Net Reply Partners with the European Space Agency (ESA), Satellite Applications Catapult, and University of Surrey on ARTES 5G TINA Project

25 October 2024

Net Reply, the Reply Group company specialising in networking technology, are proud to announce their collaboration on the Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) 5G TINA project as part of a consortium led by The European Space Agency, in partnership with industry leaders Satellite Applications Catapult and the University of Surrey.

This venture aims to innovate 5G connectivity by integrating satellite technology into terrestrial networks, addressing the growing demand for high-speed, ubiquitous connectivity. The utilisation of satellites is imperative in bridging coverage gaps that terrestrial infrastructure alone cannot fulfil.

The project's ambitions include identifying applicable 3D Non-terrestrial network (NTN) topologies, establishing a framework for evaluating and demonstrating future non-terrestrial network (NTN) designs, and providing a proposed solution that exploits the advantages of programmable software switches to reduce latency, overhead, and load on satellite payloads. By leveraging the expertise of the consortium, the project aims to create a Minimal Viable System Product (MVSP) that meets the evolving needs of the space industry.

Key Objectives of the ARTES 5G TINA Project:

• To enable 5G satellite nodes by extending the use of terrestrial 5G network functions, protocols, software-defined networking (SDN), Multi-access edge computing (MEC), edge computing and storage, and distributed control and management concepts to space.
• To develop mechanisms to address the secure instantiation, control, and management of the network functions on 5G satellite nodes to enable optimised connectivity, coverage, and capacity allocations.
• To develop a testbed to demonstrate an end-to-end network with integrated 5G NTN nodes.

Net Reply is serving as the architect and designer in this project, tasked with analysing and evaluating various network scenarios that integrate satellite networks with 5G mobile infrastructure across multiple use cases. These use cases include connecting emergency responders, delivering broadband connectivity to moving platforms, and providing ad-hoc support for high-capacity events. The proposed NTN architectures facilitate the prototyping and testing of 5G-NTN use cases on a testbed, allowing their performance to be evaluated in a controlled environment.

The project’s findings will be shared through a white paper, set for publication by the end of 2024. This paper will offer a detailed evaluation of key technologies and provide critical inputs to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) regarding future 5G specifications. The research is expected to play a vital role in fostering a future characterised by optimised connectivity, increased availability, and enhanced capacity allocation.