ESA and SNS JU 6G-SANDBOX join forces to pioneer large-scale non-terrestrial network trials

A set of large-scale non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) trials aiming to showcase the vast utility of space-based 5G and 6G communications are set to be conducted across Europe as a part of the European Commission’s Smart Networks Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) 6G-SANDBOX project. ESA's Space for 5G/6G & Sustainable Connectivity programme has joined the initiative to lend its portfolio of 5G and 6G NTN expertise. ESA is also inviting companies and research institutions working in this domain, who are engaged in current or previous ESA contracts, to take part in the trials.  

The SNS JU 6G-SANDBOX project, which is funded under the Horizon Europe programme, and is part of the Smart Networks Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU), aims to combine digital and physical nodes to create end-to-end networks, allowing researchers and organisations to validate new technologies and research advances for the future of 6G. Commencing in early 2026, the trials are set to culminate with the European Conference on Networks and Communications 6G Summit in Málaga. With a consortium of eighteen companies and research institutions from Spain, Greece, Germany, Finland, Poland, Belgium and the United Kingdom, led by Keysight Technologies, the trials are open for third parties from Europe and beyond to join. Furthermore, any company that works or has worked with ESA on any 5G/6G related project is invited to partake and test new technologies in a truly diverse technological environment.

ESA’s involvement in the project is also an opportunity to showcase several NTN connectivity solutions in conjunction with the ground infrastructure distributed across Europe and internationally. By joining the SNS JU 6G-SANDBOX, ESA brings in a considerable portfolio of ongoing and completed experiments conducted under the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme. By offering expertise in the demonstration of terrestrial-NTN convergence to the SNS-JU 6G-SANDBOX trials, ESA widens the scope and scale of testing, promising increased outreach and more robust results.

“By joining the SNS JU 6G-SANDBOX and leading large-scale NTN trials, ESA contributes not only valuable expertise but also a unique portfolio of experimental non-terrestrial 5G and 6G infrastructures. These assets will enable deeper, more rigorous experimentation, deliver results that are both reliable and globally relevant, and set a benchmark for how Europe can drive innovation in NTN connectivity – turning visionary ideas into worldwide standards and real-world services,” said Antonio Franchi, Head of ESA’s Space for 5G/6G and Sustainable Connectivity programme.