From
constellations

to a global
Internet of Things

  • SPACE MISSIONS

Eutelsat

From constellations to a global internet of things (IoT), transmitting business-critical information from tens of millions of objects, all over the world.

AAC Clyde Space is supporting global satellite operator Eutelsat to construct its own low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, ELO (Eutelsat LEO for Objects), to deliver global IoT coverage, enabling objects to transmit data, irrespective of their location.

As part of Eutelsat’s ELO project, we are delivering two small satellites, 6U CubeSats, for launch in 2022, which will enter commercial service as soon as they are in orbit. The payloads for the spacecraft, built around a sophisticated Software Defined Radio, were developed in-house. These satellites will host the first propulsion systems on-board AAC Clyde Space satellites, enabling in-orbit manoeuvres.

Car

As the world gets ‘smarter’, we’re demanding better coverage, speed and reliability from our networks. Satellite constellations have a critical role to play here in supporting terrestrial networks.

For example, the cost of laying fibre-optic cables makes many areas of the planet economically unviable for terrestrial networks – they are either too remote or the conditions are too inhospitable. In fact, terrestrial cellular networks provide coverage to only 25% of the Earth’s surface.

LEO satellite constellations, on the other hand, can cover the entire planet, from pole to pole. This is critical for delivering the global connectivity required to enable new societal and industrial paradigms, including the IoT, which has countless applications, from precision farming to industrial robotics, smart homes and driverless cars…

Lab

If the mission proves successful, Eutelsat plans to expand it into a full commercial constellation of 25 satellites dedicated to IoT services. The constellation will offer global coverage for IoT, enabling objects to transmit data whatever their location.

Eutelsat Communications is one of the world’s leading satellite operators, with a global fleet of satellites and ground-based facility. The French group delivers more than 7,000 channels, operated by the largest television groups, to an audience of one billion viewers equipped for satellite reception or connected to terrestrial networks.