With the advent of space-based Internet providers (e.g. Starlink, OneWeb…) the communications with our fleets of LEO satellites can be potentially revolutionized. The paradigm of relying on ground stations at strategic Geo-locations to downlink data from LEO satellites at high speed, once per orbit is about to be challenged. Satellites can now be connected to the network permanently (24x7) and act as mere terminals. Data can be available on demand, no matter where the satellite is. This potentially changes dramatically the way satellites will be operated in the future. Including the possibility of the satellite itself initiating an asynchronous (spontaneous) link to ground, in case of contingency, at the exact moment it takes place, thus potentially minimizing the outage period. Combined with on-board navigation capability based on GPS – this also augments the autonomy of the satellites and reduces dependency on ground. Additionally this technology opens the door for effective inter-satellite communication links which in turn also allows for new space-based applications – including the potential for more autonomous collision avoidance methods.
