As the pace of the market for communications to mobile devices from space-based platforms ratchets up, research centre i2CAT has announced plans to develop Europe’s first low Earth orbit lab for research and development in non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) and future 6G technology, and has awarded Open Cosmos the contract for manufacturing and launching the 6GStarLab satellite.
The 6GStarLab satellite is designed to validate experimental communications technologies in space, contributing to the standardisation of NTN, which is crucial for 5G-Advanced evolution and future 6G. 6GStarLab will look to function as an open, flexible testbed for remote deployment and execution of experiments, fostering innovation in the emerging ecosystem for terrestrial and non-terrestrial network interconnection.
The aim of the 6GStarLab is to enable researchers at i2CAT and its ecosystem to validate technological developments in orbit, accelerating satellite network research and integration with terrestrial infrastructure. Specifically, the lab will facilitate the study and validation of virtualisation techniques for satellite infrastructure and the evaluation of 6G communication frequencies using multi-frequency devices, and it will incorporate an optical terminal to enhance satellite-to-ground communications.
The satellite will include payloads designed by i2CAT and the Catalan company Microwave Sensors and Electronics, developed through the 6GSatNet project, along with a space-to-ground optical communication laser terminal and a corresponding ground station from Singapore-based Transcelestial. It will also include a set of radio-frequency communications antennas developed by the NanoSatLab group at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
To realise its plans, i2CAT has awarded a €1.65m public contract to space technology company Open Cosmos for the design, manufacture, integration, launch and deployment of the 6GStarLab satellite. Open Cosmos will provide an engineering model of the satellite to i2CAT, where experiments will be validated in the lab before deployment in space. The satellite is set for launch in October 2025, with research operations beginning in early 2026.
We are proud to contribute to the development of 6GStarLab, a project that will place Catalonia and Europe at the forefront of space communications Rafel Jordà Siquer, Open Cosmos
i2CAT plans to strengthen research in artificial intelligence, cyber security and connectivity extension through non-terrestrial networks, as well as publish research results for the scientific community. The 6GStarLab infrastructure will be available to scientists and technologists interested in exploring and experimenting with future communications, aligning with the European Space Agency’s 6G roadmap.
The initiative is part of the Unico I+D 6G programme, promoted by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, and is financed by NextGenerationEU funds. In total, i2CAT has secured €10m from the scientific infrastructure and equipment sub-programme to establish multiple research laboratories.
Open Cosmos CEO Rafel Jordà Siquer said: “We are proud to contribute to the development of 6GStarLab, a project that will place Catalonia and Europe at the forefront of space communications. This initiative perfectly exemplifies how collaboration between companies, research centres and institutions can accelerate 6G development, bringing space technology to the core of advanced and secure communications on Earth.”
i2CAT director Sergi Figuerola added: “6GStarLab represents a significant milestone for European non-terrestrial network research, providing a real space-based infrastructure to validate key 6G technologies. This open lab, funded by NextGenerationEU, will transform satellite communications research and its integration with terrestrial networks.”
