So what is low Earth orbit (LEO)?

The aerospace sector is rapidly becoming a catalyst for innovation across nearly every sector. The proliferation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and systems opens new avenues for Earth observation (EO) data, driven by decreasing launch costs and improved technology and accessibility. Our universities and CRIs are increasingly participating in international collaborations, developing new applications and analysing the wealth of data these satellites provide.

Here in Aotearoa, New Zealand, Mahia Peninsula on the Wairoa Coast became the world’s first private orbital launch site back in 2017. Rocket Lab recently hit its 50th Electron Launch milestone (predominantly Mahia, and from last year also from the launch site in Virginia, USA) for a deployment total of 190 satellites.?

Why LEO??

Most traditional telecommunications satellites are in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) at around 36,000km above earth. Next-gen LEO satellites reach an altitude of 500-1200km so it’s easier (small rockets) and cheaper to get satellites there. LEO satellites are low latency with only a short delay in data transmission and processing, and are increasingly used for research, imaging, and low-bandwidth telecomms needs. (There's also medium Earth orbit (MEO), which has?typically been used for GPS and navigation applications - see image below)?

Value chain

In the recently released ‘Amplifying the Global Value of Earth Observation’ insight report by the World Economic Forum and Deloitte, the economic value of EO insights is estimated to be $USD700b by 2030. From an environmental perspective, EO insights enable us to monitor climate variables and emissions to support interventions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and support carbon capture. We can also monitor ecosystems to inform actions that protect and strengthen natural habitats, biodiversity and ecological health. From an economic perspective, EO data can improve productivity (product and service innovation), increase outputs and efficiencies, improve population health and directly decrease mortality by monitoring natural hazards to better manage risk. It will also help industry to comply with regulatory requirements and avoid associated penalties.?

Beyond telecommunications and internet connectivity (eg Starlink), LEO technologies are poised to transform various industries. Sectors with the most value to gain include:?

• Agriculture: High-res satellite imagery and data is revolutionising precision agriculture allowing farmers to optimise resource use, monitor crop health, and predict yields with accuracy. This imagery can also be used for monitoring. A great example is MethaneSAT - Aotearoa, NZ’s first official government-funded satellite mission, hosted by Auckland University’s Te Pūnaha ātea-Auckland Space Institute. This partnership between the US-based Environmental Defense Fund’s subsidiary MethaneSAT LLC and the New Zealand government was originally designed to detect emissions from oil and gas infrastructure, but is now being used to measure agricultural methane emissions (more diffuse, and harder to detect). The satellite scans 200km by 200km ‘targets’ and maps methane at high spatial resolution within those targets, enabling researchers to pinpoint the sources of methane emissions.?

• Manufacturing: the unique microgravity environment of LEO offers intriguing possibilities for manufacturing high-value materials, from specialised alloys to biological tissues. It’s been great to see Dr Sarah Kessans, University of Canterbury, succeed on the International Space Station (ISS) which is also in LEO, with her autonomous research facility prototype for studying protein crystal growth.??
• Electricity and utilities: clean energy planning, energy demand and output forecasting, network condition monitoring and severe weather modelling. (eg how do we navigate the transition to electrification?) While still in the early stages, the concept of space-based solar power stations beaming energy back to Earth is also gaining traction - and could be a game-changer for clean energy production.?
• Maritime and fisheries: with one of the world's largest exclusive economic zones, our ability to monitor and manage our vast oceanic resources is crucial. LEO satellites can enhance our maritime domain awareness, aid in fisheries management, and improve search and rescue operations.
• Disaster management: given our vulnerability to natural disasters (earthquakes and volcanic activity in particular),?LEO satellites can play a crucial role in our civil defence strategy. From early warning systems to post-disaster damage assessment, these technologies can enhance our resilience and response capabilities.
• Tourism and conservation: Satellite-based tracking could help manage visitor flows in sensitive ecosystems, while providing enhanced connectivity for eco-tourism ventures in remote areas. Advanced sensors can provide real-time data on atmospheric composition, ocean temperatures, and land use changes, offering valuable insights for climate modelling and policy development.
• Supply chain and transport: route optimisation, traffic congestion monitoring, last-mile delivery.
• Insurance and financial services: supply chain data and vulnerability analysis., including timely data on economic indicators (eg global shipping volumes).??
• Mining, oil and gas: resource exploration, tailings dam and pollution monitoring, extraction operations

In short, EO data can inform valuable decision making across nearly all sectors. Exciting developments in satellite and sensor technologies and advanced computing, in convergence with AI, digital twins and climate tech provide a range of opportunities to innovate.

SouthPAN

Most of us take Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for granted. What we know as GPS is actually a specific system owned by the US government, operated by the US Space Force. Other countries have their own systems including Russia’s GLONASS, China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, and the Galileo system developed by the EU - collectively, they are called Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Augmentation systems have been introduced by the many counries to overcome some GNSS shortcomings using geostationary satellites (satellites that are always in the same place in the sky).

So, it’s exciting to see the launch of the Southern Positioning Augmentation Network (SouthPAN), an initiative between Toitū te Whenua Land Information NZ and GeoScience Australia. This satellite-based augmentation system provides high precision positioning and navigation services for users in Australia and New Zealand. It’s been designed to meet global performance requirements under our region’s unique service area and space weather conditions. SouthPAN is a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS), which means it is still relying on receiving signals from other satellite systems - but then utilises a number of ground stations to process all the data and then correct some of the errors to make it more accurate. The goal is that by 2028 we can use this system via mobile phone, and it will be accurate within 10cm, even in remote locations. LEO satellites are, obviously, closer to earth so have much stronger signals that provide highly accurate GPS (including inside buildings). LEO satellites are also more protected by the Earth’s own atmosphere should significant geomagnetic activity from space occur.

If you’re keen to know more about the SouthPAN early access open SBAS services, reach out to the team.?

Sustainability of LEO

If you're concerned about where this LEO activity might all be heading, the New Zealand Space Agency (NZSA) was established in 2016 and oversees space-related activities. “We enable space-related business, science and innovation…New Zealand is an attractive place for space-related commerce.” It has strict licensing requirements for launch activities, and requires operators to have plans for debris mitigation. It is a requirement of the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act ?that a payload permit will only be granted if the operation of the payload is consistent with our international obligations. It also requires space operators to have debris mitigation plans, and mandates end-of-life management for satellites.?

And yes, Leolabs global radar network is tracking all the activity in LEO. The Kiwi Space Radar located in Naseby, Central Otago is part of this global network of phased-array radars which track thousands of objects in lower earth orbit, some as small as 2 cm in diameter. Its purpose is to map and track space objects and debris to help avoid collisions and promote global space sustainability.?Companies like Dawn Aerospace provide green propulsion and collision avoidance systems for satellites too, in a rapidly growing market.

It's clear that aerospace technologies will play an increasingly crucial role across industry. The companies that successfully leverage these capabilities will be well-positioned to help solve some of our most pressing global challenges.