eightyLEO

EightyLEO was formed with the objective of developing business models in the commercial space sector. One of eightyLEO's projects was devising a technical and commercial concept for a global LEO satellite constellation for broadband IoT connectivity solutions. KLEO Connect GmbH is responsible for delivering this project's proof of concept.

KLEO is a global network, data management and application company in the commercial space sector. The company's aim is to drive digitalization and business transformation from space within the global Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) market.

KLEO is targeting potential markets for the types of devices that are expected to introduce internet connectivity in the future. The markets targeted by the company include automotive, transportation and logistics, mining and construction, agriculture, mechanical and plant engineering, infrastructure, and more.

The company intends to design, build, and operate a broadband internet infrastructure using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to enable real-time, low-latency, and high-security B2B IoT applications. KLEO also aims to provide user data management and analytics to offer customers insights to optimize their businesses and processes.

KLEO intends to continuously expand its infrastructure, beginning with a constellation of 300 LEO near-polar satellites. The initial constellation is planned to reside at approx. 1100 km and the satellites will be distributed evenly across 12 orbit planes with 24 active (and one spare) in each plane.

Every satellite will be equipped with laser communication terminals that connect satellites within and across orbital planes with a data rate of up to 10Gbps per link. For communications between the ground and each satellite, KLEO plants to feature Ka-band technologies. Typical latencies are expected to be less than 100ms.

The infrastructure is designed to support operations with initial small-scale deployment, and subsequently to be expanded to the full capacity of 300 satellites. The satellites will be upgraded as new applicable technology becomes available and replaced following degradation over time.

In addition, KLEO also plans to set up its own Mission Operation Center (MOC), which will consist of a distributed network of ground antennas, monitoring and controlling both the individual satellites and the constellation. One of the key objectives of the MOC will be to maintain the correct phasing of the constellation in order to preserve the satellites' health.

Since eightyLEO's launch, the company has shifted from its original design which was based on a constellation project from the 1990s. The new constellation, named KasKilo, is designed to use a heavier satellite architecture in the 200-kilogram class, as opposed to the lighter satellites in eightyLEO's original plan.

The company's CEO Matthias Spott has declared that despite the design revamp, eightyLEO's vision remains the same and that it is aiming to begin launching the constellation in 2020, with initial operating capability in 2022 and full operating capability in 2024.

Instead of being focused on narrow-band applications, eightyLEO is considering global IoT broadband connectivity use cases and applications, targeting the potential 80 billion devices that will join the global IoT network. The company also believes its IoT services won’t be competing against other IoT enabling technologies, such as 5G, claiming that its service will serve a complementary function.

The constellation would target the following sectors: automotive, aviation, infrastructure, mining and construction, agriculture, maritime, and health care. Matthias Spott also revealed that EightyLEO is mainly targeting the Business-to-Business (B2B) market, reasoning that competitors have to a large extent satisfied the consumer-facing demand.

According to Matthias Spott, the company's first objective is to launch a demo mission, as the company has not raised the amount necessary to launch the full constellation. The aim of this mission would be to reduce technology, regulatory, and market risk.