PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION AND SCALABILITY OF LEO SATELLITE NETWORKS FOR GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations are rapidly redefining the future of global broadband access by offering high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity to remote and underserved regions. Unlike traditional geostationary systems, LEO satellites orbit much closer to Earth, enabling latency reductions from hundreds of milliseconds to under 50 ms. This paper evaluates the performance characteristics and scalability potential of leading LEO networks—such as Starlink, OneWeb, and Project Kuiper—through a combination of analytical modeling, simulation, and industry data analysis. Key metrics examined include link latency, user throughput, satellite handover dynamics, and coverage density. The study also identifies bottlenecks such as gateway limitations, inter-satellite link availability, and spectrum reuse strategies. Based on these findings, we propose a set of architectural principles and future innovations necessary to ensure sustainable growth and equitable global access in satellite-based broadband networks.