IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/arx/papers/2309.02338.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Sustainability assessment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband megaconstellations

Author

Listed:
  • Ogutu B. Osoro
  • Edward J. Oughton
  • Andrew R. Wilson
  • Akhil Rao

Abstract

The growth of megaconstellations is rapidly increasing the number of rocket launches. While Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband satellites help to connect unconnected communities and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there are also significant environmental emissions impacts from burning rocket fuels. We present sustainability analytics for phase 1 of the three main LEO constellations including Amazon Kuiper (3,236 satellites), Eutelsat Group`s OneWeb (648 satellites), and SpaceX Starlink (4,425 satellites). We find that LEO megaconstellations provide substantially improved broadband speeds for rural and remote communities, but are roughly 6-8 times more emissions intensive (250 kg CO2eq/subscriber/year) than comparative terrestrial mobile broadband. In the worst-case emissions scenario, this rises to 12-14 times more (469 kg CO2eq/subscriber/year). Policy makers must carefully consider the trade-off between connecting unconnected communities to further the SDGs and mitigating the growing space sector environmental footprint, particularly regarding phase 2 plans to launch an order-of-magnitude more satellites.

Suggested Citation

  • Ogutu B. Osoro & Edward J. Oughton & Andrew R. Wilson & Akhil Rao, 2023. "Sustainability assessment of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband megaconstellations," Papers 2309.02338, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2309.02338
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://arxiv.org/pdf/2309.02338
    File Function: Latest version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jean Tirole, 2015. "Market Failures and Public Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(6), pages 1665-1682, June.
    2. C. Oberschelp & S. Pfister & C. E. Raptis & S. Hellweg, 2019. "Global emission hotspots of coal power generation," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(2), pages 113-121, February.
    3. Haoqi Qian & Shaodan Xu & Jing Cao & Feizhou Ren & Wendong Wei & Jing Meng & Libo Wu, 2021. "Air pollution reduction and climate co-benefits in China’s industries," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(5), pages 417-425, May.
    4. repec:clg:wpaper:2008-02 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Zhou, Chenyang & Zhang, Chen & Zhang, Teng & Zhang, Jingfeng & Ma, Pengfei & Yu, Yunsong & Zhang, Zaoxiao & Wang, Geoff G.X., 2023. "Single-atom solutions promote carbon dioxide capture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).
    6. Lionel Fontagné & Katheline Schubert, 2023. "The Economics of Border Carbon Adjustment: Rationale and Impacts of Compensating for Carbon at the Border," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) hal-04157547, HAL.
    7. Fei Pan & Kun Ni & Tao Xu & Huaican Chen & Yusong Wang & Ke Gong & Cai Liu & Xin Li & Miao-Ling Lin & Shengyuan Li & Xia Wang & Wensheng Yan & Wen Yin & Ping-Heng Tan & Litao Sun & Dapeng Yu & Rodney , 2023. "Long-range ordered porous carbons produced from C60," Nature, Nature, vol. 614(7946), pages 95-101, February.
    8. Tomoko Hasegawa & Shinichiro Fujimori & Stefan Frank & Florian Humpenöder & Christoph Bertram & Jacques Després & Laurent Drouet & Johannes Emmerling & Mykola Gusti & Mathijs Harmsen & Kimon Keramidas, 2021. "Land-based implications of early climate actions without global net-negative emissions," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(12), pages 1052-1059, December.
    9. Xutong Wu & Bojie Fu & Shuai Wang & Shuang Song & Yingjie Li & Zhenci Xu & Yongping Wei & Jianguo Liu, 2022. "Decoupling of SDGs followed by re-coupling as sustainable development progresses," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(5), pages 452-459, May.
    10. Yucan Peng & Lingling Fan & Weiliang Jin & Yusheng Ye & Zhuojun Huang & Shang Zhai & Xuan Luo & Yinxing Ma & Jing Tang & Jiawei Zhou & Louisa C. Greenburg & Arun Majumdar & Shanhui Fan & Yi Cui, 2022. "Coloured low-emissivity films for building envelopes for year-round energy savings," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(4), pages 339-347, April.
