What is a LEO satellite?
Earth observation (EO) satellites are positioned in low Earth orbit (LEO), at altitudes between 160 and 2,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. These LEO satellites are essential for the voice and fixed broadband services provided by Starlink, as well as the backhaul capabilities for remote mobile sites offered by One Web.
Being much closer to Earth than other types of satellites, LEO satellites can only cover small portions of the Earth’s surface at any given time. Their coverage resembles a ribbon encircling the planet. To achieve global coverage, constellations of hundreds or thousands of LEO satellites are deployed, with their orbits intersecting to ensure that at least one satellite is always above any given location.
The primary advantage of LEO satellites is their proximity to Earth, which results in significantly lower latency—the time it takes for signals to travel between the satellite and the ground. This low latency is crucial for services requiring quick response times, such as voice and video calls. Additionally, the large number of LEO satellites provides substantial global capacity, which can be scaled up by adding more satellites. This allows LEO constellations to deliver high download speeds.
To connect to a LEO satellite, a small dish or panel antenna is required. These antennas, which can be installed on the ground or on a rooftop with a clear view of the sky, are similar in size to pay-TV dishes and can be installed with relative ease.
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