Navigating New Space challenges with simulations
December 2, 2024
Space is now more accessible than ever, with various sized companies entering the industry with brand new innovations. However, new innovations also bring new challenges – for example, LEO “mega-constellations”, their routing, and the increasing need for spectrum. Thankfully many of these New Space challenges can be addressed with simulation tools, which reduce risks and help you save both time and money.
With this blog article, we start a series where we will go through current topics, trends and challenges in New Space. In this first part, we will introduce how simulation tools can help test the functionality of New Space applications. Then, we will discuss the rise of affordable LEO satellites and some factors to consider in relation to their deployment.
The evolving New Space industry: opportunities and challenges
Over the past two decades, there has been a major shift in the space industry. Instead of being dominated by governments like before, companies of various sizes are now able to take part in space exploration and leading space-related business. This has even resulted in creating brand new innovations around space technologies.
As these New Space players have demonstrated, space has become more accessible than ever. There are various reasons for this – for example, more available and affordable technology. However, there are also many challenges that need to be addressed in order to successfully venture into the space industry.
Solving New Space challenges with simulators
There is an increasing number of applications for space technology. There are more usage scenarios, and some of them are brand new, so points of reference aren’t always available. For example, some of these scenarios include new mega-constellations for global connectivity and enhanced Earth observation.
Since there isn’t always a point of reference, simulators are a good way of testing how these new applications work in practice. They are a cost-efficient, fast way of solving many design challenges.
By identifying potential issues early, simulations can save both time and money. They can reduce the risk for costly trial-and-error scenarios, as well as having to make corrections after unsuccessful attempts.
At Magister Solutions, we have developed simulators in international projects in cooperation with the European Space Agency. For example, we have developed simulators for European satellite constellation research, and evaluating non-terrestrial (NTN) and terrestrial network (TN) coexistence. The simulators we offer today are built on the foundation of our past projects, and have been verified through various ESA activities.
Find out more about our simulators
A new era of space accessibility
Cheaper satellites are one reason for the better accessibility of space. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites have become increasingly more popular because of their affordability, as well as their capability to provide low-latency internet connectivity due to their proximity to Earth. They don’t need as much signal power as Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites, and they can be smaller in size. Because of this affordability, they enable space activities also for smaller companies entering the New Space field.
SpaceX satellite
LEO satellites and the rise of mega-constellations
Unlike GEO satellites, LEO satellites are constantly moving as they orbit Earth. Since an individual satellite can only cover small areas of the planet, hundreds or thousands of satellites are needed to have constant coverage of the same area.
CubeSats are one example of satellites commonly used in Low Earth Orbit. They are cube-shaped miniature satellites with standardized dimensions which can be efficiently packed into launch vehicles. Because so many of these satellites are needed in order to sustain coverage, the constellations are also more complex. Therefore, the importance of simulations is emphasized in designing these constellations.
In addition to CubeSats, there are various kinds of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. The Starlink constellation is one example of this, with currently over 7000 small satellites orbiting the Earth in LEO, providing high-speed satellite internet connectivity around the world. Other satellites in LEO include, for example, Earth observation satellites, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the International Space Station.
Optimizing mega-constellations with affordable simulation tools
CubeSats and other small satellites are more accessible for smaller companies with smaller budgets. In order to understand these “mega-constellations” comprising thousands of small satellites, it’s essential to have access to affordable simulation tools.
With our C-DReAM simulator, you can study and optimize various sized satellite constellations at an affordable cost. C-DReAM is highly configurable, making it easy to adapt to your use case and requirements. Design and optimize satellite constellations and parameters, analyze coverage and availability – and much more.
Are you interested in verifying your New Space business scenario with simulations?
Get in touch, if you have questions or want to hear more about our services. Our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
In the next parts of our New Space series, we will address topics such as routing, Inter-Satellite Links, and coexistence. Follow us on social media to stay updated and catch all our upcoming posts.