    11. Livia Cabernard & Stephan Pfister & Christopher Oberschelp & Stefanie Hellweg, 2022. "Growing environmental footprint of plastics driven by coal combustion," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 139-148, February.
    12. Kevin Rennert & Frank Errickson & Brian C. Prest & Lisa Rennels & Richard G. Newell & William Pizer & Cora Kingdon & Jordan Wingenroth & Roger Cooke & Bryan Parthum & David Smith & Kevin Cromar & Dela, 2022. "Comprehensive evidence implies a higher social cost of CO2," Nature, Nature, vol. 610(7933), pages 687-692, October.
    13. Scott Thacker & Daniel Adshead & Marianne Fay & Stéphane Hallegatte & Mark Harvey & Hendrik Meller & Nicholas O’Regan & Julie Rozenberg & Graham Watkins & Jim W. Hall, 2019. "Infrastructure for sustainable development," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(4), pages 324-331, April.
    14. Arik Levinson & M. Scott Taylor, 2008. "Unmasking The Pollution Haven Effect," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(1), pages 223-254, February.
    15. Lena I. Fuldauer & Scott Thacker & Robyn A. Haggis & Francesco Fuso-Nerini & Robert J. Nicholls & Jim W. Hall, 2022. "Author Correction: Targeting climate adaptation to safeguard and advance the Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-1, December.
    16. Tianyang Wang & Zhe Jiang & Bin Zhao & Yu Gu & Kuo-Nan Liou & Nesamani Kalandiyur & Da Zhang & Yifang Zhu, 2020. "Health co-benefits of achieving sustainable net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in California," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(8), pages 597-605, August.
    17. Xiaoxin Zhang & Martin Brandt & Xiaowei Tong & Philippe Ciais & Yuemin Yue & Xiangming Xiao & Wenmin Zhang & Kelin Wang & Rasmus Fensholt, 2022. "A large but transient carbon sink from urbanization and rural depopulation in China," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(4), pages 321-328, April.
    18. Dag Lundén & Jens Malmodin & Pernilla Bergmark & Nina Lövehagen, 2022. "Electricity Consumption and Operational Carbon Emissions of European Telecom Network Operators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-27, February.
    19. Sam Heft-Neal & Jennifer Burney & Eran Bendavid & Kara K. Voss & Marshall Burke, 2020. "Dust pollution from the Sahara and African infant mortality," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(10), pages 863-871, October.
    20. Xin Bo & Min Jia & Xiaoda Xue & Ling Tang & Zhifu Mi & Shouyang Wang & Weigeng Cui & Xiangyu Chang & Jianhui Ruan & Guangxia Dong & Beihai Zhou & Steven J. Davis, 2021. "Effect of strengthened standards on Chinese ironmaking and steelmaking emissions," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 811-820, September.
    21. Mi Zhou & Hongxun Liu & Liqun Peng & Yue Qin & Dan Chen & Lin Zhang & Denise L. Mauzerall, 2022. "Environmental benefits and household costs of clean heating options in northern China," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(4), pages 329-338, April.
    22. Xinyu Liang & Shaojun Zhang & Ye Wu & Jia Xing & Xiaoyi He & K. Max Zhang & Shuxiao Wang & Jiming Hao, 2019. "Air quality and health benefits from fleet electrification in China," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 962-971, October.
    23. ., 2023. "The role of waqf in sustainable economic development," Chapters, in: Islamic Social Finance, chapter 2, pages 14-34, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    24. Fischer, Carolyn & Fox, Alan K., 2012. "Comparing policies to combat emissions leakage: Border carbon adjustments versus rebates," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 199-216.
    25. Lena I. Fuldauer & Scott Thacker & Robyn A. Haggis & Francesco Fuso-Nerini & Robert J. Nicholls & Jim W. Hall, 2022. "Targeting climate adaptation to safeguard and advance the Sustainable Development Goals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dechezleprêtre, Antoine & Gennaioli, Caterina & Martin, Ralf & Muûls, Mirabelle & Stoerk, Thomas, 2022. "Searching for carbon leaks in multinational companies," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    2. Ying Pan & Ke Shi & Zhongxu Zhao & Yao Li & Junxi Wu, 2024. "The effects of China’s poverty eradication program on sustainability and inequality," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Schaufele, Brandon, 2019. "Demand Shocks Change the Excess Burden From Carbon