Musk Mania vs. Reality: LEO Satellite Explosion Faces Growing Pains
- By Lachlan Colquhoun
- February 25, 2024
The number of satellites orbiting the Earth is increasing exponentially, and they are smaller and cheaper to produce than ever before.
Over the last few years, the big story has been the proliferation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, and there are now around 3000 of them orbiting the Earth.
According to the U.N.-sponsored Index of Objects Launched Into Outer Space, 11,330 individual satellites were orbiting the Earth as of the end of June 2023, a massive 38% increase on the last count done in January 2022.
Satellites are critical for observation, navigation, and communication. Still, they are not all created equal, and organizations need to understand the suitable options as they form their communication strategies similarly to how they make choices on their cloud computing configurations.
A busy space
LEO satellites are the fastest growing of the three categories, with the other two being Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO).
LEO satellites are the ones constantly in the news, largely thanks to Elon Musk's SpaceX constellation, which delivers the Starlink service made famous for its use in drone warfare in Ukraine.
The LEO space is busy, and other players, such as Amazon, are building their high-speed internet services off the back of LEO launches.
// “It will take only one successful breach to potentially disrupt an entire global constellation and impact large numbers of users.”
The role of LEO satellites is to provide broader and better internet coverage on Earth. However, there are indications that the industry might be adding too many customers too fast because network speeds have dropped as geographical coverage has increased. Meanwhile, consumers are complaining about price hikes.
This could mean that, in time, LEO satellites might focus more on consumer applications and services. In contrast, MEO and GEO satellites provide more bespoke connections.
The industry players have deep pockets and will likely have to continue reaching into them to keep the LEO space viable.
The lower orbits also mean that the satellites suffer from wear and tear from exposure to sunlight, and of course, the more satellites, the bigger the chance of collision.
Security issues
Industry experts have identified security as the real weak point in the LEO rollout.
Charles Vaillancourt, chief information officer at Canadian satellite company Telesat—a player in the LEO market— has made the point that the security equation changed forever when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2002 and launched a successful cyber-attack on a major satellite, disabling tens of thousands of models across Europe.
He points out that these space systems are built by aerospace engineers, not software engineers "for whom cybersecurity is second nature."
The economics of the industry has also created risk and weakness. There's been a rush to roll out LEO satellites, which has meant that security has been overlooked as industry players have focused on access, functionality, and getting their satellites up into the sky faster than competitors.
“It will take only one successful breach to potentially disrupt an entire global constellation and impact large numbers of users and critical applications,” Vaillancourt said.
The issues with LEO satellites will likely result in more of a future focus on MEOs, which orbit between 2,000 and 20,000 kilometers.
MEOs have broader coverage, can transmit data at up to 1.6Gbit/s, and are well suited to industries that traverse the globe, such as the cruise ship and commercial maritime industries, and the mining and energy industries.
Rapid evolution
GEO satellites orbit around 35,000 kilometers above the Earth. They can cover even larger areas with a single beam, delivering stable and secure connections between two locations.
GEO satellites are suitable for banking, government needs, broadcasting and emergency services applications. They are also the best option for military use.
Much of the excitement surrounding satellite communications has been driven by the LEO sector and the global obsession with Elon Musk. Still, it is not the game in town in terms of satellite options. It ultimately may not reach the expectations of many corporate users.
Business models are rapidly evolving, and the next wave of mass launch may be in the MEO and then the GEO space as users become nervous about security and frustrated by service quality from the LEO constellations.
However, the LEO launch frenzy will likely continue for a few years. The users' best hope is that the companies competing in this market will start allocating more of their budget to security.
If not, then space will not just be the final frontier but also a major vulnerability for cyberattacks.
Image credit: iStockphoto/NicoElNino
Lachlan Colquhoun
Lachlan Colquhoun is the Australia and New Zealand correspondent for CDOTrends and the NextGenConnectivity editor. He remains fascinated with how businesses reinvent themselves through digital technology to solve existing issues and change their business models.