Supplier snapshot: Leaf Space in 2024 and beyond

Leaf Space operates, and continues to develop, a solid and reliable distributed ground station infrastructure to provide effective ground segment-as-a-service (GSaaS) solutions and enable full exploitation of space data.

In this article we discuss their growth over the last 12 months, look ahead to the company’s plans and ambitions in 2024, and share further information about their portfolio.

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Contents

• Leaf Space’s growth in 2023
• Leaf Space’s ambitions for 2024
• Insights from the supply chain
• Leaf Space’s portfolio
• Further reading
• Article references

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Leaf Space in 2023

We asked Leaf Space what the company’s biggest wins in 2023 were. They replied with the following information:

Leaf Space started in 2014. What was then a little more than a garage in Milan has since become one of the top four Ground Segment-as-a-Service (GSaaS) companies in the world, with 20 ground stations in 15 regions.

In 2023 we were trusted with additional 40 satellites and more than 120,000 passes, double the previous year.

Leaf Space also raised a $20 million round of funding on top of the availability by the European Investment Bank of a loan for a further €15 million through Venture Debt, a five-fold increase over the cumulative funding, enabling us to improve our network and software.

So what do we do for the space community?

Leaf Space connects operators to their space assets via our ground station network, bringing the following key capabilities and benefits:

📡 Payload downlink: receive payload data from a spacecraft and send it to the satellite owner.

🖥️ Satellite ops: send commands and receive telemetry via our network.

⏱️ LEOP support: help establish connections during the crucial LEOP phase.

🚀 Launch vehicle tracking: receive telemetry during rocket launches.

📝 Licensing support: assistance with the necessary RF licensing process.

Leaf Space is not just a provider but a partner in your space asset’s mission.

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Leaf Space in 2024

Leaf Space also shared the company’s strategic aims and ambitions for this year:

The space economy in 2024

In 2024, the market is shifting in several key ways. Let’s look at the trends and data from previous years:

1. The number of commercial satellites saw a year-over-year increase of 35% in 2022¹ and 13% in 2023². A good number of commercial companies are transitioning into the commercial operations phase. Research suggests that this trend will continue in the upcoming years.
2. The build and launch costs for satellites have lowered compared to five years ago.³
3. Satellite manufacturing revenue increased by 15% YoY in 2022 suggesting an increasing demand.³
4. Earth Observation and Space Communications are pushing for the need for faster data rates and higher bandwidth. This is driving the need for Ka-band downlink solutions.
5. Launch services are projected to grow by 15.1% annually, with challengers like Rocket Lab and Firefly ramping up their launch cadence, whilst these and other companies are working towards bringing to market new launchers.
6. There is an increase in cybersecurity concerns due to recent global events.
7. The increase in satellite operators’ interest in mid-inclination satellites led SpaceX to develop more rideshare missions.
8. With more precise and wideband sensors generating more data, mass per satellite is increasing.⁴

To navigate through these trends and challenges, satellite operators are looking for simple, reliable, and flexible solutions to support their operations.

The road ahead

The GSaaS market has grown proportionally to the deployment of smallsats, and we believe in creating products that enable and simplify our customers’ operations. Therefore, in 2024 we are:

1. Growing our team with the addition of specialists in product development, cybersecurity, mission support, satellite, and spectrum regulations.
2. Growing the Leaf Space ground station network with 19 new antennas, a 54% increase from 2023. The new locations will serve SSO and mid-inclination missions with lower latency and wider coverage.
3. Introducing support to EESS Ka-Band.
4. Introducing a new one-stop platform for documentation, FAQs, and customer support.
5. Focusing our efforts on enhancing Leaf Track for launch service providers.
6. Implementing a product roadmap that will make the user experience better, with seamless integration and optimized use of the network.

Leaf Space strives to be customer-obsessed at its core. The company ties its profitability to the quality of its user experience at the center of its business.

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Insights from the supply chain

Some further thoughts and insights from Leaf Space:

We are often asked about suggestions for new entrants in the sector. We interact with customers at various stages during the planning and operational phases and have a wealth of knowledge to share.

Here are three suggestions that we think will have the most impact:

1. We often find companies deploying satellites before a product-market fit. In the long term, a company with a product that a customer wants will survive. We suggest companies create products based on market needs not just because it is possible.
2. Some customers pick low-cost radios or antennas, only to later regret their decision. After all wouldn’t you want to avoid a healthy satellite that is unable to receive or transmit data due to a faulty communications component? We suggest a long-term cost-benefit analysis for the selection of radio/antenna with a focus on the reliability of the satellite for the entire lifecycle not just a design phase.
3. RF licensing can be long and challenging. We suggest starting to think about licensing during the design phase. Reach out to Leaf Space if you need help.

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Leaf Space’s portfolio

This section includes a variety of Leaf Space’s products and services available on the global market today. Click on the links to open pages with more detail on each system.

You can then make requests for quotes, documents, or further information, and we’ll handle these for you (find out more about how this simple process works on this page). You can also submit an open tender here and our expert procurement team will get back to you ASAP.

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Further reading

The links below will take you to other satsearch resources where you can learn more about some of the topics mentioned on this page:

• Many to one: the (not so) hidden benefits of the Ground Segment-as-a-Service model – with Leaf Space [PODCAST]
• Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS); streamlining procurement across multiple missions – with Leaf Space [PODCAST]
• Improving NewSpace services by building a better ground segment – with Leaf Space [PODCAST]
• Spotlight: how to secure a license for your space mission ground segment, with Leaf Space
• Spotlight: satellite ground stations – installing your own vs. using an existing network, with Leaf Space
• Spotlight: how to connect your satellite to a ground station network, with Leaf Space
• Spotlight: Leaf Space – pioneering ground segment-as-a-service
• Spotlight: ground station site discovery and management
• Satellite ground station as a service providers
• A brief introduction to the space supply chain
• How satsearch helps space companies grow
• Procurement advice from space industry experts

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References

1. Satellite Industry Association. (2023) Record Setting Growth Highlights Commercial Satellite Industry as it Continues to Dominate Expanding Global Space Business – SIA Releases 26th Annual State of the Satellite Industry Report. Available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/06/20/2691019/0/en/Record-Setting-Growth-Highlights-Commercial-Satellite-Industry-as-it-Continues-to-Dominate-Expanding-Global-Space-Business-SIA-Releases-26th-Annual-State-of-the-Satellite-Industry-.html (Accessed: 8 January 2024)
2. Jonathan McDowell. (2023) Space Activities in 2023. Available at: https://planet4589.org/space/papers/space23.pdf (Accessed: 8 January 2024)
3. Hughes. (2023) 2023 SIA Report: Satellite Industry Contributes 73% of Space Business Revenue Globally. Available at: https://www.hughes.com/resources/insights/industry/2023-sia-report-satellite-industry-contributes-73-space-business (Accessed: 8 January 2024)
4. Bryce Tech. (2023) Small Sats 2023. Available at: https://brycetech.com/reports/report-documents/Bryce_Smallsats_2023.pdf (Accessed: 8 January 2024).

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