Taxes," MPRA Paper 92132, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Xiahou, Qinrui & Springer, Cecilia Han & Mendelsohn, Robert, 2022. "The effect of foreign investment on Asian coal power plants," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    5. Di Wu & Haotian Zheng & Qing Li & Shuxiao Wang & Bin Zhao & Ling Jin & Rui Lyu & Shengyue Li & Yuzhe Liu & Xiu Chen & Fenfen Zhang & Qingru Wu & Tonghao Liu & Jingkun Jiang & Lin Wang & Xiangdong Li &, 2023. "Achieving health-oriented air pollution control requires integrating unequal toxicities of industrial particles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Eskander, Shaikh & Fankhauser, Samuel, 2021. "The impact of climate legislation on trade-related carbon emissions, 1997–2017," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 111509, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Shaikh M. S. U. Eskander & Sam Fankhauser, 2023. "The Impact of Climate Legislation on Trade-Related Carbon Emissions 1996–2018," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 85(1), pages 167-194, May.
    8. Ou, Yang & Kittner, Noah & Babaee, Samaneh & Smith, Steven J. & Nolte, Christopher G. & Loughlin, Daniel H., 2021. "Evaluating long-term emission impacts of large-scale electric vehicle deployment in the US using a human-Earth systems model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    9. Fell, Harrison & Maniloff, Peter, 2018. "Leakage in regional environmental policy: The case of the regional greenhouse gas initiative," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 1-23.
    10. Schreiner, Lena & Madlener, Reinhard, 2022. "Investing in power grid infrastructure as a flexibility option: A DSGE assessment for Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    11. Levitt, Clinton J. & Pedersen, Morten S. & Sørensen, Anders, 2015. "Examining the efforts of a small, open economy to reduce carbon emissions: The case of Denmark," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 94-106.
    12. Fábio T. F. Silva & Alexandre Szklo & Amanda Vinhoza & Ana Célia Nogueira & André F. P. Lucena & Antônio Marcos Mendonça & Camilla Marcolino & Felipe Nunes & Francielle M. Carvalho & Isabela Tagomori , 2022. "Inter-sectoral prioritization of climate technologies: insights from a Technology Needs Assessment for mitigation in Brazil," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 1-39, October.
    13. Böhringer, Christoph & Garcia-Muros, Xaquin & Gonzalez-Eguino, Mikel & Rey, Luis, 2017. "US climate policy: A critical assessment of intensity standards," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(S1), pages 125-135.
    14. Edmond Noubissi & Boker Poumie & Hilaire Nkengfack, 2021. "Effect of environmental policies on exports from sub‐Saharan African countries," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 33(4), pages 688-702, December.
    15. Qian Zhou & Feng Gui & Benxuan Zhao & Jingyi Liu & Huiwen Cai & Kaida Xu & Sheng Zhao, 2024. "Examining the Social Costs of Carbon Emissions and the Ecosystem Service Value in Island Ecosystems: An Analysis of the Zhoushan Archipelago," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-19, January.
    16. Antoci, Angelo & Galdi, Giulio & Russu, Paolo, 2022. "Environmental degradation and comparative advantage reversal," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).
    17. Huihui Liu & Xiaohang Yue & Hui Ding & G. Keong Leong, 2017. "Optimal Remanufacturing Certification Contracts in the Electrical and Electronic Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-17, March.
    18. Xiong, Siqin & Yuan, Yi & Yao, Jia & Bai, Bo & Ma, Xiaoming, 2023. "Exploring consumer preferences for electric vehicles based on the random coefficient logit model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    19. Michael Keen & Ian Parry & James Roaf, 2022. "Border carbon adjustments: rationale, design and impact," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(3), pages 209-234, September.
    20. Arik Levinson, 2009. "Technology, International Trade, and Pollution from US Manufacturing," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(5), pages 2177-2192, December.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2309.02338. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: arXiv administrators (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://arxiv.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.