- The solution, co-funded by ESA, will strengthen the security and resilience of space communications amid rapid growth in orbital traffic
- The increasing number of satellites in orbit is placing mounting pressure on the radio frequency spectrum, a limited and essential resource for ensuring satellite communications
GMV is developing a new radio frequency (RF) spectrum monitoring system capable of detecting interference and analysing its source in the primary frequency bands currently used by communications satellites. The project is co-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) through its ARTES programme.
The initiative comes at a particularly signiView postficant moment for the space sector. The number of satellites in orbit has grown continuously in recent years, driven primarily by the deployment of large commercial constellations. While approximately 2,000 active satellites were in orbit in 2019, that figure has now surpassed 14,000, and projections indicate it will continue to rise rapidly over the next decade.
This growth is placing increasing pressure on the radio frequency spectrum, a finite and essential resource for satellite communications. In this context, the ability to identify interference, prevent incidents, and optimise frequency use is critical to ensuring the continuity and reliability of space-based services. “We are witnessing unprecedented growth in the number of satellites in orbit, and this is increasing the complexity of the space environment. As orbital congestion grows, so do radio-frequency interferences and the risk that they may affect critical communication services,” says María Antonia Ramos, Head of STM Policy and Business Development at GMV.
The solution developed by GMV will enable monitoring of the frequency bands that are more widely used in satellite communications, and will be compatible with different types of sensors, both satellite-borne and ground-based. The system will also integrate additional data sources, such as meteorological data, orbital catalogues, and authorised frequency registries, with the aim of improving the detection and characterisation of anomalous signals.
As part of the project, a use case will be developed focused on the detection and localisation of interference in both low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit, using advanced analysis techniques applied to real and simulated RF data. The platform will be able to distinguish legitimate emissions from potential interfering signals that could compromise the security or availability of space communications.
In addition to its monitoring capabilities, the system will incorporate analysis and simulation tools to support decision-making by satellite operators, regulatory bodies, and governmental entities.
The project builds on GMV’s prior experience in space environment surveillance and management, specifically on technologies developed for Focusear, the company’s passive RF antenna network used for orbital determination, and for Ecosstm®, its software suite for space environment surveillance and awareness services.
The initiative is being developed in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, which will contribute advanced research and algorithm development capabilities, and Hisdesat, which will provide the operational perspective of a satellite operator and prospective end user of the solution.
“At GMV, we aim to provide our customers with an increasingly comprehensive view of the space environment by combining orbital surveillance and spectrum monitoring capabilities. Our commitment is to move towards integrated space traffic management, incorporating the detection and characterisation of interferences into current collision warning services, in order to help operators make decisions that ensure the safe use of space,” Ramos emphasises.