"Thousands of new satellites, there should be zero room for error," says IEEE senior member

“Thousands of new satellites, there should be zero room for error,” says IEEE senior member

News

29 July 2026

A new global study by Juniper Research has announced that global investment in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites will reach nearly $10 billion by 2031, rising from $5.2 billion in 2026. Influenced by increased demand for low-latency connectivity and high-resolution Earth observation, there is growing commercial interest in launching next-generation VLEO satellite constellations.

This rapid expansion into VLEO comes amid an increasingly congested space environment, where traditional orbital safety models are being pushed to their limits. With thousands of new assets expected to enter lower altitudes over the next decade, managing orbital safety and mitigating collision risks will be crucial to sustaining long-term space operations.

Paul Kostek, life senior member of [ieee.org]IEEE and systems engineer at Air Direct Solutions LLC offers the following comments:

“The huge surge in the construction of satellite constellations is presenting serious logistical challenges, many of which, operators may have not really encountered before – including the allocation of frequencies for these systems, as well as overall traffic management. The industry needs to address how future satellites will be deployed and managed effectively, and to mitigate the risk of collisions, interference, and preventable incidents.

“It’s important to manage the ever-growing volume of space debris by finding new ways to capture and destroy it. Some companies are already exploring the creation of vehicles to send into space, with the aim of refuelling and moving satellites to extend their lifespans. The level of danger posed by space debris in the atmosphere could be decreased through the implementation of Space Traffic Management (STM).

“Future satellites and arrays will need to be designed to address debris issues in mind, such as changes to the orbit, whilst also being capable of operating if any damage does occur, for example, damage to the modular systems. Companies will have to consider the potential danger posed by space debris to satellite launches in the future.”