The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme, in collaboration with leading satellite manufacturers Airbus Defence and Space, Eutelsat OneWeb, and an industrial consortium, have successfully performed the world’s first 5G New Radio signal handover to a satellite constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO). The test took place at the 5G/6G Telecom Lab at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in The Netherlands. This achievement is the result of close collaboration between ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications and Technology, Engineering and Quality directorates, as well as world-class industry technical expertise.

A milestone in the integration of terrestrial networks and non-terrestrial networks, the demonstration proves the feasibility of providing a reliable and consistent connectivity even as it is relayed from the ground to satellites in LEO. Due to their complexity, legacy terrestrial network handover procedures for 5G signals have previously resulted in a degraded performance and poor signal continuity, making them unsuitable for widespread commercialisation in non-terrestrial networks. The new specified Conditional Handover protocol tested at ESTEC allows signals to be configured quickly within a narrow window of availability during satellite passes for a seamless experience. This development clears a major hurdle in the deployment of integrated terrestrial and satellite networks, which are intended to provide faster, more reliable and ubiquitous coverage to consumers and operators.

In September, ESA, Airbus Defence and Space and Eutelsat OneWeb signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI), framing their shared objective to collaborate on over-the-air demonstrations for technologies and systems for 5G via satellite. This signature is underscored by ESA’s ambition to promote commercial applications of space systems. Already, the Agency is supporting the development of 5G NTN technology along specifications outlined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and has  continued building a network of collaborations to bolster European competitiveness in the field.

In addition to the MoI participants, global technical expertise was also instrumental to the success of this test campaign. MediaTek, a semiconductor manufacturer and fellow member of the 5G EMERGE project with ESA, designed the user equipment (UE) for the test, with Sharp providing the UE Array Antenna. Electronics experts Rohde & Schwarz and ITRI also provided the non-terrestrial network test & measurement equipment and gNodeB respectively.

“By partnering with Airbus Defence and Space, Eutelsat and partners, this innovative step in the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks proves why collaboration is an essential ingredient in boosting competitiveness and growth of Europe’s satellite communications sector,” said David Phillips, Head of the Systems, Strategic Programme Lines and Technology Department at ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications directorate, which hosts the Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme. “ESA is delighted to have exchanged knowledge and expertise with industry, as we work towards our joint aim to provide seamless connectivity for the benefit of Europe and beyond.”

“At ESA, we’re working to advance the satellite technology that will bring a seamless connectivity experience to our citizens, ensuring that they are connected everywhere, at all times, and via any device. In particular, our Telecom Laboratory at ESTEC is central to providing industry with a testbed in the deployment of future 5G/6G services. It is through this effort that we will fast-track innovations in the integration of satellite and ground networks, while shaping the future 6G standard,” said Sylvain Bouchart, Head of the Electrical Department within ESA’s Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

“As a global leader in terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity, we continue in our mission to improve lives by enabling technology that connects the world around us, including areas with little to no cellular coverage,” said Mingxi Fan, Head of Wireless System and ASIC Engineering at MediaTek. “By making real-world connections with Eutelsat LEO satellites in orbit, together with our ecosystem partners, we are now another step closer to bring the next generation of 3GPP-based New Radio-Non-Terrestrial Network (NR-NTN) satellite wideband connectivity for commercial uses.

Daniele Finocchiaro, Head of Telecom R&D and Projects at Eutelsat, said: “We are proud to be among the leading companies working on NTN specifications, and to be the first satellite operator to test NTN broadband over Ku-band LEO satellites. Collaboration with important partners is a key element when working on a new technology, and we especially appreciate the support of the European Space Agency. Together, we will shape the future world of broadband connectivity, always aiming to provide better services to our customers”.

Elodie Viau, Head of Telecom and Navigation Systems at Airbus, said: “This connectivity demonstration performed with Airbus-built LEO Eutelsat satellites confirms our product adaptability. The successful showcase of Advanced New Radio NTN handover capability marks a major step towards enabling seamless, global broadband connectivity for 5G devices. These results reflect the strong collaboration between all partners involved, whose combined expertise and commitment have been key to achieving this milestone. Airbus is proud to advance the satellites integration into everyday connectivity for our customers.”

Masahiro Okitsu, President & CEO, Sharp Corporation, said: “We are proud to announce that we have successfully demonstrated Conditional Handover over 5G-Advanced NR-NTN connection using OneWeb constellation and our newly developed user terminals. This achievement marks a significant step toward the practical implementation of non-terrestrial networks. Leveraging the expertise we have cultivated over many years in terrestrial communications, we are honoured to bring innovation to the field of satellite communications as well. Moving forward, we will continue to contribute to the evolution of global communication infrastructure and strive to realize a society where everyone is seamlessly connected.”

“In this trial, ITRI showcased its advanced NR-NTN gNB technology as an integral part of the NR-NTN communication system, enabling conditional handover on the Rel-19 system,” said Dr. Pang-An Ting, Vice President and General Director of Information and Communications Research Laboratories at ITRI. “We see great potential in 3GPP NTN communication to deliver ubiquitous coverage and seamless connectivity in full integration with terrestrial networks. As a pioneer in commercial NR-NTN connectivity solutions (Ameba RAN), ITRI is actively driving innovation in NR-NTN gNB development and is eager to work closely with ecosystem partners to seize emerging NTN opportunities.”

Goce Talaganov, Vice President of Mobile Radio Testers at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “We at Rohde & Schwarz are excited to have contributed to this industry milestone with our test and measurement expertise. For real-time NR-NTN channel characterisation, we used our high-end signal generation and analysis instruments R&S SMW200A and FSW. Our CMX500-based NTN test suite replicated the Ku-band conditional handover scenarios in the lab. This rigorous testing, which addresses the challenges of satellite-based communications, paved the way for further performance optimisation of MediaTek’s and Sharp’s 5G-Advanced NTN devices.”

The validation of Conditional Handover has benefits for the entire satellite ecosystem. It will give European industry a competitive edge for the planning and development of satellite constellations destined for commercial exploitation.

The consortium is grateful to the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure for their support in obtaining the experimental licensing for ESA.