LeoCommon – A Ground Station Observatory Network for LEO Satellite Research

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are becoming increasingly popular with private companies launching them to build vast networks that cover the globe. As these satellite systems expand, questions about their performance, security, and privacy
are rising. To address these questions, researchers need to study these systems in real-world conditions. To support this kind of empirical research, we developed LeoCommon, an experimental network of ground stations. This network is designed to work with multiple satellite constellations such as Iridium, Globalstar, Starlink, and others. The LeoCommon system only uses open-source software and affordable hardware components that are easily accessible to academic researchers. We set up an initial network of ground stations in Central Europe, consisting of 10 stations. Using this setup, we have managed to collect over 500 synchronized recordings from the Iridium satellites, totaling more than 3,400 hours of data. This paper discusses the design of LeoCommon, our experiences in setting up the stations, and the
initial results from testing the system with the Iridium network
constellation.