The 5G/6G Hub – based at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) at Harwell in the UK – is a place for collaboration and innovation, where industry will take advantage of the immense potential of converged satellite and terrestrial telecommunications networks to create advanced applications that benefit society and the environment. Benefiting from the support of the UK Space Agency (UKSA) the Hub fits into the UK Government’s 5G and 6G strategy.
While initially focused on 5G, as the connectivity transformation continues, a further generation, 6G, will become part of the Hub and provide even greater capacity.
Developed with information technology company CGI, the 5G/6G Hub enables three types of activities, through the provision of a private 5G network with SatCom connectivity in a business-driven facility designed to engage the wider community.
• Events and Showcases
The ESA 5G/6G Hub provides a focal point at the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus from where the capabilities enabled by innovative uses of 5G and SatCom technologies can be demonstrated to VIPs, industry, and the general public.
• Engineering Demonstrations and Applications
The ESA 5G Hub provides a location at which Application Developers and Service Providers can come together to test and verify the feasibility and benefits of their 5G converged network applications and services.
• Engineering Lab
The ESA 5G Hub provides an engineering lab within which technical engineering and support can be provided to demonstrate and integrate new 5G and SatCom capabilities and equipment functionalities.
Each of these activities supports the other. The Engineering Lab supports the development of Demonstrators and Applications, and these Demonstrators and Applications support the outreach activities. The support of ESA ensures that the environment is considered “open”: it supports multiple satellite service providers and potentially multiple core networks, radio access nodes etc.
The 5G/6G Hub is a gateway for commercialisation of space-enabled business ideas and multi-domain collaboration. Stakeholders from all vertical sectors are welcome to come and see how hybrid satellite-terrestrial networks can contribute to their business.
ESA’s ambition is to extend the Hub’s technology to cover businesses at the Harwell Campus, and then across Europe and beyond to connect with other research facilities, fostering innovation in ESA’s member states and globally. The 5G/6G Hub forms an integral part of ESA’s wider efforts to use space technology to enable connectivity.
ESA 5G/6G VIRTUAL TOUR
FEATURED OPPORTUNITIES
NEWS AND EVENTS
ESA project pioneers AI enhanced 5G and high-resolution imaging solutions
ESA’s Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme line is playing a pivotal role in bridging technological frontiers, demonstrating how space-enabled networks can transform business capabilities through the…
ESA and Telesat showcase the potential of Non-Terrestrial Networks for timing and positioning
ESA, in collaboration with Telesat (Nasdaq and TSX: TSAT), has achieved a significant milestone in developing future satellite Internet technology, successfully testing new 5G capabilities that could revolutionise how businesses and individuals…
ESA study sets path for European 5G space networks
ESA, together with a consortium of European satellite industry and satellite and terrestrial 5G technology providers, has developed a study to assess future 5G space-based infrastructures and their associated system…
ESA boosts Italian agriculture and disaster response through 5G satellites
Satellite 5G capabilities are growing in their importance across businesses and society. ESA’s 5G-HOST-SAT (5G Hub Over-The-Air Vertical Segment Validations) project is working to support the digitisation and greening of the…
ESA project to revolutionise communication of media content with satellite-enhanced 5G networks
ESA’s 5G-EMERGE project, as part of its Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme, is expanding its scope to meet the growing needs of media distribution as it moves into its second phase.
ESA’s Xtend 5G project to develop an independent hybrid satellite connectivity system
ESA is working with Forsway, a provider of cost-efficient hybrid satellite terrestrial solutions and equipment for broadband connectivity, to develop a two-way/ hybrid satellite connectivity system.
ESA showcases German space-enabled 6G connectivity capabilities
ESA is a key driver of 5G and 6G technologies, with 6G technologies still in the middle of their research and development and pre-standardisation phases. These challenges and opportunities will be shared by ESA’s Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable…
ESA expands 5G/6G Non-Terrestrial Network cooperation with South Korea
ESA is continuing its commitment to strengthening international cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the area of 5G/6G communications with the Satcom Forum of South Korea, a group of 41 leading Korean companies including…
ESA begins development of European 6G capabilities
ESA is looking to the future of connectivity, selecting Open Cosmos to be the platform operator and manufacturer of its 6G satellite precursor. The project is funded under its Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable…
European Space Agency launches Non-Terrestrial Network Forum
ESA’s Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Forum, a not-for-profit organisation that kicked off in July 2024, has brought together over 288 global experts, stakeholders, and industry leaders to advance the development and…
ESA pioneers satellite-enhanced vehicle-to-everything connectivity to boost Europe's automotiv…
ESA is supporting the future of automotive connectivity through its “V2X (vehicle to everything – where a vehicle shares its information with other vehicles and smart systems using wireless connectivity) – services…
European Space Agency partner with Nokia to develop 5G-enabled low-latency solutions
To meet growing connectivity needs, the European Space Agency’s Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme line, in collaboration with the UK Space Agency (UKSA), has awarded a development contract to…