and detection. For distributed scenarios, such as a Wireless Sensor Network, it has been proven that a separation theorem does not necessarily hold, whereas analog schemes may outperform digital designs. We outline existing gaps in the literature, evincing that current state of the art requires a theoretical framework based on analog and hybrid digital-analog schemes that will boost the evolution of OTA computing. Furthermore, we motivate the development of 3D networks based on OTA schemes, where satellites function as sensors. We discuss its integration within the satellite segment, delineate current challenges and present a variety of use cases that benefit from OTA computing in 3D networks. ; This work has received funding by the Spanish ministry of science and innovation under project IRENE (PID2020-115323RB-C31) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. ; Peer Reviewed ; Postprint (author's final draft)