Johnny Collins 
We have entered a new space age where things are drastically different from the first space age during the Cold War era. Now Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is a destination rather than a passage internet. This space-age has some new entrants like India and China as well as privately-owned space exploration companies like Virgin Galactic and SpaceX.
Human beings are naturally curious to explore and discover. However, given our limited resources, our exploration is based on practicality. Our exploration efforts are gear towards solving problems and generating income. Many organizations are exploring space to enhance the effectiveness of land-based technology and communication systems through LEO satellites. The will be the biggest beneficiary of these efforts.
Satellite internet providers, such as Hughesnet, have invested heavily in this technology. There is now a massive volume of satellite constellations present in LEO. Having satellites in LEO will greatly increase global coverage of the This will allow even those places to be connect that do not have land-base telecom infrastructure.
However, will LEO satellites improve the quality of satellite ? Let’s see how LEO satellites can enhance our experience in the future.
Where Is Leo?
LEO is the closest point from the surface of the Earth where gravity ceases to exist. It begins about 100 miles from the Earth’s surface. This is the shortest height from the surface of the Earth where objects can be left into orbit. LEO extends to about 620 miles from the surface of the Earth. If this seems a lot, bear in mind that the moon is nearly 240,000 miles away from Earth.
Even the highest altitude aircraft rarely has an operational ceiling of 20 miles. So LEO is comfortably high enough to not interfere with airplane routes.
. Internet data is sent through radio waves and travels at the speed of light. Nothing is faster than light. However, the distance of HEO satellites from the Earth’s surface presents its own set of challenges.
At this distance, even something traveling at light speed will appear to be slow. Satellite users will first send a signal from their home satellite dish to a satellite in HEO. This whole process typically takes a couple of seconds (which is a long time in terms of the internet).
. Thousands of satellites have sent to LEO for multiple purposes. This includes weather, communications, imaging, and espionage. The International Space Station (ISS) is also in LEO. Every month dozens of new satellites make it into LEO.
Communication Satellites Are Getting Closer to Earth
For the past couple of decades, wireless internet has been transmitt to Earth via large satellites, the size of a school bus, sent to High Earth Orbit (HEO).
. Internet data is sent through radio waves and travels at the speed of light. Nothing is faster than light. However, the distance of HEO satellites from the Earth’s surface presents its own set of challenges.
At this distance, even something traveling at light speed will appear to be slow. Satellite internet users will first send a signal from their home satellite dish to a satellite in HEO. This whole process typically takes a couple of seconds (which is a long time in terms of the internet).
. HEO is about 23,000 miles from Earth. HEO communications satellites have performed remarkably well despite being operational for over 20 years. Internet data is sent through radio waves and travels at the speed of light. Nothing is faster than light. However, the distance of HEO satellites from the Earth’s surface presents its own set of challenges.
At this distance, even something traveling at light speed will appear to be slow. Satellite internet users will first send a signal from their home satellite dish to a satellite in HEO. From there, a signal will be sent to a ground station and then back to an internet user’s device. This whole process typically takes a couple of seconds (which is a long time in terms of the internet).
Currently, satellite internet transmitted from HEO satellites is slow when compared with fiber or cable internet. However, if satellites are launched in LEO, it will greatly enhance the speed of satellite internet. With LEO satellites, internet signals will only need to travel 100 miles rather than 23,000 miles with HEO satellites.
Summing Up
As our dependence on the internet is growing for our daily tasks and functions, the speed of wireless internet will become increasingly important.
. Internet data is sent through radio waves and travels at the speed of light. Nothing is faster than light. However, the distance of HEO satellites from the Earth’s surface presents its own set of challenges.
At this distance, even something traveling at light speed will appear to be slow. Satellite internet users will first send a signal from their home satellite dish to a satellite in HEO. From there, a signal will be sent to a ground station and then back to an internet user’s device. This whole process typically takes a couple of seconds (which is a long time in terms of the internet).
.The key to having high-speed satellite internet is in LEO satellites. Internet beamed through LEO satellites will have lower latency and higher upload and download speeds. It will also be cheaper and quicker to deploy LEO satellites as the vessels carrying them will need to travel a far less distance than those that deployed satellites in HEO.
. Internet data is sent through radio waves and travels at the speed of light. Nothing is faster than light. However, the distance of HEO satellites from the Earth’s surface presents its own set of challenges.
At this distance, even something traveling at light speed will appear to be slow. Satellite internet users will first send a signal from their home satellite dish to a satellite in HEO. From there, a signal will be sent to a ground station and then back to an internet user’s device. This whole process typically takes a couple of seconds (which is a long time in terms of the internet).
. With LEO satellites, the dream of universal internet access can finally become a reality.
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