In the public perception, network communication on Earth seems quite advanced—even at the Everest Base Camp, there is internet signal coverage.
However, surprisingly, mobile communication services only cover approximately 6% of the Earth's land surface area. Traditional mobile communication relies on ground-based base stations, which are costly to build and face significant geographical limitations.
As a result, areas such as oceans, deserts, and remote rural regions remain "information blind spots" in the digital age.
The purpose of technological advancement is to bring more convenient and extensive connectivity to humanity.
The large-scale commercial use of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites holds the potential to illuminate these dark corners of the network.
I. What are Low Earth Orbit Satellites?
Satellite internet is a global communication network built using Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), or Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites.
In simple terms, it is like moving ground-based base stations into space—each satellite acts as an "aerial mobile base station," providing timely and stable internet access services to users worldwide.
LEO satellites typically orbit at altitudes between 300–2000 km above the Earth's surface.
A LEO satellite network generally consists of multiple satellites working together, offering the following characteristics:
1. Close proximity to Earth, high orbital speed (completing an orbit in about 90 minutes);
2. Low orbital altitude, Low transmission latency (approximately 15–100 milliseconds);
3. Low path loss, ensuring stable signal quality.
As a result, LEO satellites have gained increasing attention in recent years. Compared to traditional satellite communication systems, LEO systems offer advantages in cost-efficiency, response speed, and coverage flexibility, demonstrating significant commercial potential in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), remote access, and emergency communications.
II. Major Providers of LEO Satellite Services
As early as the 1980s, "Iridium Project" was proposed, aiming to achieve global communication through 77 low-orbit satellites.
Due to being ahead of its time and high costs, the project initially failed. It was not until 2001, after acquisition and restructuring, that Iridium gradually recovered and achieved commercial operation.
With technological advancements and cost reductions, SpaceX’s Starlink has rapidly expanded, now covering over 150 countries worldwide with more than 9 million users.
Starlink focuses on high-bandwidth, low-latency internet services, suitable for scenarios requiring high-speed connectivity.
In the IoT domain, where demands for data volume and real-time transmission are relatively lower, cost-optimized satellite services are more suitable.
Recently, Geely’s LEO satellite constellation, GEESATCOM, has completed its network deployment, achieving global coverage. The first batch of supported countries includes:
III. Application Scenarios of GEESATCOM LEO Satellites
GEESATCOM has broad application prospects in the IoT field, primarily including:
1. Connected Vehicles:
Integrated into brands such as Geely, Zeekr, and Lynk & Co, enabling satellite-based two-way communication between vehicles and mobile devices, ensuring "always connected" status and precise positioning.
2. Maritime Monitoring:
Providing satellite IoT communication for vessels, addressing connectivity gaps at sea, already implemented in countries like Oman.
3. Low-Altitude Mobility and Logistics:
Supporting precise communication and scheduling for drones and logistics vehicles.
4. Construction Machinery:
Ensuring reliable communication for large machinery operating in remote areas.
5. Emergency Communications:
Providing high-priority communication support during disasters and emergencies.
6. Agriculture and Livestock Farming:
Enabling smart agriculture and digital livestock management.
7. Energy and Water Conservancy:
Supporting remote monitoring and management of energy and water facilities.
8. Remote Sensing and Observation:
Conducting Earth observation tasks such as ecological environment monitoring.