Imagine you are in the middle of the sea fishing. You are bored and you want to watch a movie, but the internet connection is too weak. Fortunately, you may not have to worry about this anymore. Global satellite communication corporations are competing for the technology you are looking for: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication.
LEO satellite communication uses satellites that rotate the LEO, the earth-centered orbits with an altitude of 2,000 km or less. This is contrary to the preexisting satellite communication, which utilizes geostationary orbit (GEO) with an altitude of about 36,000 km. GEO is capable of covering a wider spatial range, but its distance from the Earth makes it difficult to exchange signals with the ground rapidly. On the other hand, LEO has a lower latency due to its proximity to the Earth, which enables much faster satellite communication. In return, it has a limited spatial coverage, and hence, it is estimated that several hundreds of satellites will be needed to enable LEO satellite communication worldwide.
SpaceX is one of the leading companies of this technology. Its LEO satellite communication service, Starlink, has already been launched in countries worldwide. They have put more than 7,000 satellites into LEO, and are planning to place a total of 42,000 satellites. They are expected to launch the service soon in Korea as well. After founding Starlink Korea in 2023, the company has been preparing for a launch in Korea and is now finalizing the legal process. Other companies, such as Eutelsat OneWeb and Amazon, are also showing interest in entering the domestic market.
In response to the actions of such corporations, the Korean government is also working on establishing institutions and policies regarding LEO satellite communication. The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) has updated the frequency allocation chart and established technical guidelines to provide a stable service without frequency interference. They are also working on amending the Enforcement Decree of the Radio Waves Act to define mobile stations for terrestrial, maritime, and aerial environments, as satellite communication will soon enable fast internet connection in such environments. Moreover, they are working to improve institutions to facilitate satellite communication.
The greatest strength of LEO satellite communication technology is its ability to provide internet access anywhere on Earth, including in rural areas of developing countries. Therefore, the introduction of such technology may not seem urgent in Korea, which has a well-established internet system. However, the technology can still offer significant benefits, even in countries with advanced internet systems. One of the main fields where LEO satellite communication may stand out is in the communication technology for marine and aerial environments. LEO satellites are expected to enable accessible and fast Wi-Fi inside airplanes and ships in operation, which will greatly improve the communication environment for passengers and crew members. Airlines worldwide are considering adopting LEO communication technology to provide in-flight internet, and major airlines such as United Airlines and Air France have already introduced this technology via Starlink.
Another important aspect — which is especially crucial in Korea — is that it can serve as a backup source for internet access in case of emergencies, such as blackouts and war. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has brutally proved this. While mobile stations and cables for the internet are mainly targeted in case of war, satellite communication is free from such physical attacks, and therefore can offer alternative internet access. This is also true in the case of blackouts. Since mobile stations for the fiber-optic internet cannot operate properly without a power source, LEO satellite communication can be an important backup in such cases. These aspects clearly show the importance of LEO satellite communication for public and industrial purposes, even in countries with well-established internet infrastructure.
However, the monopoly of such a system by one gigantic corporation can lead to devastating results regarding national security. If a single company takes control over the LEO satellite communication market, countries engaged in war have no choice but to solely rely on that company for communication. This is a serious threat to national security since such a company, free from the control of the government, can then dominate the course of the war.
There are also concerns regarding the growing number of LEO satellites since satellites can crash into each other and disturb space observation. The system clearly offers many advantages, but addressing these issues seems urgent to ensure its sustainability and safety.
