By Kim Rathcke Jensen, AAU Communication and Public Affairs

The climate is changing. In the future, we can expect more rain, precipitation and atmospheric water vapour.

That is not good news for communication with our satellites. In fact, we risk losing contact with them altogether.

Such disruptions could have significant consequences, as satellites play a critical role in activities ranging from agriculture, maritime operations and climate monitoring to military applications. Satellite infrastructure has become as integral to modern society as paved roads and electricity.

"Satellites are affected by particles such as dust, water and rain. We have already seen cases in Europe where satellite links were lost," says Israel Leyva Mayorga, Associate Professor at Aalborg University and Head of the Space Tech Center.

The number of satellites in orbit is only expected to increase. More than 14,000 active satellites currently orbit the Earth, and estimates suggest that figure could reach 250,000 by 2040.

"It is essential that we develop solutions that ensure robust satellite communications capable of withstanding the effects of climate change," says Israel Leyva Mayorga.

AI to Help Satellites Anticipate the Weather

To address this challenge, Aalborg University has launched a new interdisciplinary research project aimed at finding solutions that make satellite communication systems more resilient to climate change.

The project, called AI: GeoComm, combines artificial intelligence, physics and real-time data to improve weather predictions and strengthen the robustness of satellite communication systems.

"We are developing a model based on an intelligent satellite network, where AI is used to generate more accurate weather forecasts. With better forecasts, operators can switch frequencies or redirect satellites from other areas to support regions affected by severe weather," says Israel Leyva Mayorga, who is collaborating with Associate Professor Lotte Ansgaard Thomsen from AAU's Department of Sustainability and Planning.

Satellites Fail When Disaster Strikes

Such a solution could have helped provide more reliable internet connectivity during the devastating floods in Spain in 2024. During the disaster, Israel Leyva Mayorga was contacted by research colleagues in Valencia.

"There was no internet connectivity in the affected area, which has serious consequences when people are facing a disaster. They asked whether satellites could be used to restore internet access. They could, and satellites became part of the solution, but there were disruptions and outages caused by rainfall and weather conditions," says Israel Leyva Mayorga.

"Many satellites that provide internet connectivity to the ground operate at high frequencies. These frequencies allow large amounts of data to be transmitted, but they are also highly vulnerable to heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions."

"When we talk about severe weather events and disasters, those are precisely the situations where robust communications are most critical. More broadly, we depend on satellites in our daily lives, and they cannot afford to fail. If services such as navigation and positioning were suddenly unavailable tomorrow, it would result in major economic losses and trigger a cascade of problems for societies and businesses alike," says Israel Leyva Mayorga.

About the Project
AI: GeoComm is part of Aalborg University's AI:X Labs, which brings together AI researchers from across the university to develop solutions to concrete societal challenges.