The European Space Agency ( ESA ) and Telesat have reach a world - first by connecting a Low Earth Orbit ( LEO ) artificial satellite to the ground using 5 G Non - mundane connection ( NTN ) technology . This tag a important step towards establishing space - found communications that are as soft as using a smartphone . The development could inspire how pinch responses coordinate , provide better rural health care , and even support industrial operations across the world , even in remote or typically underserved areas .
sooner this year , ESA and Telesat signed aMemorandum of Understandingwhich offer the former access to the LEO 3 planet operated by the latter . This satellite serves an significant role in low - latency customer covering testing – a unconscious process that evaluate and insure the functioning and responsiveness of applications that are sensitive to delays or “ latency ” – as well as feeler and modern developments .
The squad usedAmarisoft ’s 5 chiliad technology which they managed to connect with the satellite as it was moving across the sky , from the skyline to its peak top of 38 degrees and down again . The connection remain stable throughout this time .
Although other experiment have been lead with satellites in geostationary orbits , this is the first time a 5 thou NTN engineering has been connected with a LEO satellite moving quickly in esteem to a exploiter on the ground .
The opportunities this accomplishment unfold up should not be downplayed . It offers new chances to performremote surgerythrough reliable telehealth services , support autonomous fomite , cater connectivity for catastrophe reception teams , connect civilians who live or are site in remote places , and can enhance in - flight cyberspace service .
“ This world - first experimentation show ESA ’s technical excellency in march on broadband satellite access engineering science , ” Alberto Ginesi , ESA ’s Head of the Telecom Systems and Techniques Section of the Directorate of Technology , Engineering , and Quality ( TEC ) excuse in astatement .
“ build on the 3GPP standardization groups ' approval , we ’ve try out 5 G NTN specifications over a genuine non - geostationary orbit satellite connexion . Through this achievement , we ’ve shown ESA ’s capability to support advanced artificial satellite broadband connection , pave the way for forthcoming task such as IRIS² . I ’d wish to recognise the work of Augusto Marziani , Stefano Cioni , and Matteo Conti for carrying out this experiment . ”
An important innovation in this experiment was the manipulation of unfastened standards , rather than proprietary waveform technology . Open standards were developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project ( 3GPP ) – an outside organisation that produces telecommunication banner . This bespeak that mobile devices could eventually touch base straight to satellite – what is called a “ direct - to - twist ” connection – which could frown the cost and complexness assort with terrestrial infrastructure .
It could also importantly increase interconnectivity between different providers , especially as the technology effectively represents a elbow room to seamlessly swop between ground - based networks and satellites .
