The Growing LEO/GEO Interference Challenge

Small satellites (small sats) are creating new and disruptive opportunities in today’s space industry. As proposed constellations are launched and the number of LEO satellites increases dramatically, so too does the risk of LEO/GEO satellite interference. Among the advances in GEO satellite technology is a significant increase in the sensitivity of GEO satellites, enabling satellite operators to utilize smaller antennas, and as LEO satellites are closer to the earth they also use smaller antennas. While the smaller antennas have much upside–smaller footprint and reduced costs among them–they also have their downside as smaller antennas have higher side-lobe gain, increasing the possibility of interference of operational power requirements. As a result GEO satellites previously protected from interference by LEO Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) limits may now be more susceptible to LEO satellite interference even though they were operating within the EPFD limits established by the ITU. This paper will discuss how traditional carrier monitoring, ground system monitor and control (M&C) and data analytic products can be utilized by LEO operators to monitor the performance of their complete satellite network, drilling down to ground systems, satellite performance, beam pointing and power usage to minimize interference with GEO satellites