5G in space is becoming a reality, and Square Peg Communications, a leader in satellite communications test equipment, is helping make it happen. Square Peg was selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to implement an emulation environment that reliably tests a variety of scenarios across multiple satellite constellations as part of its Space for 5G and 6G Strategic Programme Line.

Square Peg teamed up with European technology firm WORK Microwave, with support from the Canadian Space Agency and ESA, to deliver an emulator that can accurately model dynamics, tightly control channel impairments, and cover frequency bands spanning nearly 30 GHz across a wide variety of satellite and terrestrial scenarios – providing a complete solution that addressed ESA’s requirements.

“We are proud to evolve with the industry as we support today’s space innovators. They need reliable and responsive technology solutions that empower advancements in satellite communications,” said Michael Gertsman, President of Square Peg. “Testing has always been an important factor in successful innovation. And now, in response to massive growth in the sector, we’re seeing it being implemented in broader and more integrated ways than ever before.”

Using its high-performance wideband radio link simulator, the RLS-2100, Square Peg provided an emulation environment that supports terrestrial and non-terrestrial links for 5G application testing, including 5G channel models, and an increased frequency range covering 5G FR1 — all in a single platform. Seamless integration with the flexible wideband converter technology developed by WORK Microwave allows the combined offering to interface directly to equipment in the 5G FR2 band as well as in the Ku- and Ka- satellite bands. The successful project will enable ESA to realistically test a range of 5G scenarios across multiple satellite constellations in a more flexible and affordable way, and with better performance levels than any other solution on the market.

”This is a major advancement of 5G in space and we are pleased to see Square Peg and WORK Microwave delivering first-class technology in the frame of ESA`s strategic programme line Space for 5G & 6G,” said Stefano Cioni, ESA’s Technical Officer on this project. “This team has met the technical requirements and we believe that the RLS-2100 will foster 5G NTN experimentations in realistic laboratory environments.”

“We were excited to work in partnership with Square Peg to develop a strong technology solution,” stated Matthias Stangl, VP RF Products at WORK Microwave, “One with a potentially massive market opportunity ahead.”

The RLS-2100 tester enables users to cost effectively:

• Conduct hardware-in-the-loop testing of bi-directional 5G carriers for both satellite-satellite or satellite-terrestrial links
• Perform realistic and accurate emulation of satellite and terrestrial link characteristics including atmospheric effects (e.g. rain fade), Doppler, delay, and path loss variations
• Emulate impairments introduced by transmit and receive RF components such as nonlinear distortion, phase noise, amplitude ripple, and thermal noise
• Model all types of satellite constellations, including traditional geostationary satellites as well as LEO, MEO and HEO satellites, or combinations of these
• Verify link performance during satellite beam, satellite-satellite and satellite-terrestrial handovers